Ankle Rehabilitation Exercise
When an injury occurs the easiest way our after clearance from the doctor is exercise.
Here are some rehabilitation exercises to perform for quick recovery time.
You will be told when to start these exercises and which ones will work best for you.
“Alphabet” exercise
slide 1 of 10, “Alphabet” exercise,
- Trace the alphabet with your toe. This helps your ankle move in all directions.
Side-to-side knee swing exercise
slide 2 of 10, Side-to-side knee swing exercise,
- Sit in a chair with your foot flat on the floor.
- Slowly move your knee from side to side. Keep your foot pressed flat.
- Continue this exercise for 2 to 3 minutes.
Towel curl
slide 3 of 10, Towel curl,
- While sitting, place your foot on a towel on the floor. Scrunch the towel toward you with your toes.
- Then use your toes to push the towel away from you.
- To make this exercise more challenging you can put something on the other end of the towel. A can of soup is about the right weight for this.
Towel stretch
slide 4 of 10, Towel stretch,
- Sit with your legs extended and knees straight.
- Place a towel around your foot just under the toes.
- Hold each end of the towel in each hand, with your hands above your knees.
- Pull back with the towel so that your foot stretches toward you.
- Hold the position for at least 15 to 30 seconds.
- Repeat 2 to 4 times a session. Do up to 5 sessions a day.
Ankle eversion exercise
slide 5 of 10, Ankle eversion exercise,
- Start by sitting with your foot flat on the floor. Push your foot outward against a wall or a piece of furniture that doesn’t move. Hold for about 6 seconds, and relax. Repeat 8 to 12 times.
- After you feel comfortable with this, try using rubber tubing looped around the outside of your feet for resistance. Push your foot out to the side against the tubing, and then count to 10 as you slowly bring your foot back to the middle. Repeat 8 to 12 times.
Isometric opposition exercises
slide 6 of 10, Isometric opposition exercises,
- While sitting, put your feet together flat on the floor.
- Press your injured foot inward against your other foot. Hold for about 6 seconds, and relax. Repeat 8 to 12 times.
- Then place the heel of your other foot on top of the injured one. Push down with the top heel while trying to push up with your injured foot. Hold for about 6 seconds, and relax. Repeat 8 to 12 times.
Resisted ankle inversion
slide 7 of 10, Resisted ankle inversion,
- Sit on the floor with your good leg crossed over your other leg.
- Hold both ends of an exercise band and loop the band around the inside of your affected foot. Then press your other foot against the band.
- Keeping your legs crossed, slowly push your affected foot against the band so that foot moves away from your other foot. Then slowly relax.
- Repeat 8 to 12 times.
Resisted ankle eversion
slide 8 of 10, Resisted ankle eversion,
- Sit on the floor with your legs straight.
- Hold both ends of an exercise band and loop the band around the outside of your affected foot. Then press your other foot against the band.
- Keeping your leg straight, slowly push your affected foot outward against the band and away from your other foot without letting your leg rotate. Then slowly relax.
- Repeat 8 to 12 times.
Resisted ankle dorsiflexion
slide 9 of 10, Resisted ankle dorsiflexion,
- Tie the ends of an exercise band together to form a loop. Attach one end of the loop to a secure object or shut a door on it to hold it in place. (Or you can have someone hold one end of the loop to provide resistance.)
- While sitting on the floor or in a chair, loop the other end of the band over the top of your affected foot.
- Keeping your knee and leg straight, slowly flex your foot to pull back on the exercise band, and then slowly relax.
- Repeat 8 to 12 times.
Single-leg balance
slide 10 of 10, Single-leg balance,
- Stand on a flat surface with your arms stretched out to your sides like you are making the letter “T.” Then lift your good leg off the floor, bending it at the knee. If you are not steady on your feet, use one hand to hold on to a chair, counter, or wall.
- Standing on the leg with your affected ankle, keep that knee straight. Try to balance on that leg for up to 30 seconds. Then rest for up to 10 seconds.
- Repeat 6 to 8 times.
- When you can balance on your affected leg for 30 seconds with your eyes open, try to balance on it with your eyes closed.
- When you can do this exercise with your eyes closed for 30 seconds and with ease and no pain, try standing on a pillow or piece of foam, and repeat steps 1 through 4.
