seatbone saver/ankles

[Kathy C]

I tried out Heather's seatbone saver for the first time on Tuesday. Bliss!!!
On a totally different subject, I seem to have very inflexible ankles which makes it difficult to keep my heel down and impossible to relocate a lost stirrup without stopping and using my hands. I just can't twist the foot in sufficiently. Any ideas for exercises other that the obvious one of circling the foot whilst watching the telly?

Kathy C

[Catherine]

I always teach my children to bounce on the bottom step of the stairs whilst holding on to the handrail for stability. This flexes the ankle and has the added bonus of stretching the calf muscle at the same time.

It's best done when you want to have a long conversation with a friend on the phone in the hall, as you can do it whilst amusing yourself. If you do it without any other form of entertainment, it provides the perfect opportunity to spot any new cracks in the plaster or all those spiders' webs you've been ignoring for weeks.....

[Nancy]

Here are a couple of ankle tricks you can try. Drop a dozen cotton balls on the floor. Now, pick them up with your bare feet. Do not bend at the waist. Bring them up to your right hand and then the left. You will have to really strengthen your foot and turn your ankle to do it.

Sit on the floor with legs out in front. Take a man's tie or a belt and loop it over your foot, now pull back very gently until you feel the stretch in the back of your calf. Hold 30 seconds.

Do beginning ballet movements. The pointing and flexing of the foot will help your ankles. You can learn these from a video or any 6 year old!

While watching the tv, don't just circle the foot, spell out the alphabet both backward and forward with the big toe, hold the upper part of the leg still, don't move the knee, just the foot.

Try warm water whirlpools.

I broke both legs in two different accidents. It took me a while to move again, because of all the hardware holding my legs together, but my ankles now move enough to ride. Actually, posting is the best excercise for keeping everything strong and flexible. Good luck.
Nancy