Preserving Knees/ankles

[Geoffrey Taucer]

I decided recently that I'm going to start training seriously again (mainly on floor, since I'm really not that far from being able to put together an elite level routine). Lately, however, I have been running into problems with sore knees and ankles. It's gotten to the point where I can't tumble two nights in a row, and sometimes I have to take two or three days off after a night of tumbling.

It doesn't seem to be any particular injury, just joint soreness (mainly in the ankles and achilles tendon/calf area).

What is the likely cause of this, and is there anything I can do about it? Is it an issue of insufficient strength/flexibility, or not enough warm-up, or is it just something I'm gonna have to deal with if I'm working high-level skills? Also is this sort of thing likely to get significantly worse if I try to work through it, or should I just ignore it and keep going?

[teachrugratswga]

Thats a good question. Usually soreness is your bodies own way of telling you to slow down or take it easy. Are you doing a lot of passes on the spring floor? I like to use a tumble track for my boys, and the spring floor less. This usually helps preserve the legs and ankles a bit longer. Warm up your ankles well. Roll them till they burn, stretch your achilles, toes, hips, glutes, all of it. Don't forget to strengthen all those areas as well.

Some of it might just be that you are not in tip top shape, and that will come back. Keep us posted!!!!

[hammy]

I agree. Also, if there if you know any physical therapists ask them for some exercises to strenthen the knees and ankles. Sometimes our muscles, ligaments, and tendons and what not need to be strengthened to better support everything.

[gym law mom]

I think you need to look at how much you're doing and are you just starting out with the really hard skills or gradually building to them? It might be a combination of slowing down and not doing quite so much tumbling---alternate tumbling with another event that isn't as high impact. Remember to cool down and stretch after, ice the knees/ankles and try some ibuprofen. Good suggestion about talking with a physical therapist.