Running does wonders for the muscles involved
in plantar flexion — pointing your toes toward the floor — but leaves a host of other small muscles throughout the foot and ankle weak.
This range of motion is also important in swimming, as a swimmer's feet are constantly
in plantar flexion to produce efficient and powerful kicks.
Not exact matches
Comparing the effects of squats with different stance widths, Escamilla et al. (2001a) did not report actual peak ankle
plantar flexion angles, but they did report more heavily - angled shanks
in narrow stance squats compared to wide stance squats.
In agreement, Reid et al. (2011) compared eccentric plantar flexion with the knee fully extended and during a flexed position and reported superior gastrocnemius muscle activity during plantar flexion with full knee extension and no difference in soleus muscle activit
In agreement, Reid et al. (2011) compared eccentric
plantar flexion with the knee fully extended and during a flexed position and reported superior gastrocnemius muscle activity during
plantar flexion with full knee extension and no difference
in soleus muscle activit
in soleus muscle activity.
Additionally, they noted that the net joint moment was an ankle dorsiflexion moment
in the medium and wide stance squats but an ankle
plantar flexion moment
in narrow stance squats.
Therefore,
in balance, it appears the calf muscles display their greatest force - producing ability
in plantar -
flexion.
Increasing
plantar -
flexion from 15 to 30 degrees resulted
in the moment arm length increasing only slightly.
Therefore, exercises that involve
plantar -
flexion are likely to be beneficial
in training these muscles.
The soleus and gastrocnemius work
in tandem to carry out the function of
plantar flexion.
In addition,
plantar flexion and knee extension flexibility are negatively related to running economy.
The muscle fibers are too short
in the gastrocnemius to do both knee
flexion and
plantar flexion at the same time.
Restrictions
in the superficial front line are seen with forward head posture, anterior pelvic shift and tilt, knee hyperextension, breathing restrictions
in the anterior ribs, and ankle
plantar flexion limitation (11).
The natural motion of
plantar and dorsi
flexion when walking can give some pain if you are on your feet for a prolonged period of time
in footwear that does not provide adequate support.