Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Ankle Rehab
Ankle Rehab
)&.
ankle rehab system
H.E.M.
ankle rehab system
by,
Scott Malin, NASM-CPT
iii
Caution: Not all exercises are suitable for everyone and this or any exercise
program may result in injury, Consult with your doctor BEFORE initiating this or
any exercise program. Rehab Ankle Sprain, the author and distributors of this
book disclaim and liability or loss in conjunction with the exercises, advice, and
instructions expressed herein.
Do not begin this program if you have an ankle fracture. A fracture is a partial or
complete break in a bone. In the ankle, fractures can range from the less seri-
ous avulsion injuries (small pieces of bone that have been pulled off) to severe
shattering-type breaks of the tibia, fibula or both. Ankle fractures are common
injuries that are most often caused by the ankle rolling inward or outward. Many
people mistake an ankle fracture for an ankle sprain, but they are quite different
and therefore require an accurate and early diagnosis.
Keep in mind that results vary from person to person. Some people have a medi-
cal history and/or medical condition that may warrant individualized recommen-
dation and, in some cases, drugs and even surgery. Do not start, stop, or change
medication without professional medical advice. Neither this, nor any book, is
intended to take the place of personalized medical care or treatment. Although I
am a certified trainer with the National Academy of Sports Medicine, I am not a
physical therapist, nor am I a medical practitioner.
iv
Contents
Introduction iii
Conclusion 116
vi
“My daughter stopped using crutches after 2 days of treatment and after
7 days of treatment was back to her full training routine, going on to win
2 Silver and 1 Bronze medal in nationals. We all were amazed with such
progress and her USA coach, a professional for 35 years, did endorse
that he had never seen such a fast recovery.”
- Ralph Goetz, Singapore
“My daughter is a Team USA Synchronized ice skater in her final season.
We actually ordered the H.E.M. when she had a grade/level 3 inversion
ankle sprain. She needed to get back on the ice as soon as possible.
She was able to get back on the ice in three weeks. Amazing consider-
ing she could not even put any weight on it for one full week and other
skating parents told us her torn ligaments would mean 8 weeks off the
ice! We were very satisfied. Thank you so much!”
- Jeanette Kuiphof, La Mirada, CA
“This is by far the best spent money in my life. I would give a 1000 dol-
lars for this system. I am one of those that does not believe until I see
and was very skeptical to buy this book and thought its just another
scam. But since it was my health involved 20$ ain’t that much and I gave
it a shot...guess what..I am ASHAMED to even doubt my choice at first.
After my sprain I was out for 10 days and applied RICE and then I bought
the book. Its my 10th day of using HEM program and HOLY COW I CAN
train without a problem. The book is very simple and clear it really takes
just around 10 minutes. I want to thank Scott for making this program. I
want to thank him for turning my life around because my training is my
life and Scott just made my life A LOT better. Its not much money and all
of you who suffered an ankle sprain 20$ is not much for giving a shot.
Believe me you will be thankful...it works like magic. Thank you Scott,
straight from the heart. Cheers!”
- Ciro Mihanovic, Split, Canada
vii
“Works like magic almost. Foot felt MUCH better after one try at it. Any
one with ankle problems or even if you want to prevent any sprains by
getting it stronger...this program is the real deal. No BS... very easy to
understand and very effective.”
- Ripsik Nazaryan, Tujunga CA
“My daughter sprained her ankle very badly at school two weeks before
her dance studio’s first competition for 2008. Post x-rays, the doctor
didn’t feel that she would be able to be able to dance at the first and pos-
sibly the second competition. Desperate, I purchased your book. Amaz-
ing!!!! I’m please to share that not only was she dancing in only a week
she finished her competition this weekend without any additional ankle
support. Thanks again!!!”
- Kim Garito, Fort Mill, SC
“Many thanks for the book. It was a miracle! I sprained my ankle badly,
the bruising was above my ankle bone & through to the other side. I
followed the book more or less to the letter & within 4 days I was back
out running again. My husband was also amazed & I would thoroughly
recommend it to anyone who needs it.”