12 Things to Know before Hiring a Personal Trainer #5 says it all!
12 Things to Know before Hiring a Personal Trainer #5 says it all!
Beginning a fitness journey comes with lot of what, when, where, what, and who questions. But here we will help you find answers to some of them. Before we get started I must congratulate you for taking this bold step to a lifestyle of healthy living. A motivational speaker once said ‘the only difficult thing is to start’ yes starting a new lifestyle of fitness means kicking your unhealthy lifestyle of ; eating late, drinking too much carbonated drinks, smoking too hard, and engaging in other sedentary activities good bye, by welcoming heathy activities. One of the ways of doing this and keeping faithful to them is to hire a personal trainer. In this article we will help you pin point the best way to get value for your money.
The following are what to do before hiring a personal trainer.
- Ask for References
Ask the trainer for names, phone numbers and even testimonials of other clients he or she has worked with that share traits and goals that are similar to yours. It makes sense to select a trainer who has worked with clients similar to you or perhaps matches your physical traits (e.g., age and body type). This allows the trainer to empathize and understand your unique challenges and needs. Call previous clients to see if they were satisfied with the workouts, results and experiences they had with the trainer. Inquire whether the trainer was professional, punctual and prepared, and whether each of them felt his or her individual needs were addressed. Ask fellow members of your health club or friends who are currently working with trainers for their recommendations.
2. Communicate with the Trainer
Developing a personal, yet professional, relationship with your trainer is very important. Trust your instincts about the impressions the trainer makes upon you. The personal trainer you select should motivate you by positive, not negative, reinforcement. Even more important, that trainer should be someone you like. Ask yourself if you think you could get along well with the trainer and whether you think the trainer is genuinely interested in helping you. The personal trainer who best measures up is the one to hire, because that is the professional who will help you achieve the best results.
3. Ask for Work Experience and Area of Specialization
Inquire about the years of experience a trainer has working with clients. More importantly, ask about the trainer’s expertise working with individuals with your needs or limitations. If you have a medical condition or a past injury, a personal trainer should design a session that accounts for this. If you are under a doctor’s care, a personal trainer should gain your consent to discuss exercise concerns with your doctor, and should ask the doctor for a medical clearance.
4. Find Out What the Trainer Charges
Rates vary depending on the session length, the trainer’s credentials, experience and expertise, and the geographic location of where he or she works and you live. For example, a personal trainer who works in a fitness club will probably charge less per hour than one who works independently and needs to come to your home or office. So before you begin your hunt, sit down and think about your budget. And if hourly solo sessions are currently beyond your means, don’t despair; some trainers offer semi-private sessions or a discount for buying in bulk.
5. Know the Professional Qualification of the Trainer
One of the mistakes most people looking for trainers make is judging by body size. The question is what do you want a trainer or a body guard. The choice of a trainer shouldn’t be made by body size but rather by professionalism. (That is not to say you go for an over weight trainer). A college degree in the fields of exercise science or nutrition improves the knowledge and credibility that a trainer has in developing your program, though not having a degree certainly does not preclude a fitness professional from being effective, but the trainer should be certified in the area he or she specializes.
6. Ask for Liability Insurance and Business Policies
Many personal trainers operate as independent contractors and are not employees of a fitness facility. You should find out if the trainer you want to hire carries professional liability insurance.
A reputable personal trainer should also make sure that you understand the cancellation policy and billing procedure. The best way to avoid confusion and protect your rights is to have those policies in writing.
7. Find out about Compatibility
Some people like to exercise in the morning, some in the evening. Will the personal trainer you’re talking to accommodate your schedule? What about the trainer’s gender? Some people do better working with a trainer of the same sex; others prefer the opposite sex. You should consider these and any other personal compatibility concerns you may have before beginning a working relationship with a trainer.
8.What is the Trainer’s Philosophy?.
This is a subtle — yet critical — point of differentiation because it can end up making or breaking your experience. How does the trainer develop his program, and on what beliefs will it be based? Is it gym-based workouts or meant to be done outside? Will you be using machines or sticking solely to free weights? Ask about philosophy and see if it makes sense for your goals and preferences.
