Ankle Rehab
Training on the leg curl is more than a hamstring exercise.
The ankle is made up of three bones. These bones are connected by muscles, ligaments and tendons. There are three ligaments on the outside of the the ankle and one wide ligament on the medial aspect of the ankle. The strong 'rope like' ligaments help connect bones and provide stability to joints. It is most common for people to injure the anterior ligaments on the outside of the ankle.
Tendons connect muscles to bone. Muscles of the foot can be divided into two distinct groups those that are extrinsic to the foot and those that are intrinsic in the foot. All the extrinsic muscles but one move the foot and toes downwards and originate in the knees and back of the lower leg.
The muscles that play the largest role in propulsion are the calf muscles gastrocnemius and soleus muscles. These muscles join to form the Achilles tendon that attaches to the heel bone.
Once cleared for activity by a physician or athletic trainer, one of the best exercises in the initial stage of rehab and least evasive for strengthening the ankle is the leg curl. If you have been limping around the plantar flexor muscles have atrophied and a leg curl quickly begins to restore strength. The Pendulum Leg Curl is a wonderful way to start Getting ankles Strong.