- Helen Christie, Leicestershire, UK
“Thank you! I’ve been limping around for almost 2 weeks now and did
all the ice, soaking, ace bandage thingy which did nothing for the pain or
the re-swelling after I walked a little bit. I got the program and just wanted
to let you know, by the next morning the swelling was down by half! We
couldn’t believe how much the swelling went down overnight. Thank
you!”
- Anthony Ware, Chattanooga , TN
“Worked wonders for high ankle sprain! Scott, I just had to send you
note about my son, Tom. I’m sure you get these all time, but well, when
thanks are in order, they are in order. Tom suffered a high ankle sprain
three weeks ago. Both an orthopedic surgeon foot and ankle specialist
and a rehab M.D. agreed it would take 4-6 weeks to recover from it and
play football again. I found your site on-line right after his injury. Tom
progressed so well he impressed the orthopedist and the Physical Thera-
pist. He started to practice this week Monday, and played a full game
on Thurs. He did not miss a play (made 12 tackles with 2 sacks too).
Based on everything I have read about high ankle sprains - that should
not have been possible - so I have to give credit where it is due. I admit I
had my doubts that the program could work on a high ankle sprain - but
it did. Thank you for publishing your program and for making it available.
I am surprised it is not used more throughout the country. Keep up the
good work.”
- Larry Skoczylas, Midland, MI
xi
“Ankle A LOT better now! Back to running 30-40 miles per week. Healed
twice as quick!”
- Tim Gardner, West Mids, UK
“Around 2 months ago I badly turned my ankle playing football. The ankle
swelled massively and was amazingly colourful after a couple of days.
Walking was not an option! The ankle was placed in cast for 6 weeks
under the orders of an ankle specialist at the hospital. Naturally I thought
the ankle was going to be very weak once the cast was removed and
decided I needed a decent rehab program to get it back to the stage
where I could think about playing football (or soccer!) again. However
using the exercises in the program every day after the cast was removed
has taken away most of the stiffness I was left with. The ankle feels very
strong again, and the doctor was amazed at how quickly I was walk-
ing normally. I have been told that I shouldn’t play football for another 3
months, however I’m hoping after seeing my progress he may suggest
otherwise. He originally thought I wouldn’t be walking normally for a
month. I’m sure the speed of my recovery has been due to the program.
Thank you very much for your excellent rehab program.”
- Ben Johnson, Hampshire, UK
“The book was a really great help. Had ideas in it I would never have
come up with. The book was for my other half who sprained her ankle on
day 5 of a 17 day snowboarding trip. As we had gone all the way from
the UK to Whistler, I was keen to see if there was anyway we could get
her back on a board. I was somewhat sceptical to start with but thought
we could give it a go. After-all, we had spent thousands of dollars on
getting there and lift passes so this was surely worth a go. We followed
you guidelines to the letter and I have to say, I was amazed. She was
off for 4 days and was (with the aid of some much needed new properly
moulded boots), then back on a board. She managed to get some good
boarding gradually building it up in albeit not anything too taxing but
boarding non the less. I think we possibly pushed the bounds of even
what you were suggesting but - it worked! First rate book.”
- Oli Saunders, London, UK
xiii
“Over three weeks ago I sprained my ankle (Type II) playing volleyball at
church. This accident happened 1 week before I was to go out to Utah
for aggressive mountain sports for an entire week. I was planning on
snowmobiling and skiing in the mountains. I was desperate in finding a
way to help accelerate my healing. My doctor recommended R.I.C.E. of
which I did for the first night and got on the internet the very next day for
a more aggressive regimen. That is when I found your website. I was
intrigued with the results but hesitant with the cost for the advice, but like
I said I was desperate so I paid the fee. Within one day of the hydrother-
apy, exercise and massaging my ankle was feeling about 30-40% better
than it did the previous day that I injured it. Day two was even better.
That’s when I got complacent and skipped day three. Big mistake. My
ankle started to stiffen up very noticeably and pain started to set in again.
