Alright, so we’re going to talk about ankling and balance. This is really, really valuable to do during the week to help increase your range of motion, maintain lubrication within the joints, and then also to build stability in single leg stance. This gives us the ability to stay upright, and be able to feel the contour of the ground while we’re running. This is not only important on the roads, but really, really important for on the trails, with the increased changes in elevation, the routes, the rocks or uneven surfaces.
To get started, you can just be seated. For all of these exercises it’s preferred to do barefoot, if you need to wear shoes, it’s okay. But this gives you the most amount of proprioception, body awareness. See the list of exercises below and follow along in the video!
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Ankling:
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2 sets of each exercise on each foot, done for time.
-Circles—clockwise & counterclockwise
-Foot Inversion/Eversion
-Alphabets
-Ankle Gliding (start with 4-6 reps per side; as you progress, each time can be an “as needed” number of reps to feel like the joint is smoothly gliding)
Balance drills: Continuous on same foot, done for time per exercise; transition right from one position into the next. Ideally done without shoes.
–Float: Floating foot held shoulder width apart, 3” off ground
–Right angle: Floating foot rotated 90 degrees away from front
–Kick stand: Floating foot extended away laterally
–Hokey pokey in: Floating foot extended forward (torso leans back)
-Hokey pokey out: Floating foot extended back (torso leans forward)
-High knee: Quad held parallel to ground
-Running cycle: Start in “High knee” and cycle through running motion; focus on quickly pulling heel up to your butt.
-Single-leg calf raise: Try to avoid having the heel of the side doing calf raises rest on the ground between reps
Here at Peak Endurance Performance & Physical Therapy we help active adults in the Madison Area get back to the activities they love without pain or limitations. We see people of all ages, ability levels, and individuals trying to get back to a multitude of movements including: getting back into running, women postpartum, CrossFit athletes, climbers, gymnasts, wrestlers, overhead athletes, and your recreational weekend warrior. If you’re looking to get back to the activities that give you meaning, relieve stress, and make you feel like you again, feel free to reach out below and we’ll see if we’re the right fit for you.
