Knee and Ankle Exercises For The Mens Team - Kempsey Saints Football Club Inc

Hey old fellas, youve found this page so your obviously keen on playing.

Please consult your Doctor prior to commencing any fitness training.

Old boys feature slightly higher in the chance of knees and ankle injuries for several reasons.

Generally heavier with greater forces being exerted on the ligaments
Slower reaction time to avoid impacts or roll ot of collisions
Generaly do little highly reactive proprioceptive work to teach the muscles how to suport the joints

The exercises contained below are proprioceptive (teach brain exactly where body parts are) and will assist your body to respond faster and automatically to alot of the forces that will be imposed on your ankles and knees during games.

Exercises	Why	Examples
Closed eyes standing balance	Strengthens muscles supporting knee and ankle joints from a static situation	Stand on one leg, put foot from other leg behind knee of standing leg, close eyes. Balance for 60 seconds. Repeat with other leg.
Balance on soft surface	Strengthens muscles supporting knee and ankle joints from both static and dynamic situations	Single leg squats on a soft surface like a pad, pillows or matress. Double leg squats. Single leg standing balance eyes open, eyes closed. Two players, each standing on a balance pad with one leg, throw a small heavy ball back and forth.
Wobble Board	Strengthens muscles and improves the reflexes involved in balance.	Stand on a wobble board for 2- 3 min several times. Use only small angles wobble boards, so as to teach balance, not stretch the ankle.
Wobble Board eyes closed	Strengthens muscles and automates the reflexes involved in balance.	Stand on a wobble board for 2- 3 min several times. Use only small angles wobble boards, so as to teach balance, not stretch the ankle.
Figure eight running	It imposes all directions of force on the ligaments	Practice running all different kinds of small to medium size figure eights, circle, squares etc with a variety of ways you are facing. Start out very very slow and take many weeks or months to build up to higher speeds.
Hamstring development	Some players have quads that are much more developed than hamstrings. This can be contribute to knee injury.	Band exercises, individual and with partner, providing band resistance to movement of ankle to buttocks. Can be done standing, leaning, or on hands and knees with one leg extended horizontally.
Stopping technique	Many ACL injuries are when the player was slowing down after crossing the ball or making a run.	Players train to use two and three step stopping from runs instead of making wrenching single step stops. After practicing the technique in isolation, practice it at gradually increasing speeds over several weeks or months.
General leg strength	Strong and symmetric leg muscles provide better support for knee and ankle joints. Athlete can recover from momentary poor joint position.	All types of walking, bounding, jogging, eg backwards, forwards, crossovers, heel clickers. Backward walking with bands. Plyometric exercises for the legs. Single and double leg hops. Footwork exercises. Running hills. Harness work dragging partner providing resistance. Carrying partner.
Practice Falling	Athletes that know how and practice to fall and roll have fewer injuries.	Athletes need to practice falling and rolling using the larger body parts of the torso and rolling to dissipate the forces over time. Practice turning side on and rolling, keeping the arm in and avoiding impact with the hand, head or knee.
Practice Collisions	Athletes that know how and practice collisions have fewer injuries.	Athletes need to practice collisions using the larger body parts of the torso and rolling to the side to dissipate the forces over time. Practice turning side on and pulling the face back as you hit avoiding impact with the hand, head or knee.
Locking the ankle	When two players simultaneously kick a ball, huge forces are imparted through the ankles and knee.	The ankle can be protected by making the strike with the inside of the ankle rather than a pointed foot. Avoid using the inside of the toe as this will twist the knee.
General aerobic fitness	Players with higher aerobic fitness are generally less likely to experience momentary mental lapses late in matches leading to a poor one-step stop or poor foot position.	Increase aerobic capacity through running skills and drills or game play.

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