I immediately went back to H.E.M. and started the process over. I wasn’t
going to give up my trip to Utah and kept up with the program right up to
my departure later that week. I wasn’t 100% but I was remarkably better
and able to snowmobile aggressively for 6 hours (2 days straight in the
Cashe mountains) with now problem and skied an entire day at Snow-
bird. I have sprained my ankle 15+ years before this and I believe it was
a Type I sprain. I was much younger and I just did the ice and eleva-
tion thing. My recovery was 2-3 months. I am happy to say that after 3
weeks I am about 90%.”
- Mike Stoutenburg, Buford, GA
“I had great success with the H.E.M. system. I play soccer and ankle
injuries are very common for me. This method is something new to
me and I was able to get back on the pitch much quicker than normal.
Thanks!”
- Parker Walton, Powhatan , VA
xiv
So the next day I hobbled into work on crutches and then eventually
gave in an went home when I couldn’t really focus! That night I was up
until about 1:30am just sitting there thinking how to fix my foot quickly
because I was going to Perth on the weekend and promised my girlfriend
we would be out all nite dancing in Freemantle! I googled sprains on
my iPhone - thank god for my iPhone - an found your system. With the
money back guarantee and the reviews I read, I was keen to give it ago.
So I woke my sister up to use her credit card and went to the pharmacy
the next day - on crutches! An hour later, I was dunking my foot in water
and massaging it hoping it would work - After the first session, I had
more movement in my foot and was able to apply a small amount of
pressure, before the treatment, I almost dry reached each time! I did
the treatment three times a day as well as massaged my foot as often
as possible - By Friday, I was walking normally :-) Come Saturday night
and my foot could fit into a brand new set of heels and I danced the nite
away until 4:30am :-) Two weeks passed and I was able to go to play in
our netball final - which we lost - Just in case, I went and got it strapped
and the physio was AMAZED!!!!! He was blown away and was extremely
impressed :-) I’m super happy and love the fact that I can walk around
fine without my crutches, I was only on crutches for a total of 2 and a half
days! THANK YOU!!”
- Elisa George, Geraldton, Australia
Congratulations on finding this book. You are about to learn a new way
of treating a sprained ankle that goes against the conventional way
of thinking. In my opinion, that conventional model is outdated and
insufficient for properly healing an ankle injury and can even increase
the risk of injuries to the ankle, knees and hips. What makes this book
different is that it’s not filled with theory. This way of treating a sprained
ankle has been tested in the field and it really works. I have used it
for years with clients, friends, family, and even myself. It dramatically
speeds up the recovery process from weeks to days. Also, it significantly
reduces the risk of injury in the future. There is a lot of information
packed into this book, so please, read all the instructions carefully and
use proper technique to insure safety and maximum results.
In addition to the specific Rehab program for the ankles, I have created
a complete Prehab program as well. Many people have asked for a
complete ankle program to increase sports performance, strengthen
weak ankles and help fix old injuries. This Prehab program is something
you can and should include in your fitness program to ensure strong,
flexible and powerful ankles which are the foundation for all movement.
Prehab is meant for everyone, because we all have some weakness
and inflexibility in our ankles whether we have sprained them or not.
The Prehab program dramatically reduces the risk of future sprains and
significantly improves over all speed, agility, power and jumping ability
which is important in fitness, sport and life.
section one
ankle rehab
ONE
R.I.C.E.
Rest, Ice,
Compression,
Elevation
Sprains
Sprains generally result from a twisting force applied to a joint while it is
bearing weight, which causes the ligament to stretch beyond its natural
limit. Muscle strains occur when the weight load on a muscle is greater
than what the weakest part of the muscle can bear. Strains usually occur
during activities that require a muscle to be stretched and bear weight at
the same time.
When you first sustain an ankle injury, the strain on the ligaments leads
to pain, stiffness, swelling and bruising. Depending on the severity of the
6 Dynamics of Motion - H.E.M.
sprain, you should consider getting x-rays to make sure that nothing is
broken. If there is something broken, obviously, you need more serious
medical attention and you should not follow the advice below until you
are well on the road to recovery.
