Calf raises bad for ankles?

[That70sShowDude]

Whenever I walk up the steps, my ankles crack on like every step. It's been like that for maybe 4 years.

After doing seated or standing heel raisers, my ankles hurt A LOT. My ankles don't crack on the seated heel raisers, but they do on the standing. They also used to hurt after I'd run a few miles.

Is this bad?

[DASBUNKER]

if it hurts most likely its bad.. try taking some joint support supplement and flaxseed oil.. see if that helps

[BallAb0veAll]

if it hurts most likely its bad.. try taking some joint support supplement and flaxseed oil.. see if that helps

Yes it is bad because you are slowly deteriorating those joints by putting all that stress on it. I would recommend getting those joints better before you keep lifting because you won't be able to walk when your older.

Do you take fish oil? That helps in aiding the joints.
If you do take fish oil then you could also look at joint supplements.

http://orthopedics.about.com/od/nutr...upplements.htm

http://www.jointsupplements.org/

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/bbin...intSupplements

My girlfriend has bad joints and it's because she gets basically zero calcium. If your diet is low in calcium I'd say get calcium supplements as well.

Good luck man I hope I helped

[mc-]

Hi kiddo,

it's really too difficult to say if it's been going on for four years if it's calf raises that are the cause.

That said, if after doing them your ankles hurt, a question would be do they not hurt when you're doing them?

is there any other lower body move that you ALWAYS do that may be acting on your ankles?

does anything you do cause pain when you're working out?

they don't hurt after a run now? or you don't run anymore?

See based on you saying that, my guess (and it's a guess without an evaluation) is that it's movement in your body elsewhere, and possible mobility restrictions in your ankles that are causing the issue.

So i'd suggest getting a movement screen or assessment
(here's more on that: http://www.begin2dig.com/2009/05/mov...t-and-why.html)
to see what's going on and get some strategies to address your whole movement rather than focus on the site which mayn't be the source of the issue.

best
mc

[unity]

i agree with mc... + go see a doctor.

[spartanbuilder]

Whenever I walk up the steps, my ankles crack on like every step. It's been like that for maybe 4 years.

After doing seated or standing heel raisers, my ankles hurt A LOT. My ankles don't crack on the seated heel raisers, but they do on the standing. They also used to hurt after I'd run a few miles.

Is this bad?

well ive been doing calf raise for about 6 years and my ankles will crack when i purposely rotate them, but every now and then i might get a pop, but mine dont hurt. make sure you are doing full length extensions, that helps me, also make sure you arent bouncing, something that might help is doing 5 second holds at the top of your lift. well i hope this helps in some way.

[fitbliss]

I'm not saying this is the reason for sure, but are you perhaps sitting on your tailbone while doing the seated calf raises, instead of on your hams/glutes? If you think you are, try arching your back a little bit, so that your hamstrings lengthen a bit. That will release the joints/muscles system all the way down to your toes. Also, try and spread your toes widely when you rise onto your foot pads.

I taught classical ballet for years, and ankle pain on raises (when ballerinas go onto pointe) was due to improper posture (overtucking of tailbone) and movement 75 % of the time (if the dancer was otherwise healthy). The other 25% was due to improper descent, which brings me to my second point (no pun intended hehehe...): how do you descend from the raises?

Last time I had ankle pain and ignored it, I found out later it was broken and now I have a vicious case of achilles tendonitis because of fragmented bone that is caught in the tendon. Whatever it is, don't let it keep going unchecked- as a previous poster said: you will pay later.

[That70sShowDude]

Hey guys, by the way, the ankle pain is not at all from the calf raises. I only started doing calf raises towards the end of 2009, but my ankle cracking/pain has been there for a lot longer than that.

[FryDude]

For those of you who take fish oil, when did you notice an improvement?

[fitbliss]

Hey guys, by the way, the ankle pain is not at all from the calf raises. I only started doing calf raises towards the end of 2009, but my ankle cracking/pain has been there for a lot longer than that.

Hmmm...that changes things a bit...It could be so many things! Could it be from running? Did you wear proper shoes? Did you play any particular sports for a long time,- repeat stress? Where in your ankle does it hurt? Could it be Achilles tendonitis? Do you get relief from stretching?

If you have a lot of pain, please go see a doctor. Stress from having long term inflammation can wreak havoc on our bodies!

[mc-]

Hey guys, by the way, the ankle pain is not at all from the calf raises. I only started doing calf raises towards the end of 2009, but my ankle cracking/pain has been there for a lot longer than that.

right, so as has been pointed out, the possibilities are rather immense.
consider a movement assessment. there may be folks around you, if not i do these with remote folks via skype all the time, so it's down to you if you'd like to get on top of the movement side.
And yes, as always, checking with your doctor is of primary importance.
Pain in any kind of normal movement is not normal. It's a signal to do something else.
http://bit.ly/1NMp2K
So how figure out what the right different to do is? movement assessments to look at movement; gp to see if there's something else going on

mc

[Marbles]

I know a lot of people suggest glucosamine+chondroitin for joint health (though supposedly it takes a long time before any improvements are seen), is that still the case?

