What are Cankles?

Do I have cankles, should I be concerned if I have cankles and can I get rid of cankles? 

While it sounds like some kind of nasty medical condition, “cankles” is not a medical term or condition but is a slang term combining the words “ankle” and “calf”. 

According to podiatrists the average female ankle measures 10-11 inches but there is no standard that we try to achieve. Instead, it’s all about the tapering of the lower leg from calf to ankle, subjectively forming an attractive female shape.  

Cankles generally refers to legs that do not taper from calf to ankle.  Women over fifty may notice the loss of calf definition and shy away from wearing ankle- baring styles or boots.

Past clients have come asking to get help improving the shape or size of their calves. Depending on the underlying cause of cankles, some change may be possible.

Cankles can be due to genetics, fluid retention, medical conditions and medications, being overweight, or lack or loss of muscle tone in the calf muscles.

Heredity

We can’t control what our DNA prescribes, whether it’s how much muscle we naturally have in the calf muscle or where we deposit stored fat.

If you look at your family members and you share similar leg shape and body type, the shape of your legs may be due to genetics. Unfortunately, there’s not much you can do when you’re predisposed to cankles. 

Water Retention

Water or fluid retention may cause temporary cankles. You may have noticed bloating or puffiness in your feet, ankles or hands after eating a meal high in sodium or after sitting for long periods of time. Cankles caused by simple water retention generally disappear overnight. 

Reduce the amount of salt in your diet and get up and move around periodically to reduce swelling. Elevate your feet and legs while sitting may also help.

Get medical attention if fluid build-up does not disappear, continues or worsens as it main indicate the presence of critical medical conditions.

Medical Conditions & Medications

There are many medical conditions and medications that can cause fluid retention that may be serious and you should always consult a physician if you notice a thickening of your ankles.

Cankles during pregnancy is fairly common. Consult your physician if you experience fluid retention.

If medical conditions and medications have been ruled out as the cause of your cankles, we can address some other causes of cankles. 

Excessive Weight

As we get older, we become more sedentary and have a tendency to gain weight. Being less active also means that you’re probably not using your legs, and therefore your calf muscles, as much as you did when you were more active. Add menopause to the equation and with it an increased loss of muscle that then lowers your metabolism.

              Loss of muscle tone + lower metabolism + extra fat = cankles!

If excess body weight is an issue, a program to reduce overall body weight through nutrition and exercise may enhance the look of your legs. 

Keep in mind that there is no way to spot reduce the ankle area or any other singular body part by diet or exercise.

Start with what and how you eat as 80% of any health and fitness goal depends on proper nutrition. Nutritional plans that focus on quality fruits and vegetables and lean protein will promote overall weight loss. A nutritionist or dietician can help guide you to a well-balanced plan to help you reach weight loss goals.

Combine a workout plan with your nutrition to see optimum weight loss results. 

You cannot spot reduce or exercise to simply reduce fat in one area. An exercise program with an emphasis on maximizing strength and fat loss such as HIIT for Women over 50 will optimize results to achieve weight loss while retaining existing muscle. (You’ll find these workouts relatively short and customizable.)

Add to your daily steps by walking or running. Both activities help with fat loss and tone the calf muscles. Climb stairs. Each step is a calf raise in disguise.

Loss of Muscle 

Whether you’re predisposed genetically to cankles or have lost muscle tone as you’ve gotten older you may be able to enhance the shape of your calves. While you can’t spot reduce your ankle, the addition of some isolated calf muscle exercises, which strengthen and tone the calf muscles, may make your legs look more tapered.

If genetics are a factor, the results may be minimal but you won’t know until you try.

Like every fitness program, results will not happen overnight. Consistency and progressively making the work harder over 2-3 months should result in some positive change.

You will not end up with body-building calves! You’ll just add the definition you may be looking for.

Most women over 50 have lost muscle. According to WEB MD, after the age of 30 women generally lose 3-5% of their muscle mass each decade. If we don’t use it, we definitely lose it. That muscle not only allows us to remain active and feeling good but also shapes our bodies, including our calves.

Just like every muscle in our bodies, as you exercise your calf muscles they become stronger and more toned.