Now, there are different degrees of an ankle sprain. If it’s severe, you
may not be able to walk on it at all and there will be considerable pain
and swelling. If it is milder, you may be able to walk on it right away, but
there will be a limited range of motion and a good amount of swelling.
Regardless, you should be able to follow the rehab program I have set
out below.
R.I.C.E.
The model known as R.I.C.E. or Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation
is still quite popular today. Unfortunately, it is the slowest and least effec-
tive way to heal and prevent ankle sprains.
swelling, but unfortunately, that’s about all this system has to offer. There
is no system in place to actually rehabilitate the ankle. The R.I.C.E.
system basically has you doing nothing and that means you will heal
very slowly and never fully recover from the injury. If you have used this
treatment in the past, you know that even a mild sprain takes about 2-3
weeks before you’re walking normally again, but even then there is still
swelling and limited range of motion. For more serious sprains, it can
take 6-8 weeks before you can walk normally and get back to sports.
But, there is a more serious problem with R.I.C.E. that goes beyond the
slow healing rate. It sets you up for many future ankle and potentially
more serious injuries. You see, with the initial injury, you have weak-
ened the ligaments around the ankle joint and they will now be much
more susceptible to injury with less provocation. In addition, scar tissue
develops which inhibits a healthy range of motion in the ankle joints. So,
if you do not specifically rehabilitate the ankle joint by strengthening and
mobilizing it, you will be much more susceptible to injuries to the knees
and hips (I will discuss this in detail later).
48 hours, there is not much clinical evidence that it is helpful any longer.
Depending upon the severity of the injury, you may be a little more lim-
ited in the beginning. In other words, if you cannot put any pressure on
the ankle and are unable to walk, icing for the first 36-48 hours is a good
idea. In this case, I recommend implementing step two of the H.E.M.
program (massage) in conjunction with the icing. The massage will also
help reduce the swelling and is important to begin right after the injury as
I discuss in more detail in chapter three.
On the other hand, if you are able to walk immediately after your sprain,
then icing won’t be nearly as important. It will be better for you to really
get going with the complete H.E.M. system almost immediately. You can
ice your ankle for the first few hours if you wish, but then put the ice away
and get to work on the three steps of the H.E.M. program.
If you decide to begin the exercises in the H.E.M. system within the first
48 hours (which I usually recommend, if possible), then you can ice your
ankle immediately after the exercises. But remember, only continue with
the ice for the first 36-48 hours or so. After that, you won’t get enough
results to make it worth it.
it worthwhile.
Ice your ankle for about twenty minutes in this way. Then, take your
ankle out of the water and massage it for about ten to twenty minutes
as directed in chapter three. I believe that twenty minutes of icing about
every hour or two is plenty. Again, after the first 36-48 hours, that’s it.
From then on, you will only be following all the steps in my system to get
that quick and strong recovery.
very long way to helping prevent future injuries. Although the primary fo-
cus of this chapter is on running shoes, it should be noted that it applies
to almost any kind of sporting shoe people wear today.
The modern running shoes was invented at Nike in 1972. Before that,
people wore very thin soled shoes. When they had cheaper shoes that
were thin soled, they ran more on the balls of their feet. As time went
on, Nike and other shoe companies made the soles thicker and thicker
to increase the padding on the bottom of the shoe. As cushions in the
shoe became thicker, people began running more and more on the heels
of their feet. It was an unconscious activity, but the thicker cushion-
ing made it possible for people’s running style to become significantly
lazier and more unnatural. Today, after almost 40 years of research in a
multi billion dollar a year industry, you would think injury rates would be
significantly lower than in the past. But, the sad truth is that our feet and
ankles have become significantly weaker and more prone to injury than
ever before.
sponsored shoes they were given, Lananna told them, “We’ve shielded
our feet from their natural position by providing more and more support...
but people went thousands of years without shoes. I think you try to do
all these corrective things with shoes and you overcompensate. You fix
things that don’t need fixing. If you strengthen the foot by going barefoot,
I think you reduce the risk of Achilles and knee and plantar fascia prob-
lems.”
