When Joseph Pilates came to America in the 1920s, he became a fitness guru for professional dancers such as Jerome Robbins, Martha Graham and George Balanchine. These dancers practiced completely different styles, but they all required a strong core and strong feet. The Pilates method features effective exercises for sprained ankle rehabilitation, says physical therapist Deborah Mandis Cozen in an October 2000 article featured in Sports Medicine and Arthroscopy Review.
Why Pilates?
If you have a tendency toward ankle sprains, there's a good chance you continuously sprain the same ankle. This is not a coincidence. Ankle sprains destroy your body's mechanoreceptors, explains athletic trainer Brandi L. Ross in a 2006 article in BioMechanics magazine. These neurological messengers control proprioception, which is your body's sense of its position in space, and kinesthesia, your body's ability to sense movement. The rehabilitation process involves ankle strength, proprioception and balance exercises. Your deep core muscles, which Pilates called the powerhouse, aid in dynamic balance, and are constantly active throughout the workout. Practicing ankle balance and proprioception exercise while engaging the core increases the efficiency of the workout.
The Foot Corrector
Joseph Pilates created a small apparatus called the foot corrector. New York City Pilates instructor Diane Wise uses it for sprained ankle rehabilitation. In an article featured on the Pilates-Pro.com website, Wise explains that the device consists of a small, spring loaded barrel, called a saddle, which is mounted onto a small board. Exercises on the foot corrector work the ankle dorsi-flexors, which curl the toes toward the shin, and the ankle plantar flexors, which point the toes toward the floor. Exercises performed with your heel on the platform and your toes on the saddle enhance plantar flexion. Stand or sit behind the foot corrector and use the ball of your foot to press down on the saddle. For plantar flexion, place your heel on the saddle and your toes on the platform. Press down on the saddle with your heel. Perform six repetitions of each exercise on each foot.
Reformer Foot Work
The Pilates reformer foot work series gives you and your instructor a chance to identify and correct foot and ankle alignment that make you susceptible to ankle sprains, says Pilates instructor Rael Isacowitz, in his book titled "Pilates."
Attach three heavy springs to the reformer carriage, and lie supine with your legs extended and your toes on the foot bar. Dorsi-flex your feet by pressing your heels down under the foot bar. The carriage will move forward. Return to the start by plantar flexing or lifting your heels. The carriage will move backward. Perform 10 repetitions. Then, reach behind you for the cables and place your feet in the foot straps. Extend your legs at a 90-degree angle and point and flex your feet for 10 repetitions. To add core work, lower your legs as your flex your feet, and point your toes as you raise your legs.
Chair Exercise
The Pilates chair consists of a platform and a spring-controlled pedal. Pilates instructor Aliesa George of Centerworks Pilates demonstrates chair exercises on her website. To strengthen your ankles and enhance proprioception and balance, stand upright, placing your left foot on the platform and the ball of your right foot on the pedal. Keep your left knee bent and your right leg straight. Engage your core, keep your right leg straight and press down, bringing the pedal toward the floor. Perform 10 repetitions on each foot.
References
- "BioMechanics": Proprioceptive Exercises Balance Ankle Stability and Activity; Brandi L. Ross; October, 2006
- The Pilates Center: The Pilates Method
- Pilates Reformer: Pilates Tendon Stretch
- Pilates-Pro: How to Work With the Pilates Foot Corrector
- Centerworks.com: Chair Manual; Aliesa George
- Sports Medicine and Arthroscopy Review" ; Use of Pilates in Foot and Ankle Rehabilitation;October 2000; Deborah Mandis Cozen
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