9. Ask for Area of Specialties.
Ever heard the saying, “Jack of all trades, master of none?” Well, if you’re looking for something specific — say, hitting a new 5k PR — you’ll want to work with a trainer who specializes in running over, say, Olympic weightlifting. Not only will they have more expertise in your desired area, but chances are he/she will be more passionate about it if he/she knows the nuances of the sport and has a vested interest in it, as well.
10. Request for Schedules.
Because consistency is key when working with a trainer, it’s a good idea to inquire about his schedule. How many clients does he currently have — e.g., is he booked solid without much wiggle room? Does he like to book them at the same time each week, or is it more of a floating schedule that changes regularly? How far in advance will you need to book appointments, can you make up missed ones, and what is his cancellation policy?
11.Know the Preferred Location.
This is another area of personal preference, so consider your habits and tendencies carefully. Are you willing to drive 20 minutes across town, or do you need something within walking distance to stay motivated? And where do you like to train? Some people get inspired by seeing others in a traditional gym setting, others like the one-on-one approach of a fitness studio, and others prefer to work out in the privacy of their own home. The good news is that there’s a trainer for every type of location!
12.Ask for Progress Chart.
In addition to a personalized training program based on your goals and fitness level, your trainer needs a method for tracking your progress so you can see, incrementally, that your hard work is paying off. Benchmarks such as PRs, weight loss, strength gains and other achievements can help you not only stay on track, but also ensure that your trainer is doing his/her job.
Although you might be feeling overwhelmed at the prospect of choosing a personal trainer, it’s important to note that the criteria above are just guidelines — not hard and fast rules. If you feel strongly about some items and don’t have a preference on others, it’s not a problem; you can streamline your search by keeping one thing in mind: Above all else, trust your gut. Look for a knowledgeable and experienced personal trainer who feels like the most natural fit. That’s the one to hire because he/she will not only help you reach your goals, but will also keep you feeling comfortable, motivated and inspired throughout the process. Above all at www.fitnessaider.com has all these checks done already to help reduce the stress of getting professionals. You can check in our page and make request.
15 Habits to Maintain Good Workout
Have you made effort to begin an active lifestyle but quit just when you’ve started? Is it finally time to commit to a new daily workout routine? Are you tired of saying you’re going to exercise and get into great shape and then not follow through with a plan?
If those lines sound familiar, this should be a MUST READ article
Here are 10 ways to help you create an exercise plan that actually works. A plan that you can actually stick with long enough to results and enjoy the new healthier version of yourself.
1.Set Realistic Goal.
When beginning a workout to lose weight do not set a goal of losing 20kg in a week. This kind of goal might discourage you making it feel like you aren’t doing anything. Setting a realistic goal in this light keeps you focused to want to do more because your result would be visible. Unrealistic goal kills interest and could lead to frustration. Set realistic goals that can be visible and achievable.
Setting specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time-bound goals will make establishing the habit easier. Once you’ve written your goals down with a pen and paper, you will be able to visibly see what needs to happen and think of a plan on how to get there.
It’s also important to track your progress daily. If you missed your workout because you had no other choice, write it down and don’t get down on yourself. If you missed your workout because ‘you didn’t feel like it’ then it’s time to set even smaller goals or find out why your motivation is lacking.
2, Get a Personal Trainer.
One of the reasons you can ever quit a train plan to get fit and lose weight is when you do it alone without a guide. Research has shown that over 90% of those who met their fitness goal did it with the help of a guide(Personal Trainer, Health Coach, Gym Instructor and Virtual Trainer).
Getting a trainer would make your goal 10x faster achievable than doing it all by yourself. Trainers would examine your fitness level, take measurement of your body and determine how many body weight would be safe for your body to lose, design enjoyable workout plan that will meet your specifics, Motivate and guide you all through training session, watch out for dangers during training, corrects bad body positioning that could lead to injuries, and finally, evaluate outcome of training comparing with the initial body measurement.
Now that you know why you need a trainer visit www.fitnessaider.com to make your choice from the collection of the best trainers that available around you.
2. Choose Enjoyable Workout
Maybe one of the reasons that your previous workout routines have failed is because you did not enjoy the activity you were doing and you started to see the routine as more of a task or burden, instead of a fun activity that you’re excited about.