But, unfortunately, Dr. Richards has never received any response. The
reason for that is simple: there is no peer reviewed evidence, because
the modern running shoe does NOT reduce the risk of injury or improve
performance.
Chapter 2 - The Secret of How to Walk and Run 13
You may be thinking that if you just splurge for those top of the line
shoes, you will get different results. But, according to research, the most
expensive shoes actually increases your risk of injury by 123%!! Ac-
cording to Bernard Marti, M.D., a preventative medicine specialist at the
University of Bern, Switzerland, published in The American Journal of
Sports Medicine (1989), runners in shoes that cost more than $95 were
more than twice as likely to get hurt as runners in shoes that cost less
than $40. Why? The more expensive shoes have thicker soles.
When you run, landing with the brunt of your force on the heel is a major
mistake. When you plant your foot on the ground from running, the force
is up to 12 times your body weight. If you were to try and run barefoot,
you would never land on your heel, because it would be too jarring and
painful. Anatomically speaking, landing on the heel causes all kinds
of impact problems for the foot, ankle, knees, low back and hips. But,
expensive running shoes give you a false sense of security, so you can
land on the heel without any immediate pain. A thin piece of cushion-
ing (even an expensive one) cannot adequately soften the blow to your
heel and knees at 12 times your body weight. What we actually find is
that the more cushioning that is in the shoe, the harder people plant their
heels, which causes more injuries and reduced performance.
But, it is not just landing on the heel that causes problems, it is the fact
that the modern shoes do not allow for natural movement of the foot.
Your feet sit in these expensive coffins and can barely move. That
means the muscles in the feet and ankles atrophy tremendously. Add to
14 Dynamics of Motion - H.E.M.
that fact that most of us run on perfectly even ground (concrete, wood,
tracks, etc.), which means our ankle stabilizer muscles are never chal-
lenged and become incredibly weak and inflexible. As a result, any
little twist or turn can lead to an ankle sprain. So, it is not surprising that
there are over 25,000 ankle sprains every day in the United States alone.
People have allowed their feet and ankles to become so weak and
inflexible that any kind of misstep or twisting force in life or sports leads
immediately to a sprained ankle or worse.
ings have walked on this earth for hundreds of thousands of years. You
will find it extraordinarily refreshing and the best part is that the muscles
in your feet and ankles will automatically become significantly stronger
and less prone to injury.
As for buying a new pair of shoes, there are two kinds of shoes I gen-
erally recommend. The first is a type of footwear called Vibram Five
Fingers. They look more like water socks than shoes, but they have a
pretty sturdy rubberized bottom to protect your feet. Since this is not a
shoe, it allows for the full and natural movement of your feet and ankles,
but they do a good job of protecting the bottom of your feet. My second
recommendation is an actual shoe called Nike Free. They are very thin
soled and lightweight shoes that allow a great deal of motion in the feet.
I find them extremely comfortable and durable. So, take a look at what is
out there and see what works best for you.
understand the correct and natural way to walk and run. The reason is
that we have lost touch with walking as our ancestors did and our feet
are buried in unnatural footwear. But, once you have more comfortable
and natural footwear, you are going to have to re-learn how to walk and
run naturally. As I have already covered, landing on the heel not only re-
duces performance, it significantly increases the risk of injury. The best
way to learn this is by walking around barefoot. You should immediately
feel the difference and by practicing, you will quickly set a new pattern
for movement that will help improve your performance and dramatically
lower your risk of future ankle sprains.
As you take a step, instead of landing on the heel, land on the outside
part of the ball of your foot. Then, roll inward on the ball of your foot until
you have rolled all the way across the ball of your foot.
