Resistance bands are flat, elastic bands that can be adapted for use as ankle bands, or for other parts of your body. These bands offer an elastic resistance to your exercise, and are an inexpensive and very easy way to strengthen your lower body.
Ankle Band Versus Ankle Cuff
The ankle band and ankle cuff are types of elastic strengthening equipment. The difference between these two pieces of equipment is that the ankle band is a flat elastic band that can be tied at your ankles or secured to an immovable object for use. The ankle cuff is essentially an elastic tube that comes with padded ankle cuffs attached. The cuffs generally have Velcro for attaching and sizing to your ankles. Ankle bands are less expensive than ankle cuffs, but both pieces of equipment can essentially be used for similar exercises. Ankle bands are extremely versatile, and can be used for ankle, thigh and glute workouts.
Ankle Strengthening
The ankle band is used often in a therapy or rehabilitation setting to aid in recovery from ankle sprains and other ankle injuries. For example, the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society suggests that in using elastic resistance bands to aid in recovery from a sprained ankle, you help strengthen your ankle and help improve your ankle's range of motion.
Ankle band exercises that can be used to improve your ankle strength and mobility can be performed by securing the band around an immovable object and looping the band around your forefoot. While sitting down, and with your leg outstretched and foot pointing downward, you pull against the band's resistance by flexing your foot into a 90-degree angle. Return to the starting position by pointing your toes and then repeat. This exercise strengthens the front of your lower leg and improves ankle mobility.
An opposing ankle strengthening exercise can be performed again while in the seated position, but this time you hold onto the loose ends of the elastic band with each hand. Start by looping the band around your foot, but this time your foot's starting position is at a 90-degree bend. Now, exercise against the band's resistance by extending your foot or pointing your toes. This exercise works your calf muscle.
Thigh Exercise
Ankle bands can be used to work more than just your ankles. By securing the band to an immovable and stationary object and looping the band around your ankle, you can perform exercises that target your thighs. Exercises such as hip extensions and hip flexion strengthen your quadriceps and hamstring muscles.
Abductor and Glute Exercise
The muscles on the outside of your thighs are called your abductors. Their function is to move your leg outward, away from the center of your body. Your glutes are the largest muscle in your body. Both sets of muscles can be worked with a single exercise: the monster walk.
To perform the monster walk, tie a knot in the ankle band to create a circle. Now step into the circle with both feet, the band around both ankles. Separate your feet to eight to 10 inches apart. With knees slightly bent, step out with one foot--staying low--and then close with the other foot back to the original eight- to 10-inch distance between your feet. Keep up this pattern while moving across the floor, for 10 to 15 repetitions. Then return in the opposite direction.
Benefits
Using ankle bands to improve your ankle and lower body strength also aids in your balance. By performing the hip extension and hip flexion exercises, you're forced to stay in balance on a single support leg. If at the beginning, balancing on a single leg is too difficult, lightly hold a support until you get the hang of it.
An additional benefit of ankle bands is their ease of transport. They can be folded or rolled up and taken with you practically anywhere.
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