Guest article from Owner of Synergy Athletics and renowned strength coach, Joe Hashey.

Your feet do more than carry you from A to B. In sports, they are what connect you to the ground and provide a base for all movements. I have seen Alex point out on Basketball Fit many times that basketball players need to take care of their ankle health. Here are some easy strategies to get your feet and ankles prepared for competition.

1. Get out of the high tops in the gym. Stop wearing those clunky shoes. They “cast” your ankle in place which will lead to severe weaknesses. The LEAST you can do is to perform your warm up in socks. This will allow your ankle and small muscles in the feet to strength. Also, it is a good idea to perform a few ankle strengthening and mobility exercises such as 4 way band movements shown in the video.

2. Use Self Myofascial Release. In the video below, I explain how to use common household items, from a dog’s toy to a tennis ball, to perform SMR. It will only take a few minutes, and is well worth the time.

3. Increase Proprioception. Proprioception simplified means the awareness of your body in space. You know when your hands are touching something, even though you aren’t look at them. Same works for your feet. If you are locking them up all day, your proprioception will fade. Things such as marching on foam, the aforementioned warming up in socks, and performing SMR will get your feet and ankles strengthened.

I know that I learning better seeing a movement, than just reading about it, so watch this video below as I go through all of the great things I just wrote about. Thanks for your time, and stay healthy!

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Joe Hashey is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the NSCA. He is a former D1AA college football player at Colgate University, and owner of Synergy Athletics in Endicott, New York. Joe can be reached through his popular strength training blog - www.Synergy-Athletics.com. Additionally, Joe is the author of the intense Bull Strength Training Manual, found at www.BullStrength.com.