Chapter 2 - The Secret of How to Walk and Run 17
Finally, rest your whole foot on the ground, including the heel. This is a
soft, silent landing of the foot that naturally rolls inward and ends with the
entire foot flat on the ground. The main idea, of course is that you are
landing on the fleshy padded part of your foot instead of the bony heel.
The rolling inward motion on the ball of your foot allows for the softest
and most natural landing and absorbs the impact safely and effectively.
Make sure your upper body is straight and your head is steady.
If you are running, the same form applies and you will need to focus
more on making sure your upper body stays straight. Also, take smaller
steps than you are used to taking. Keep the stride natural and fluid. The
best analogy I have heard for keeping the landing soft and fluid is by
imagining you are running on hot coals. You certainly would not slam
into them with your feet. Instead, imagine you are gently gliding along
the ground, your feet moving quickly beneath you while your upper body
and head stays straight and steady.
With a little practice, you will quickly be walking and running without
worrying about the form. You will immediately notice a big change in the
feeling of moving around in a much more graceful way. You are taking
out all the extra and unnecessary pounding and movement and simply
allowing your feet to gently land and glide across the ground. As you
become more comfortable, challenge yourself more and more with the
Prehab exercises later in the book. But, for now, let’s get to the specifics
of how to rehab your ankle quickly and safely so you can get out of pain
and back to your life.
THREE
The reason for waiting to finish with the ice is that you will actually be
Chapter 3 - Rehab Step #1 : Hydrotherapy 19
bringing blood flow to the ankle, instead of away from it as you did with
the ice. Why? When swelling occurs, blood flow gets dramatically re-
duced which means waste can’t get out and nutrients can’t get in. That’s
one of the reasons I don’t want you to ice it anymore. I want you to start
getting proper blood flow into that area. This is the first major step in
decreasing the swelling quickly.
You see, swelling is your body’s way of limiting motion in a joint to pre-
vent further injury. Well, ice only limits the swelling. It doesn’t do very
much to decrease it. In order to kick start the healing process, we have to
get the blood flow moving again. It may go against what you have been
taught, but by increasing the blood flow to your swollen ankle, you will be
removing the waste that gets caught in there and dramatically speed up
the recovery process.
In my opinion, one of the best ways to increase blood flow in the body is
through hydrotherapy. In short, hydrotherapy is water treatment. When
the temperature of the water is hot, the blood rushes toward the surface
of the skin (that’s why your skin turns red). When the temperature of the
water is cold, this forces the blood away from the surface of the skin. If
you vary the temperature of the water, it acts as a natural blood pumping
action. This has a significant effect on the injury.
Alternating hot and cold showers to the legs are commonly recommend-
ed by Naturopaths to help general circulation in the legs. Researchers
at the University of Lund, Malmo General Hospital, Sweden have found
that alternating cold and hot water therapy does indeed improve systolic
blood pressure and patients’ walking ability. In a prospective case study,
showering the legs of patients suffering from swollen ankles and painful
walking was therefore found to improve walking ability and reduce high
blood pressures, and that these benefits could be sustained up to 1 year
later.2
1 Alternating hot and cold water immersion for athlete recovery: a review
Physical Therapy in Sport, Volume 5, Issue 1, Pages 26-32
2 Elmstahl 5; t.ilja B; Bergqvist D; Brunkwall J Hydro-therapy of patients with intermittent
claudication: a novel approach to improve systolic ankle pressure and reduce symptoms.
mt Angiol (ITALY) Dec 1995, 14 (4) p389-94
Chapter 3 - Rehab Step #1 : Hydrotherapy 21
3. Repeat 7 times
4. End with one more minute of HOT water
This is a very powerful tool for increasing the circulation in your ankle.
Don’t underestimate it. It is very easy to do, but will yield great results.
Always do this before moving to step two. I recommend doing the hydro-
therapy in the morning and again at night. Hydrotherapy should then be
followed by steps two and three. Throughout the day, you can be doing
the exercises (step three), but there is no need to do the hydrotherapy
and massage more than twice a day unless specifically desired.
