How To Strengthen Your Feet And Ankles The Dancer’s Way

Our feet and ankles take a beating every day. They carry the weight of our bodies, supports the act of running, walking, jumping and aids us in balancing ourselves. They undergo the pressure of high heel shoes on women and athletic pressure from men. With all that we do to our ankles and feet, it is a good idea to consider their overall health. There are many exercises that can be done to insure your ankles and feet are working at their optimum best, and serve you for years to come.

Dancers are prone to foot and ankle injuries because they put so much pressure on their feet. The act of leaping, turning, and dancing on their toes puts a toll on their feet and ankles. The joints and bones in both body parts absorb a tremendous amount of impact, more than the average human puts on them. For this reason, dancers perform a number of foot and ankle exercises every day to build and maintain their strength.

Relevés

Relevés are performed by dancers at the barre to build strength in the feet and ankles. This exercise is an easy exercise to perform anywhere. All you need is a wall or chair.

Find a wall or chair Face the wall or chair. If you are using the wall, place both hands flat on the wall about shoulder level. If you are using a chair, hold the top of the chair now place your feet together parallel facing the wall or chair and spread out your toes. Engage your stomach muscles by sucking them in, squeeze your gluteus Maximus, bend your knees now straighten your knees and rise up on your tip toes. Slowly lower your heels to the ground, bend your knees, and straighten. Repeat this exercise can be done in all six dance positions, if you know them, however, parallel facing the wall, feet open and heels together, and feet turned out with legs open about 16 inches are three great positions to use for beginners and non-dancers. This exercise will not only stretch, and strengthen your feet and ankles but, it will also strengthen your core, lengthen your thighs, build the strength in your quadriceps and tighten your gluteus Maximus.

Elevé

A similar exercise to the relevé is the elevé. The elevé is a variation on the relevé. It is performed the same way minus the bent knees.

Face the wall or chair Face the wall or chair. If you are using the wall, place both hands flat on the wall about shoulder level. If you are using a chair, hold the top of the chair Place feet in a parallel position facing the wall or chair and spread out your toes. Engage your stomach muscles by sucking them in, squeeze your gluteus Maximus Rise up on your toes Lower slowly Repeat these exercises could be done every day and should only take about 10 minutes, depending on the various positions you choose to do. Each position should be done eight times each to start. As your feet and ankles get stronger, you want to increase your reps. to 16 lifts and 32 lifts.

Injuries happen to everyone. Should you injure yourself, go to an authorized doctor to get treatment with the help of EHIC card. They will give you various exercises to help rebuild the muscles and strength in your feet and ankles after an injury. The key is to build the strength in them before an injury occurs. Dancers depend on these simple exercises and others like them to ensure their safety and strength. They are safe enough for you to use them as well.

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