Everybody knows that runners often have problems with their feet, with ailments such as sprains or even fractures being commonplace, but people who do any form of exercise regularly need to make sure they are looking after their feet properly, and that includes swimmers.
Swimming is a form of exercise that is generally easy-going on muscles and limbs — and this is why many physiotherapists and sports podiatry doctors would recommend swimming in recovery time when runners are healing from an injury — but actually, swimming can cause some foot and ankle problems as well.
When swimming, the feet and ankles are often used to propel the swimmer into motion, and this means this part of the body is doing a lot of work. The repeated toe pointing involved when kicking in the water can cause ankle strain, and this is why it's important for regular swimmers to know how to stretch their feet and ankles properly to avoid injury.
If you are a regular swimmer, the best way to make sure you are stretching your feet and ankles appropriately beforehand is to book an appointment with a sports podiatrist who is a trained professional that helps all different types of athletes take care of their feet. These are a couple of the stretches that you might want to look into:
The inchworm. This is a fantastic ankle stretch to complete poolside before swimming. You should stand with your feet around shoulder-width apart; put a slight bend in your knee, but do not arch your back. Now, keeping your back as straight as possible, touch your palms to the floor and walk out, one hand a time, slowly. Once your hands are as far out as possible, hold them for ten seconds, and walk them back. Do this around ten times for improved ankle mobility.
Heel raises. The heel raise is a very simple exercise, but its simplicity and complete focus on strengthening the ankle is what makes it so effective for keen swimmers. Put the front of one foot on a slightly elevated surface, and raise the heel of the foot slowly so that all the pressure is put onto the ball of the foot. Once you have reached the maximum height, come back down again slowly. This is not an exercise to rush; take your time with it because this is what will really strengthen the ankle. Do this around 10-15 times on each foot.