FOUR
Rehab Step #2 : Massage
swelling.1
Castor Oil
Since you will be massaging your ankle a great deal as part of your
rehab program, I strongly suggest rubbing in Castor Oil as well. Not
only will the Castor Oil help as a massage oil, it has tremendous healing
benefits that will significantly improve your body’s ability to heal the ankle
1 BUTTERFIELD, TIMOTHY A.; ZHAO, YI; AGARWAL, SUDHA; HAQ, FURQAN; BEST,
THOMAS M.Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 40(7):1289-1296, July 2008.
2 MELHAM, THOMAS J.; SEVIER, THOMAS L.; MALNOFSKI, MICHAEL J.; WILSON,
JULIE K.; HELFST, ROBERT H. JR. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise:
June 1998 - Volume 30 - Issue 6 - pp 801-804
Chapter 4 - Rehab Step #2 : Massage 25
injury. I have used Castor Oil on myself, family, friends and clients and
almost always found the results to be incredible.
Castor oil (Ricinus Communis) has been around for a long time. The
Ebers Papyrus, one of the oldest medical textbooks in the world, de-
scribes the topical use of castor oil by the early Egyptians, as far back as
1550 B.C. Likewise, the oil of the castor bean has been used in India
and China for thousands of years. In medieval Europe , the plant was
given the name Palma Christa, since the leaves resemble the human
hand.
Almost 90% of Castor Oil’s fatty acid content consists of ricinoleic acid.
Such a high concentration of this unusual, unsaturated fatty acid is
thought to be responsible for Castor Oil’s healing abilities. When Castor
Oil is absorbed through the skin, several extraordinary events take place.
The lymphocyte count of the blood increases and the flow of lymph
increases throughout the body. This speeds up the removal of toxins
surrounding the cells and reduces the size of swollen lymph nodes. The
lymph system is a slow moving sewage canal that transports the dead
or diseased cells for excretion. Facilitation of this transport decreases
the inflammation in the area. Decreased inflammation leads to increased
ease of movement and more normal function. In addition, Castor Oil is
also extremely effective for reducing and healing bruising.
Massage Technique
I recommend massaging the ankle joint almost immediately after the in-
jury. The sooner you begin massaging the ankle joint, the more effective
you will be at reducing swelling and beginning the rehabilitation process.
Even though you will be in some pain from the injury, try to massage the
swelling without causing a lot of pain. Use your best judgment in terms
of pressure, but try to use as much pressure as possible for best results.
Focus on upward massage strokes beginning at your foot and then
moving upward toward your heart. Again, this will help get the waste
products stuck in the swelling out of the area and toward the heart where
it can be pumped safely toward your liver and kidneys for safe removal
from the body. Massage for about 10-20 minutes.
Once you are finished massaging your ankle, pour a little more Castor
Oil on your foot, ankle and calf, then and put on a sock. The Castor Oil
will continue to seep into the ankle and continue its healing benefits. Ide-
ally, you should place a heating pad over the sock for about 30 minutes.
The heat will help the Castor Oil sink deeper into the skin. I also highly
recommend doing this at night before you go to sleep. This way, the
3 Grady H. Immunomodulation through Castor Oil Packs. The Journal of Naturopathic
Medicine. 1997;7(1):84-89.
Chapter 4 - Rehab Step #2 : Massage 27
you think your ankle is better. In addition, you are not doing
your ankle any favor by keeping it immobile. It will respond
much quicker and better to stretching and strengthening than
anything else.
If you are doing an exercise and you feel pain, stop and rest.
That means, you are not ready to do that particular stretch
or exercise yet, but do not worry, there will be plenty of other
exercises and stretches you will be able to do that will con-
tinue to move the healing process along. Check back the
next day to see if you are ready for that exercise and so on.
