Category: Balance Training/ Foot and Ankle
Walking on Your Toes
One of the fastest easiest ways to strengthen your Tibialis Anterior (shin muscle). This muscle is often prone to causing shin splints when weak. Be prepared to look like a duck. Yes, this is how the exercise is supposed to look. Keep your knees soft. Never lock your knees. Land lightly on your heels. Pull [...]
Read moreRolling the Tibialis Anterior (shin muscle)
The Tibialis Anterior is a muscle that runs up the lateral (outside) of your shin. It is often the culpret for shin splints. A quick easy way to loosen up this muscle is to use a rolling pin. Pause for 30-45 seconds on areas that are extra painful or have muscle knots. Never roll over [...]
Read moreAnkle Sprains
An ankle sprain typically happens from stepping on an uneven surface and rolling your ankle, stretching out the ligaments and soft tissue structure that provide support. The most common ligament affected is the anterior talo-fibular ligament (on the outside of the ankle). Depending on the degree of damage injury can range from a mild tear [...]
Read moreMetatarsal Stress Fracture
A stress fracture occurs when the bone undergoes more repetitive stress than it can handle. The metatarsal bones in the feet must withstand high loads of force over long periods of time, which makes them a common place for stress fractures to occur. Symptoms: Sharp pain in the ball of the foot during activity. Pain [...]
Read moreWeak ankles? Building eversion and inversion ankle strength.
Maybe you feel like you were born with weak ankles or suffered from repeated sprains early in life, either way your ankles need to be stronger. Each time you “turn” your ankle, even if it’s quickly walked off, you stretch out the supporting ligaments that secure the ankle in place. As the ligaments get stretched [...]
Read morePlantar Fasciitis
Anatomy: The plantar fascia, consisting of thick fibrous connective tissue, runs from the calcaneus (heel bone) to the toes. Symptoms: Pain in the bottom of the foot, especially when first standing in the morning. Discomfort when the bottom of the foot is stretched or placed in a dorsiflexed position. Mild swelling or redness. Over 10% [...]
Read moreShin Splints
Characterized by pain or tenderness in the front of the tibia (shin bone). Medically known as medial tibial stress syndrome. Cause: Too much, too soon in relation to mileage, speed, agility work or hills Worn out shoes Incorrect footwear, i.e. not enough or too much motion control Running on a slanted or hard surface Tight [...]
Read moreCalf Stretch
Ankle range of motion and flexibility are critical for a healthy gait cycle. Without proper flexibility of the ankle, excessive stress is placed on the knee. By doing a simple ankle stretch daily, this motion can be improved and your risk of injury decreased. Direct Benefits of Stretching the Calf: Decreases risk of Achilles Tendonitis [...]
Read moreUnderstanding the Foot and Ankle
Role of the Arches Supports your body weight. Acts as a spring to conserve energy during gait and efficiently propel you forward. Properly loading the arches during gait requires a large amount of stability. This is your primary base of support for the entire body. In addition to the stability needed for movement, flexibility is [...]
Read moreStanding Hip Abductions
Having adequate hip strength plays a crucial role in supporting our bodies. From knee pain to back pain, decreased hip strength can be the weak link in the chain. Muscle activation and standing balance are key. A simple exercise involving standing hip abduction targets all these aspects. Key Points: Stand tall with good posture Lift [...]
Read moreBuilding Arch Strength
Building lower leg strength is crucial for building a strong solid foundation from which the body can move. Without a proper foundation, the rest of the body must work harder to compensate for the weakness, leading to dysfunction and injury. Having a strong base of support plays a role in preventing plantar fasciitis, achilles tendonitis, [...]
Read moreTowel Scrunches/ Arch strength
Are you working the small muscles in the bottom of your feet? Those little muscles are the base of support for your entire body and are usually an area of neglect for most people. Try this simple, easy exercise while sitting at your desk or watching TV. This is a great exercise to help prevent [...]
Read moreShoulder Row
This exercise not only benefits the moderate exerciser who wants to work on posture but also helps develop shoulder strength and core control in the high level athlete. It also helps prevent rotator cuff pain by targeting the muscles in the upper back that help support the shoulder. Start by standing tall and pretending there [...]
Read moreDouble and Single Leg Squat
Ever experience knee pain? This is a great exercise to help strengthen the muscles that support the knee and play a vital role in preventing pain under the patella (knee cap). This exercise specifically targets knee stability, and helps on many levels, from someone trying to improve balance or prevent knee pain to a high [...]
Read moreCalf Raises/ Lower Leg Stability
Most people underestimate the importance of having strong lower leg muscles. These muscles not only control movement of the foot and ankle but also play a major role in supporting the hip and knee. If the lower leg muscles are weak, then more work and stress is transferred to the knee and hip, potentially causing [...]
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