There are 2 main calf muscles, the gastrocnemius and the soleus. The former is the bigger of the two but they work together to allow you to point your toes, stand on tiptoe or on the balls of your feet and jump off the ground and are therefore responsible for giving shape to your lower leg. 

The exercises used to isolate and concentrate on the calf mimic everyday use of the muscles. 

The following exercise examples are divided into 2 groups: the first 3 exercises isolate the calf muscle so you work the calf by itself and exercises 4-6 work the calf during full body or compound exercises. The exercises listed are only a few possibilities that you can easily perform at home with little or no equipment.  

Many of the compound exercises can be for as part of an interval workout such as those found in Types of HIIT for women over 50 which are especially good at strengthening muscle while burning overall body fat giving you great legs! 

I always use a combination of isolation and compound exercises with my clients when the goal is to shape and tone muscles. 

Be sure to warm up for 10 minutes before exercising and 10 minutes to cool down afterward. 

Consult your physician before starting an exercise program.

Calf Exercises for Isolating Calf Muscles

The following exercises will strengthen the muscles in your calves. 

The primary muscles that give your lower leg shape are your gastrocnemius and soleus. Concentrated work on these muscles with the following exercises 2-3 times per week will strengthen and tone these muscles, making the leg look more tapered to your ankle. 

If you’re new to exercise start easy and gradually increase your work. 2 sets of 8-10 repetitions of 2 or 3 exercises targeting the calves added to a total body workout and nutrition plan will help enhance your calves.

Standing Calf Raises:

Stand with feet hip distance apart, toes pointing forward.

Keep your arms relaxed by your side unless you need to place your hands on a counter top or chair back for balance. Don’t be tempted to push up with your hands.

Lift your heels off the floor, hold at the top of the lift and lower back to the floor all to a count of 2. Add extra resistance or weight by holding a dumbbell in each hand.

No dumbbells? Cans of soup, pie filling, or filled water bottles work. Perfect to do while doing the dishes!

                                       

Step (Elevated) Calf Raise

An easy option to increase the effort is to stand on the edge of a step or elevated box with your heels off the step. 

Make sure the balls of your feet are completely on the step and your heels don’t drop below the step.Lift your heels up above the level of the step and lower only to parallel to the step. Keep your heels from dropping below the step will make your calves do double duty and you will protect your Achilles Tendons.

You can use added weight or hold a railing or countertop for balance.

Seated Calf Raise

Sit on a chair with your feet hip distance apart, feet flat on the floor or with your toes on a low step, heels held parallel to the floor. (Good use for an old phone book if you still have one!)

Lift your heels off the floor in the same 2 count cadence as above. Place some extra weight on your thighs to add difficulty.

In addition to the isolation exercises above, compound exercises that use the entire body while making the calves work through their Range of Motion (ROM) really work to enhance your calves.

Compound Calf Exercises 

Jump Squats

In order to make the calves work through their complete range of motion you go from a squat  to propelling ourselves off the ground or, for no/low impact, up to your tiptoes. This is a great exercise choice for HIIT for women over 50 and torching fat to help decrease overall body fat.

Start in squat position with feet hip distance apart, toes pointing forward. Hands by your side or behind your head.

Squat, pushing the hips back and down toward the floor, weight in your heels,looking straight ahead. Forcefully push back up, jumping off the floor or onto the balls of your feet. Land with feet in squat position and repeat. 2 sets of 8-10 repetitions to start, or use it as a Tabata exercise.

Jumping Rope

Jump rope is a repeating calf raise on hyper-drive and you don’t have to jump! Great cardio, HIIT exercise and calf strengthening and toning combined into 1 exercise.

If you’re like me, the rope is a major deterrent to even try, but you can pretend your arms are twirling the rope. Can’t trip over an imaginary rope! Or purchase ropeless jump rope handles for a more realistic experience without actual ropes.

You don’t even need to leave the floor. Just raise up onto the balls of your feet and you have a low impact jump and a super calf raise.

Choose your favorite HIIT Format for a great workout.

Jump Squat with 180 Degree Turn

Add a little more to the traditional jump squat by turning 180 degrees (half turn) while in the air during the jump. 

Alternate the direction of the turn to prevent getting dizzy.

Can’t make 180 degrees? Try 90, or a quarter turn.