Do you suffer from commonly spraining your ankles? Do you have pain when running? Does it feel like you have weak ankles running? This post is all about how to improve stabilization to strengthen the ankles and reduce ankle pain when running.
**This is not medical advice. Please consult your medical provider for more information.
Pain in the ankle while running can happen for many different reasons. This pain can sometimes be stubborn because we are constantly on our feet. Its hard to avoid using your feet when you have to sit, stand, walk, and run thus making it hard to properly rest and allow healing and recovery to occur.
But did you know that targeting key areas with appropriate exercise can help speed up recovery? Here are 3 key areas you should focus on!
Tibialis Posterior
This muscle lies deep in the back part of the lower leg and its tendon runs around the inner ankle. This muscle is important because it provides support to the medial longitudinal arch of the foot.
Tibialis posterior dysfunction may lead to a collapsed arch aka flat feet. This can then lead to many issues, one commonly being foot/ankle pain when walking and running.
It is important to make sure this muscle is strong and works appropriately to help stabilize the arch, especially when running as there are increased loads through the foot and ankle.
The Peroneals (Fibularis Longus and Brevis)
Fibularis longus and brevis make up the lateral compartment of the lower leg. The tendon of fibularis longus runs around the outer ankle and crosses the bottom of the foot. Because of where it crosses and inserts in the foot, this muscle maintains the transverse arch of the foot and depresses the head of the 1st metatarsal when you are in a weight-bearing position.
Together, tibialis posterior and fibularis longus work in tandem to help support the foot and ankle and provide stability when standing and moving. These muscles must work together for proper mechanics of the foot and ankle.
Gluteus Maximus and Medius
When you have weak ankles while running, it is important to not only train the muscles of the foot, ankle, and calf, but to also incorporate the larger proximal muscle groups.
Now why is this?
Because muscle groups closer to the center of the body (proximal muscle groups) are larger, stronger, and provide stability to the limbs. Even though we may be dealing with weak ankles or ankle pain, you cannot neglect areas up the chain. Whatever happens at the ankle can affect the knee and the hip and vice versa.
Gluteus Maximus
Gluteus maximus is the largest muscle in the back of the hip (our bums). This muscle is responsible for 3 actions at the hip: hip extension, abduction, and external rotation. Because of the large size of the gluteus maximus, it is important to train this muscle to effectively help propel us as we run. This muscle will be used more in sprinting compared to endurance running as it helps control trunk flexion and increases in activation with rapid powerful hip extension.[1] Read more about gluteus maximus activity and function here.
Gluteus Medius
Gluteus medius is another gluteal muscle located on the lateral aspect of your hip. This muscle helps stabilize the hip every time the foot comes in contact with the ground. During running, the force traveling through our body increases by 3x our own body weight. That means the gluteus medius needs to be relatively strong to be able to stabilize the pelvis during running activities.[2] Read more about gluteus medius activity and function here.
Try This for Your Next Run
- Try performing a gluteal activation warm-up before your next run.
- In between runs, work on strengthening the peroneals and tibialis posterior to prevent arch collapse.
- Incorporate balance exercises for pelvic stability which can later translate to running.
Other Articles for Ankle Pain, Strength, and Stability
- Why Single Leg Stability is Important for Daily Function
- 5 Reasons Why Balance Exercises are Important for Runners
- Pain When Walking First Thing in the Morning? Try These 7 Exercises for Plantar Fasciitis
TL;DR
This article covers which muscles are important to train when dealing with acute and chronic ankle sprains. It is important to train the muscles of the foot and ankle, as well as up the chain to the glutes. Start focusing on these key muscles to help reduce the risk of injury from rolling your ankle.
References
- Bartlett JL, Sumner B, Ellis RG, Kram R. Activity and functions of the human gluteal muscles in walking, running, sprinting, and climbing. Am J Phys Anthropol. 2014 Jan;153(1):124-31. doi: 10.1002/ajpa.22419. Epub 2013 Nov 12. PMID: 24218079.
- Semciw A, Neate R, Pizzari T. Running related gluteus medius function in health and injury: A systematic review with meta-analysis. J Electromyogr Kinesiol. 2016 Oct;30:98-110. doi: 10.1016/j.jelekin.2016.06.005. Epub 2016 Jun 17. PMID: 27367574.
