By Rita La Rosa Loud, B.S.
Susan, age 65, and her husband, Ralph, age 72, enjoy mountain hiking together. However, Susan lives with chronic pain in her right ankle. Nevertheless, on their annual camping trip, she insisted on walking their favorite trail and like on most pathways, they contended with hilly terrain scattered with branches, leaves, sticks, and stones. Midway through the challenging excursion, Susan lost her footing and reinjured the weak ankle. Naturally, it was difficult to return to the campsite. Once at the emergency ward, the checkup revealed a twisted ankle. In addition to RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation), it was suggested she stretch and strengthen the lower extremities (legs, foot, and ankles) to heal and prevent this from recurring. This was the missing link.
Like Susan, have you ever experienced one or more unresolved painful foot or ankle injuries? Then, join the club. These two medical issues are common among Americans, particularly the elderly. Older adults are at an increased risk of sustaining such injuries due to the natural decline in muscle mass and weakening of bone strength associated with aging. Additionally, nonexistence of physical activity and conditioning exercises – particularly resistance exercise – further contributes to this susceptibility.
Though there are numerous foot conditions seniors complain about; among the most common are plantar fasciitis (for more on this syndrome see our May/June 2020 issue, “The Agony of the Feet”) and ankle sprains, the focus of this article.
Ankle sprain
The ankle structure consists of the lower leg bones (tibia, fibula, and talus foot bone). The bones are held together by strong ligaments that stabilize and prevent the ankle joint from shifting in any direction. Ligaments mutually function with well-developed calf muscles, making it possible for us to stand upright, walk comfortably, easily climb, even jump on both level and uneven surfaces, and maintain our balance. In Susan’s case, she may have overstretched or torn ligaments when her foot slipped and rolled either on the outer side of the ankle (inversion sprain), or the inner side of the ankle (eversion sprain).
Ankle sprains cause pain, stiff muscles, and swelling. Follow RICE protocol for the first 24-48 hours and avoid vigorous exercises until symptoms are resolved. It is essential, however, to keep moving to maintain ankle flexibility and rebuild strength and balance. The calf strength and stretch exercises described below can help prevent risk of repeated sprain.
Calf strength exercise
Perform calf raise to strengthen foot and ankle muscles. Stand upright and hold onto a chair/wall/pole for support. Slowly lift heels. Pause at the top to contract the calf muscles. Lower heels slowly. Repeat 10-15 times.
Calf stretch exercise
Place hands shoulder level on a wall/pole. With legs hip-width apart, extend one leg back 12 inches, front knee bent, back leg straight, toes forward and heels grounded. Feel a gentle stretch in the calf. Repeat the opposite leg. Hold 10-30 seconds.
At the Wayne Westcott, Ph.D. Center for Health and Fitness at Quincy College, train in a supervised, group fitness program on senior-friendly equipment. Located at Presidents Place, 1250 Hancock Street. Call 617-405-5978 to book a tour, try a free class, or learn how to register. Street parking is available; a parking garage is next to the building.
About the Author: Rita La Rosa Loud holds a B.S. in Exercise Physiology with additional education in Sports Medicine and Athletic Training. She is NASM Certified and has been actively involved in the fitness industry for more than 35 years. She is also an author and writes fitness-related articles for various publications. Currently, she is a fitness researcher and directs the Wayne Westcott, Ph.D. Center for Health and Fitness at Quincy College. She can be reached at 617-405-5978 or by email at Rita.larosaloud@quincycollege.edu.
