Did you know that your ankle is made of three bones and a hinge joint1? You probably take for granted that his small part of our body can contribute so much to our movement and strength. Everything truly falls apart if you get nerve damage or damaged cartilage in the ankle, leading you to have to stop your activities. To prevent that from happening, we’re covering 7 key tips for safer exercise for your ankles.
Ankles and your health
Do you ever think about what your ankles do for you? They’re essential for your ability to carry your own weight and for your movement. It’s important to work on strengthening the ankle as that helps avoid pain and injury and improves balance2.
Additionally, you can support your foot and ankle health through foods and supplements that support joint and tendon structure. A great example of that is collagen, which you can find in meats and in supplements like Beauty Collagen.
To support mobility, it’s important to keep joints, like the one in the ankle, lubricated. Add Glucosamine Chondroitin MSM to your routine, as it contains compounds that support joint structure and function.
Common reasons your ankle hurts
Did you know sports injuries are super common reasons for ankle pain? These include things like3:
- Sprains, which is when you tear ligaments in the ankle;
- Fractures, which need treatment depending on what fracture;
- Breakage of the Achilles tendon – this tendon connects the heel bone and the calf muscle.
7 essential safety tips
Ready to kickstart your journey to ankle-safe exercise? Here are 7 essential tips to help you enjoy exercise without worrying about ankle damage.
Begin with a stretch
It’s been said a million times and we’ll say it a million more – warming up and working on mobility through stretches is key for your food and ankle health. Ankles can be easily ignored in a warm-up routine, so start including things like leg swings or ankle circles – great exercises to strengthen ankle.
Choose the right shoe
A simple switch that can really get your ankles to praise you is finding the right shoes for the type of exercise you’re doing. These are essential for keeping the ankle in place, providing support, or even just cushioning it from impact. Look for shoes made for your sport and reach out for help should you need it.
Invest in extra protection
Playing a high-impact sport or doing exercise which has a high risk of damage? Think ahead and get some extra protection going. Try a brace or an ankle support for exercise for a change and see if it makes a difference.
Work the muscles around it
Your ankle consists of bones and a joint, however, it’s also got plenty of muscles that support it, so consider exercises to strengthen ankle. You can work on building up their strength in order to be able to better support the movement and the load of the ankle. Try including more exercises that target ankle muscles and calves – try toe taps or even calf raises.
Maxler Vitamin D 5000 IU Drops can be a great way to support your muscle-building and movement4.
Pay attention to the technique
Your form matters, which is why if you’re engaging in any type of exercise, it’s a great idea to check on your technique. Learn to do exercises well and ask for extra support if you can’t get things quite right. This can help prevent unnecessary strain and nerve damage.
Don’t overdo it straight away
Are you a go-big or go-home person? Your ankles might not be able to bear the load you want to bear, so make sure you’re taking things slowly. Gradual increases in intensity or training time will work better than massively increasing load within two weeks.
Listen to yourself
As always, the most important thing is to pay attention to how your ankles feel. If you feel pain outside or pain inside the ankle, stop what you’re doing – you don’t want to wind up with an ankle twist after exercise. As a first step, use the RICE method if you’re feeling pain: rest, ice, compress, and elevate. However, don’t fear reaching out and getting help from your trainers or doctors.
Exercise should be a fun but challenging and immensely rewarding experience. But pain in the ankle can be a real bummer that gets in the way. With these seven safety tips, you should be in great shape to make sure you can exercise without worrying about hurting your ankles. Make the most of your exercise, safely.
