Fast Fitness - Built In Functional Achilles Tendon Stretch
Friday, July 31, 2009
Jolie Bookspan, M.Ed, PhD, FAWM
- Every time you bend with the squat, keep both heels down on the floor (upper right drawing) instead of raising heels (left).
- Every time you bend with a lunge, keep the front heel down, not lifted up and shifting forward to the toe.
- When ascending stairs, step up on your entire foot including the heel, down on the step, not just the toes and ball of the foot.
Many people stretch their Achilles tendon holding still. Is it such a mystery to get a pull during movement? Prepare your body how to stretch during movement. This normal daily life activity practices lengthening under body weight during normal movement.
Why do a few seconds of Achilles stretch then go back to tight, shortened real life use. Get hundreds of free stretches built in to your day in a way that gives free muscle and bone building exercise too.
- Good bending benefits your back, knees, and Achilles Tendon at the same time.
- If you don't know good bending, start with Free Exercise and Free Back and Knee Pain Prevention - Healthy Bending for the half-squat (crouch,
- and Strengthen Legs Without Knee Pain - Standing Lunge for the lunge.
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Good bending drawing featuring Backman!™ © copyright Dr. Jolie Bookspan
Achilles image f via Wikipedia
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Labels: achilles stretch, fast fitness, leg strength, leg stretch, squat
5 Comments:
At Monday, September 21, 2009 12:11:00 PM,
Scott said…
Dr. Bookspan,
Do you have any suggestions for "Runners Knee", where the Patella slides to the outside due to tightness in the tendons and muscles on the outside of the knee? I've been practicing healthy bending and stretching techniques, but I'm still having problems with my knee. My doctor has recommended surgery to release some of the pull on the Patella, so that my knee will track normally and stop wearing excessively due to its poor track.
This problem seems to be exasperated by lots of cycling and running, which strengthens the outer thigh muscle.
Thanks,
Scott
At Thursday, September 24, 2009 6:42:00 PM,
Jolie Bookspan, M.Ed, PhD, FAWM said…
Dear Captain Scott, knee tracking is usually easily normalized by developing use of the inside quadriceps muscles. Healthy leg function can be learned in a brief period of PT, or easily by yourself at home. Check around for articles on VMO (inside quad muscle) and "terminal extension" (last few degrees of knee bending) for patella tracking. The healthy bending you commented on in the other article contributes a nice amount of needed terminal extension. Cycling and running do not always have to preferentially strengthen outer muscles (depends on leg use). Surgery and bracing do not fix causes. Following their use, you can return to causes and poor tracking (who needs that?). Thank you for your update of success in the comments of Fast Fitness - The First Group Functional Training Exercise, Good Bending for Back and Knees. Knee tracking can be just as straightforward to return to healthy function.
At Thursday, September 24, 2009 7:19:00 PM,
Scott said…
Thanks Dr. Bookspan. Your insight makes sense. I can see how the surgery might help in the short term, but I would eventually go back to the same problem if the source of the problem is not corrected. I did physical therapy for a few months without much success. I will do some research into exercises that will help strengthen the VMO and also see about some more PT.
Also, one of the exercises that is required of military persons is the sit-up. I am required to do a test twice a year and demonstrate that I can do around 50 sit-ups in two minutes. Do you think they hurt your back? I know that you don't recommend them, but I'm curious to know whether they might be detrimental to my health. I also have to do them regularly during group fitness times along with the twice a year test.
Thanks again for all of your great articles and books. They have been extrememely helpful. I am much more pain free today because of the things I have learned from you.
Scott
At Tuesday, October 06, 2009 10:36:00 PM,
Jolie Bookspan, M.Ed, PhD, FAWM said…
Captain, Some tracking answers for you in Kneecap Tracking - Don't Miss These Reasons It Doesn't Get Better. Sit-up info to follow. Keep up your smart work and nice comments.
At Monday, October 26, 2009 4:12:00 PM,
Jolie Bookspan, M.Ed, PhD, FAWM said…
For your military sit-up test question - Fitness Tests - Do They Do What They Claim?
Thanks for checking back in the Tracking article comments that you are quickly fixing the knee too (without surgery). Write your success story, send it in, as role model for others. Keep getting better and stronger in healthy ways. Enjoy.
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