Daily Mobility Exercises by Dr. Kelly Starrett › Forums › Foot/Ankle › Tight Heel Cord

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    • 06/21/2013 at 12:38 pm #70291
      Avatar[email protected]
      Participant

      I’ve an insane-tight heel cord – the tightness is in the actual back of my heel to where it curves under the sole of my foot (very short distance). I’ve been looking to see if there are any videos on this. I HAVE been using the banded exercise in BASP for general ankle flexibility, just wondering if I’ve missed something. As a side note, that ankle and heel have had surgery – but that was 9 years ago. The tightness doesn’t really seem to extend up into my calf.

      Sadly I can’t do any banded distraction work at home – my apartment doesn’t have anything sturdy enough and a door knob seems to not be the best choice…
      Edited: I just saw the two heel cord videos Kaitlin posted in another post – Heel Cord Love and the Cheetah videos.
    • 06/21/2013 at 1:53 pm #72256
      AvatarAnonymous
      Guest

      One cause or impacting factor can be the shoes you are wearing.
      If the heel is elevated this shortens the heel cord.
      See if any of these help.
      Why Put Your Kid at A Movement Disadvantage?
      Introducing the Bone Saw: Calf Smash Redux
      Episode 350: Tack And Floss: Heel Cord Edition
      Episode 337: Long Ruck Feet Or Ultra Marathon Feet?
      Episode 319: Protect Those Heel Cords Man!
      Episode 167: Unglue That Heel Cord
      Episode 30: Partner Heelcords–Safeword? Part 1
      Episode 30: Partner Heelcords–Safeword? Part 2

    • 06/23/2013 at 1:58 pm #72261
      Avatar[email protected]
      Participant

      Thanks for the links! I’ve started working with these. I don’t wear high heels, ever, and will stop wearing backless sandals. I AM a cyclist, but I seem to spend more time in the gym these days than on the bike. I am thinking the Bone Saw might be particularly useful after a ride…

    • 08/26/2013 at 10:43 pm #72664
      AvatarDustin Weber
      Participant

      You need to address the reason for the stiffness. Kelly’s stuff is great but you need to recognises why you have a pathological level of tension occurring at your ankle in the first place. Mobility exercises are a form of adjunct therapy. Simply foam rolling and mobilising won’t solve the issue.

      Search the joint by joint approach by Boyle and Cook. Based on their anatomical structure some joints are designed to remain generally stable whilst others generally mobile. If we don’t have appropriate stiffness in one area we gain it proximally and distally. Equally if we don’t have appropriate mobility at a joint we gain it proximally and distally. If you don’t address stability deficits in conjunction with mobility deficits and vice versa you are simply treating the symptoms and the problems come back.

    • 08/27/2013 at 10:50 am #72665
      Avatar[email protected]
      Participant

      well said Christian.  And from the sounds of it stability deficits occur in other places other then the ankle that would cause the tight heel chord.  How do you address that?  Video taping yourself move?  I am wondering if jump rope helps in situations like this.

    • 09/02/2013 at 7:48 pm #72703
      Avatar[email protected]
      Participant

      For me focusing on KStars mob work seems to be doing the trick. That foot had a significant surgery 10 years ago and I think things just got tacked down over time – and it was a long time before I could walk properly. The crazy calf tightness (talk about the pain cave!) has eased a lot, and at the same time the heel cord is relaxing. I can now walk properly after running 😉

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