How to Strengthen Ankle?

MrsMozartletoe

MrsMozartletoe

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Maybe a strange one for you all :D

My left leg behaves, pretty well anyway lol. My lower leg is straight and my foot is square to it; however the right leg... Well, it looks better because it sort of bends sideways at the ankle and tucks in nicley, but it sort of collapses :o. Had to stop riding yesterday because it had had enough :(.

I'm not very fit and I am very fat, but I'm working on both of them :D. I found that yesterday, after riding (I ride early in the morning), my right ankle and foot ached and felt inflamed inside.

I ride five days a week, for anywhere between half an hour and two hours. Going to horse camp at the start of August where we'll be riding for three hours a day...

I was going to just trot, trot, trot (within reason, etc.), to try and toughen it up, but am slightly concerned: my horse has tons of stamina, and when she gets too fit/full of energy doesn't have enough brain cells to cope with it and turns into a fruit loop, so I'm trying to balance her fitness level with what her brain (and me!) can cope with :D :D :D.

Any suggestions for fittening/strengthening?

Also in NL :D
 
I can have this problem if I ride in supportive footware for a while, I have to make sure I ride in normal long boots quite regularly so my ankles have to toughen up, otherwise it feels they they are going to collapse and bend outwards, what do you ride in?
 
To help strengthen your ankle try lots of rolling your ankles while riding or sat down or try standing on stairs with your heel hanging over the edge of the step! Helped my weak ankles loads!
 
Have you tried some physio?
Even just going once to get some balance board, swiss ball balance and strengthening exercises?
I had Cruciate repair surgery in my Knee 2 years ago, and not weight bearing on that side has weakened that knee and ankle. My physio has been helping me re-strengthen them and I can really feel the improvement!
I wouldn't advise the trot,trot,trot method you could strain your ankle even more if it is sore because of incorrect alignment or damage.
 
Hi-I've just come our of plaster for a broken ankle. The docter recommended-swimming,exercise like calf raises and wearing a descent support really helps and if your losing weight I'm sure that will make a big difference too - good luck!x
 
Ah, a specialist subject of mine, due to getting ejected off a horse at speed and having my foot get caught in the stirrup! :( They were convinced at the hospital I'd been thrown from a car and was lying about it, as it's the sort of injury people get when their foot tangles in the seat belt.

Anyway, even after a lot of physio, my ankle is not a happy bunny and does not work at all like the non-mashed one. I find it has a major influence on my riding and I have to be very careful to keep on top of it or it makes me uneven. Oh, and it hurts like a *******!

So . . .

Good footwear. Not only to ride in but for walking etc. I try to vary between levels of support because I find different boots have different effects so try to rotate between them.

Attention to detail. I check constantly if I'm distributing the weight on my stirrup properly. Mirrors are a godsend but if you know what you usually do when it's "wrong" you can do it by feel. It's all very well to use riding to strengthen it but only if you're using it properly, otherwise you're making the situation worse. I'm also very aware of how I'm walking and make an effort to not limit movement, pronate excessively etc., especially when I'm tired.

Physio. I don't go anymore (although I probably should, but I wouldn't know what part of me to start on :D ) but I was pretty horrified the last time I did, how bad my proprioception was on the bad ankle. They had me walk in front of a mirror and on a strike plate, and attached me to a machine that tracked various movements on a computer screen and I was not doing anything like I thought I was! If you haven't had any on your ankle before, it's worth going to have someone have a professional look at it.

Exercise. As said, a balance board is very good both for strength and for proprioception. Also, those elastic physio bands are great for a range of exercises. If you're going to do the "standing on a stair" one, look at your feet and make sure you're positioning them the same way. Same with doing ankle circles - make sure your bad one is going through the whole range of motion and do it by sight because if the problem is long term, your brain will be lying to you about what your foot is really doing.

THE most helpful exercise for me (not knowing the details of your problem, I obviously can't say if it would be the same) is "lifts". I stand on one foot and slowly raise up until I'm standing on the toe, then sink down again, either back flat on the floor, or with my heel still slightly raised. (I do sets both ways.) I do it first with my "good" foot, then look down for the first one or two on my bad foot, to make sure I'm positioning the same way. You're supposed to do these exercises not holding on to anything :eek: but I usually start with my finger tips just touching a wall or similar for balance. DON'T hold on to anything, though, as the whole point is to work on your balance not just strength. I find if I do these regularly it helps a lot.
 
I and my ankle are not alone! :)

Thank you for all your words :). Makes me (and my ankle) feel like I'm not going completely batty lol.

I've been riding in Muckboots all winter, but have just bought some short boots (Mountain Horse Rough Riders - I think!). Rode in those yesterday and noticed a difference. I tend to wear flat-ish loafer type shoes, though should wear something a bit smarter for work :o.

I shall find a physio (sports type), and a balance board, and try the rolling ankles as well as the lifts. I used to do a lot of weight training and didn't have any problem doing leg presses. I will check that everything is where it should be! :D

I find I'm putting more weight into the left stirrup (the good ankle), which is affecting my balance, etc., so I need to get this sorted out el pronto :).

Thank you again :D

Hot choccies (skimmed milk!) all round :D
 
I will say even walking in Muckboots (I don't ride in them) KILLED my ankle. I loved them for winter but I may have to have a rethink next year. :(
 
TarrSteps said:
I will say even walking in Muckboots (I don't ride in them) KILLED my ankle. I loved them for winter but I may have to have a rethink next year. :(
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I loved mine for keeping feet warm :D, but I wore them all the time at the yard and riding, now they have more holes in them than a Swiss cheese :(. I won't buy any more - it works out more cost effective to buy something like Dubarrys (I like the Clare ones) :). I do like the support the give, but I have scars on the backs of each leg from walking in them for any distance/time :(.
 
Hi MrsM I bust right talus and both heels few years ago, took a while to persuade me, but eventually saw a sports physio who sorted out individual excercises for me. Money well spent!
 
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