Weak Ankles

Image courtesy of neverevererin.com

When I was 14 I rolled both of my ankles within a couple weeks of each other during 8th grade basketball.  "You must have weak ankles," is what my coach told me.  The solution?  Bilateral ankle braces.

Once the discomfort subsided to the point that I could play without the braces, they came off.  In the mean time, I was left spelling the alphabet twice a day with my foot as a means to regain mobility and improve strength.

Throughout high school I had the same ankle issues:  rolling ankles at least once a season, followed by ice, alphabet, and braces until the pain subsided.  In college bilateral ankle braces were mandatory during my freshman and sophomore seasons regardless if there was any injury or not.  Despite this means of injury prevention I still found myself rolling ankles once or twice a year, if not more.

When I was first introduced to Muscle Activation Techniques™ I had some MAJOR limitations in foot and ankle motion accompanied by numerous weaknesses throughout my lower legs and feet.  Even though I had spent years "stretching and strengthening" my ankles from middle school through college, they were as stiff as bricks and immensely inefficient from a muscle contraction standpoint.

It makes me question how much strengthening was actually going on with the exercises I had been previously doing.  Was I actually able to strengthen the muscles that were weak?  Or was I simply using and strengthening the muscles that were already strong?

How much was I actually improving my weak ankles?  Furthermore, were my ankles even the main cause for concern, or was it weaknesses in my hips that were compromising the integrity of my lower legs and feet?

Muscle Activation Techniques™ is a process that helps to optimize your muscular system.  If you have been told that you have weak ankles, if you suffer from recurrent ankle injuries, or if you are interested in truly strengthening your weak links, contact your local MAT™ specialist to see how this process can have your lower legs and feet stronger than you ever thought possible.

Interested in finding out more about MAT™?  Check out the Muscle Activation Techniques™ page!

Interested in setting up an assessment or discussing this subject further?  Leave a comment below or e-mail Charlie at charlie@selfmadefitness.com!

Your body.  Your training.

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