If you pick an activity that you actually want to do, you will start to look forward to that activity and be more likely to stick with it and keep a positive attitude about working out.
Some ways to help you choose a workout you like are to:
- Research what kind of workout suits you best. Focusing on an exercise you actually enjoy
- Try a different workout every week and see which one you enjoy most, or notice which parts of the exercises that you prefer doing.
- Think of ways you can make your workout more enjoyable (go with a buddy, create a nice cardio playlist, choose your favorite gym)
2. Take a Step at a Time
If you have not worked out in a while, setting tough goals for your daily workout routine might make you start second-guessing your skills, feel overwhelmed and become unmotivated. It’s important to start small.
Don’t say you’re going to run a marathon in 6 months and train every single day if you have had no training. There’s nothing wrong with taking baby steps and accomplishing a few small goals before moving on to bigger goals.
A few small win can help you motivate yourself are to focus on daily consistency instead of the amount of time you spend on working out. It’s more important to stay motivated than to focus on the length of time of your workout. Once your motivation is in place, then you can work on elongating your workout session.
Start with just one part of the exercise every day. If you’re doing a workout program on your own, just start with the warm-up and see how you feel. If you enjoyed the workout, you will want to see what the next part brings, which you will do tomorrow.
3. A Daily Workout Routine needs to be DAILY
Show up! Half of the battle of getting into the habit of a daily exercise is showing up. If you can commit to getting to that workout class, then completing the workout is the easy part; you just need to follow the teacher’s instructions. If your mind is already committed to showing up, you’ll be more likely to stay and start the class.
Even if you don’t finish the class, at least you showed up and did a few of the exercises. (That’s more than you did yesterday right?)
Once you’re dressed in your workout clothes, comfortable walking shoes, and you are out of the door, tell yourself there’s no turning back and commit to showing up.
4. Use the 30-Day Challenge Method
You may have seen several of these 30 days-workout challenge on social media. That’s because they work well and are great to use for help with motivation.
These challenges expect you to commit to just 30 days of doing a new activity.
30 days go by in no time. Keeping that in mind will make your new workout routine more bearable.
You will be able to see the countdown on your calendar of how many days you have left and it will help push you right to the end.
It’s also motivating to know that you can always just quit after the 30 days is up. But you MUST give it the full 30 day trial.
5. Set SMART Goals for your daily workout plans
Set daily, weekly, monthly and yearly goals. Like we mentioned earlier in the article, it’s important to start small. Start with one small daily goal and once you are accomplishing those goals, move on to the weekly, monthly and yearly goals.
There are plenty of apps that will allow you to track your progress and set milestones. They will even give rewards, points, and reminders to help motivate you along your workout journey.
6. Schedule Your Workout into Your Day
It’s important to make exercise a part of your schedule and not just an afterthought or something you will do when you have free time.
Your workout should be a priority.
Add your workout to your daily to-do list. It should be just as important as eating meals, going to work or drink water.
Some of the best times to schedule your workout into your day are to use blocks of quiet hours with no distractions. Early in the morning or right after work are great blocks of time to use for working out.
As mentioned before, you can use your phone or workout apps to schedule alerts and reminders. This way, your phone will automatically remind you every day that it’s time to workout.
If you’re not using an app, then mark your calendar with a big red circle for workouts that need to be completed and a big red X for the workouts that you’ve already completed.
Using a calendar is a great visual reminder of your progress. It will encourage you to keep on going with your daily workout routine.
You can even dedicate a calendar for workouts only. You can pick up a new calendar at a dollar store and put it in a place that you can’t miss. Keep it and the marker in an easily accessible and visible place and then you will have no excuses.
7. Use Social Media
Similar to marking your calendar but this one is a little more public. You can use social media and other available apps to publicly share your progress online. This will definitely help you stay accountable. You wouldn’t want to embarrass yourself in front of all of your friends, would you?
If you post on Facebook (or other social networks) and say that you are going to work out for 30 days, you will probably not want to go back on your word and besides, your friends can also help motivate you along the way and be with you while you track your progress.
8. Keep Your Exercise Gear Visible
The most used excuses for not working out are that “I was too lazy to get dressed”, and “I didn’t have clean workout clothes”. You’re not going to be using this excuse, are you? In order to combat this problem, you should keep your workout gear where you can easily see it. Seeing your gear when you wake up will serve as another reminder that it’s time to workout.
