“We will be in tune with our bodies only if we truly love and honor them. We can’t be in good communication with the enemy.” -Harriet Lerner
Dancers are
athletes and, as such, their bodies endure many hours of physical
activity. The ankle joint is one that all
types of dancers depend upon in order to perform. The ankle needs to be strong enough to
support the dancer and remain stable while being flexible enough to execute
dance steps.
Dancers are
athletes and, as such, their bodies endure many hours of physical
activity. The ankle joint is one that all
types of dancers depend upon in order to perform. The ankle needs to be strong enough to
support the dancer and remain stable while being flexible enough to execute
dance steps.
The ankle
is the site where most dance injuries occur, and it is helpful to both dancers
and dance educators to understand the anatomy of this joint.
The ankle is home to two separate
joints. The actual ankle joint is formed
where the tibia, the fibula, and the talus meet. The tibia is the large bone of the lower leg
that is located on the inside of the shin while the fibula is the narrow bone
that is found on the outside of the shin.
The talus is the bone located on the top of the arch of the foot where
the lower leg and foot meet. This joint
is a hinge joint that is responsible for the ability to plantar flex (point)
and dorsiflex (flex) the foot.
The other
joint that is responsible for ankle movement is the subtalar joint. This joint is formed where the talus and the
bone located beneath it, the calcaneus meet.
When these two bones glide over each other, the foot can be moved from side
to side.
The ankle
is held together by a series of ligaments.
Ligaments are responsible for connecting bone to bone and for preventing
certain movements that could dislocate and/or compromise the joint.
The inside,
or medial, side of the ankle is home to the deltoid ligaments and the
calcaneonavicular ligament. These
ligaments connect the tibia to the talus and the calcaneus. They are responsible for stabilizing the
inside arch of the foot, holding the talus in place, and keeping the ankle from
collapsing inward.
The lateral
collateral ligaments are found on the outside, or lateral side of the
ankle. The syndesmosis ligaments connect
the tibia to the fibula and provide stability at the top of the ankle. The strongest lateral ligament is the
posterior talofibular ligament. It
connects the fibula to the talus and prevents the talus from slipping backwards
and externally rotating. The
calcaneofibular ligament connects the fibula to the calcaneus and prevents the
foot from twisting too far away from the body, or everting. The anterior talofibular ligament connects
the fibula to the talus, stabilizes the talus, and prevents the foot from
twisting too far toward the body, or inverting.
This ligament tends to be the weakest lateral ligament of the ankle. |
| From Foot Doc |