[mc-]

I know a lot of people suggest glucosamine+chondroitin for joint health (though supposedly it takes a long time before any improvements are seen), is that still the case?

there's nothing wrong with this, but if your movement is ****e such that it's causing repeat trauma, taking all the supplements in the world isn't going to overcome that physical pounding.

mc

[Ironlife]

Heavy squats and deads barefooted will harden you up, and thicken your ankle connective tissue.

[Tyciol]

What lifting tempo are you using for the standing calf raises? People might sometimes do these faster than seated ones. If you do them too explosively then you might be bouncing on the tendons (just as in running) and maybe you have some problems in that area?

[That70sShowDude]

Hmmm...that changes things a bit...It could be so many things! Could it be from running? Did you wear proper shoes? Did you play any particular sports for a long time,- repeat stress? Where in your ankle does it hurt? Could it be Achilles tendonitis? Do you get relief from stretching?

If you have a lot of pain, please go see a doctor. Stress from having long term inflammation can wreak havoc on our bodies!

Well, they only hurt for a few minutes after the calf raises. When I used to run, they would hurt bad in the final half mile or so of a 2.5 mile run. It would always go away in a short amount of time, but my ankles still crack whenever I go up steps.

[BallAb0veAll]

For those of you who take fish oil, when did you notice an improvement?

I notice within a few days. And this is how i know why.

Once on them for a week, if I miss them in the morning then my knees will hurt by the time I go to the gym at 5. They don't hurt a lot but enough to let me know that fish oil really helps.

[fitbliss]

Well, they only hurt for a few minutes after the calf raises. When I used to run, they would hurt bad in the final half mile or so of a 2.5 mile run. It would always go away in a short amount of time, but my ankles still crack whenever I go up steps.

Don't worry about the cracking - I always get cracks on my feet. Let's assume for now that all is OK with that. If you, at this point, don't think the symptoms are alarming enough to warrant a doctor's visit, I would start by trying your own "homemade" diagnostic process of elimination, so you can narrow down to just either one of two causes.

Try and treat the joint/ligaments: a routine of soaking in warm water with epsomite (Epsom salts). Epsomite is a mineral- a hydrated magnesium sulfate- that is used as a remedy for many ailments, one of them being joint pain. It is very soluble and is easily absorbed through the skin. Today's diet leaves us a little on the depleted side for sulfates, which are a necessary compound in the making of sulfate chondroitin- a major component in articular cartilage. A great side effect of using Epsom salts for us athletes/bodybuilders is that it also replenishes our levels of magnesium (electrolytic balance). Plus, it will feel really soothing on your muscles.

And try to treat the fascia: next, and with your feet still warm. stretch the joint gently, but deeply, while also massaging the sore area around the joint and ligaments (focus), its surroundings and connecting muscles (because they are connected). The idea here is to soften the fascia tissue.

Do this whenever you work out, or at least 3 times a week. Soft tissue takes an average of 6 weeks to heal/improve, although tendons take a loooooot longer than that.


Good luck and let me know!

[That70sShowDude]

Don't worry about the cracking - I always get cracks on my feet. Let's assume for now that all is OK with that. If you, at this point, don't think the symptoms are alarming enough to warrant a doctor's visit, I would start by trying your own "homemade" diagnostic process of elimination, so you can narrow down to just either one of two causes.

Try and treat the joint/ligaments: a routine of soaking in warm water with epsomite (Epsom salts). Epsomite is a mineral- a hydrated magnesium sulfate- that is used as a remedy for many ailments, one of them being joint pain. It is very soluble and is easily absorbed through the skin. Today's diet leaves us a little on the depleted side for sulfates, which are a necessary compound in the making of sulfate chondroitin- a major component in articular cartilage. A great side effect of using Epsom salts for us athletes/bodybuilders is that it also replenishes our levels of magnesium (electrolytic balance). Plus, it will feel really soothing on your muscles.

And try to treat the fascia: next, and with your feet still warm. stretch the joint gently, but deeply, while also massaging the sore area around the joint and ligaments (focus), its surroundings and connecting muscles (because they are connected). The idea here is to soften the fascia tissue.

Do this whenever you work out, or at least 3 times a week. Soft tissue takes an average of 6 weeks to heal/improve, although tendons take a loooooot longer than that.


Good luck and let me know!

Thanks.

I would rep you, but I already did recently. Rep is coming.