If you place your workout gear right on your walking trail, this will decrease the number of steps you have to take to get dressed and leave room for no excuses.
Some other tips to help you with organizing your workout clothing are to prepare your workout clothes at night and designate an easily visible table or shelf for your clothes.
9. Invest In Quality Workout Clothing
Being comfortable while you exercise is important so maybe it’s time to finally invest in some good quality comfortable workout gear.
Proper and quality workout clothing and gear will also help to prevent injuries, motivate you to start working out and can curb the ‘sweaty t-shirt’ look problem.
Research what clothing and gears are best suited for your needs. If you are going to be running, then make sure you choose the proper cross trainers, lightweight clothing that doesn’t chafe and clothing with the added bonus of an iPod pocket or thumb holes wouldn’t hurt.
Set aside a budget for your workout needs. Good quality clothing will last you a long time so don’t be afraid to spend a few extra dollars. Remember that you’re investing in yourself, and your health is important.
If you are stuck on what brand to choose or where to shop, ask your family and friends for recommendations. Another easy way to shop is to check online to compare prices and check out the reviews of what other people think of those items.
10. Incorporate a Charity
When you think of doing something for the benefit of someone else, your motivation will skyrocket and this will give you added incentive for sticking with your daily workout routine.
Sometimes, there is an upfront payment required if your proceeds go to a charity. When you pay for something ahead of time, you’ll be more likely to stick with the program in order to get your money worth.
There are apps like Budge, Charity Miles and Check-in for Good that you can use to start working out for charity and find and join marathons for a cause.
11. Use a Pedometer
Pedometer are cheap these days so you have no excuse not to have one on you at all times. By using a pedometer, you will be able to track the number of steps you take each day.
A good place to start is to try and take 10,000 steps each day. When you are looking at the number of steps, and you have set the goal of 10,000, this will help encourage you to work on the small things like: walk instead of drive to the local store, take the stairs instead of the elevator, or park just a few more spaces out of the way so you will need to walk further to your destination.
You should wear your pedometer every day and track your numbers at bedtime. Think of ways that you could have integrated more steps into your day. Perhaps its time to offer to walk the neighbors’ dog (they might even pay you for it).
12. Have a Backup Plan
Distractions will happen and sometimes emergencies are unavoidable, but you should always have a backup plan that will help you get back to your daily workout routine as soon as your plate is clear.
It’s important to think about a backup plan before you need to implement your backup plan so it doesn’t throw your day off and discourage you from working out. Think about the most obvious obstacles you could encounter on a day-to-day basis and think of a workaround in order to reschedule. Commit to working out twice a day if you need to.
13. Have a Helpful Support System
Whether you choose to have a support system online or off, make sure you can talk to someone who will motivate you to get back to your workout regime. Find an exercise buddy or group that is just as dedicated (or more) as you. If you work out with your buddy or a group, it will force you to show up, since you won’t want to leave your friends hanging.
When working out with a friend, you will find that you are more willing to push yourself. It gets more competitive and nobody likes losing. A little competitiveness, a few laughs and the satisfaction of finishing your workout will make your workout time more fun and bring your friends closer together.
You should also try to look for a friend who is at the same physical level and has the same goals as you. You don’t want to limit yourself and do less work than you could be doing. You should push yourself to your limits so that you and your friend get better physically as time goes on.
14. Schedule Rest Times
When you have finally settled into your daily exercise routine, make sure that you don’t commit all of your time to working out, as over-training can be dangerous and cause long-term injuries and physical overexertion can affect all aspects of your life.
It’s important to give yourself a day off so your body can rest and come back stronger for the next workout. If you’re stuck in your routine and really don’t want to take the day off because you think it will get you off track, then try doing forms of less strenuous physical exercise like yoga, swimming or stretching.
15. Think Long Term When coming up with a daily workout plan, the most important tips to keep in mind are to get motivated, stay motivated and make a promise to yourself to commit. If you want to live a long, healthy and happy life and curb diseases and life-threatening illnesses then you owe it to yourself to be nice to your body and treat it with respect. Following this guide will help you get started, but you are the only person who can actually do the work.
