Whether you’re into climbing, hiking, mountaineering or just good old fashion walking, this page is going to help you prevent ankle injuries, recover from past injuries and generally mountain proof your feet and ankles so you can go stronger for longer. Ankle and feet are so important for our sport because we spend all of our time on our feet! Going into the mountains with weak, stiff ankles is like riding a bike that has flat tyres – it’s unstable, slow going and often dangerous.
So pump up your tyres and unlock the full power of your legs with these tools below!
EXERCISES
Ankle Mobility Routine
Ankle Strength Routine
Ankle Mobility Test
Foam Rolling Program
WHAT IS MOBILITY?
Mobility is the body’s ability to move actively through a range of motion whilst maintaining control (strength). It relates particularly to connective tissue within joints. Mobility is mostly achieved by training areas of the body in their full range of motion, but that is impossible if your stiff, tight and sore. So we use a combination of strength training with a focus on continually increasing that range and we use treatment of connective tissue or”mobility work” to make the muscle soft and supple, in combination with flexibility work to achieve true strength and mobility.
WHAT IS FLEXIBILITY?
This is the body’s ability to move passively through a range of motion, and relates particularly to muscles – mostly trained with passive stretching. Being more flexible will not improve your active range of motion, only your passive range of motion.
6 ADVANTAGES OF MOBILITY
Lower risk of injury
Improved strength
Optimal joint supply (range of motion)
Increased joint functionality
Increase activation by the central nervous system
Moving like a badass
3 THINGS TO THINK ABOUT WHEN MOBILISING
1Breathe
2Relax
3Listen To Your Body
WHY MOBILITY?
We mobilise the muscles of the lower body to ensure the body can move in its full range of motion and to it’s full potential. We mobilise to create a buffer of movement, for a slip, a fall, a reach that we will one day need in order to prevent harm. Your musculature is designed to last 100 years or so. Burning holes in the connective tissue of shoulders, hips and other joints by loading them continuously without mobilising, you will limit that lifespan. Mobilise regularly and you could enjoy the mountains well into your 70’s, 80’s or even 90’s! This is all about being stronger for longer!
Explanation of 3 Major Tissue Work Methods
1. Contract & Relax
Find with the location in your body that feels tight or knotted in some way. Sometimes the spot will be uncomfortable to place pressure, we can called this a trigger point. Place the foam roller, ball or whatever your using onto the trigger point you wish to treat, contract the muscle to your full capability, squeeze it as hard as you can for a second or two, then relax and let the muscle absorb implement. You can move the implement around slightly but just a few millimetres to each side. Breathe deeply as you do this.
2. Pressure Wave
Find the tight spots as above and contract the muscle as above, breathe deeply and sink into the ball/roller/broomstick deeply into the tissue, and roll very slowly around the area, up and down, or side to side in a wave like motion, being sure to keep the pressure on especially as you move over the trigger point.
3. Smash & Floss