Chapter 5 - Rehab Step #3 : Rehab Exercises 31
1. Do not go into pain. If you feel pain, then back off and
move on to another exercise. Stiffness, however is
okay and should be worked through. Remember, there
32 Dynamics of Motion - H.E.M.
Basic Pose
Chapter 5 - Rehab Step #3 : Rehab Exercises 35
1) Ankle Up and
Straight
5) Ankle Up and In
Calf T’s
• Keep your knees
straight ahead, letting
only your foot move.
• Flex your calf up as
high and then down
as far you can.
• Then, flex your calf as
far out and in as you
can.
• Focus on your ankle
joint moving instead of
your toes.
• Move as far as you
can in each direction.
42 Dynamics of Motion - H.E.M.
Alphabet
• Form every letter in the alphabet with your toes.
• Go slowly and make sure your move as smoothly as
possible.
• Make big letters so your ankle joint is worked as much
as possible.
Chapter 5 - Rehab Step #3 : Rehab Exercises 43
Inversion
• Put a rolled pillow
between your feet.
• Squeeze the pil-
low with the inner
part of your feet for
30-60 seconds.
Eversion
• Put a rolled pillow
against a wall.
• Push the pillow with
the outside part of
your foot for 30-60
seconds, then
switch feet.
44 Dynamics of Motion - H.E.M.
Plantarflexion
• Put a rolled pillow
against a wall.
• Push the pillow with
both feet for 30-60
seconds.
• Make sure to push
with the inner part
of the balls of your
feet.
• Keep your feet
straight.
Dorsiflexion
• Put a rolled pillow
between your feet.
• Put one foot on
top of the pillow
and the other foot
below.
• Push the bottom
foot into the pillow
and use the top
foot as an anchor.
• Squeeze for 30-60
seconds, then switch feet.
Chapter 5 - Rehab Step #3 : Rehab Exercises 45
46 Dynamics of Motion - H.E.M.
more efficiently thank junk food. And when you are injured, this is even
more important, because your body has to repair itself.
I have laid out the most important nutrients that I have found for helping
to heal an injury.
VITAFORCE®
I have come across hundreds of nutritional supplements in my line of
work. Everyone makes fantastic promises, but very few come through
on them. I believe nutrition is equally as important as exercise for health.
When you are injured, it is even more critical. So, when I recommend
something, it is because I strongly believe it works. And there are many
good reasons behind it. With that said, I strongly recommend taking a
nutritional supplement called VITAFORCE®. In my opinion, it is by far
the best nutritional supplement on the market today. In a nutshell, it is
a multivitamin/multimineral supplement, but instead of all those synthetic
58 Dynamics of Motion - H.E.M.
ingredients that almost everyone else uses, you get all your vitamins
and minerals for the day from a perfect combination of nature’s healthiest
super foods.
The most recent and respected studies strongly suggest getting your nu-
trients from food, because it is the safest, most natural and effective way
to absorb all the nutrients you need every day. Other multivitamins on
the market provide synthetic or isolated nutrients and often contain mega
doses that may be harmful. In fact, numerous recent studies show that
taking multivitamin supplements may be more unhealthy than not taking
one at all.
In contrast, with VITAFORCE®, you get all the benefits of the healthiest
super foods on earth while also getting a complete multivitamin/multi-
mineral supplement that provides all your nutrients the safe and effective
way nature intended -- from whole foods.
“My clients come to me expecting the very best in training and nutri-
tional advice. I pride myself on providing that level of service. When
asked about multivitamin supplementation in the past, I have simply
said “no” across the board because of unhealthy mega doses and
synthetic properties. VITAFORCE® is the best multivitamin source
because it is derived from certified organic whole foods. The amount
of each nutrient is in the proper dose to promote longevity and
health. Not only does VITAFORCE® provide all the vitamins and nu-
trients one needs, but it also contains 2 billion probiotics to promote
gut health which is essential for proper absorption of nutrients in the
digestive tract. VITAFORCE is my #1 recommended supplement to
all my clients.”
- Jason Walsh, CSCS, NSCA-CPT, trainer to the stars. Clients
include Justin Timberlake, Jessica Biel, Ben Affleck, Jennifer Gar-
60 Dynamics of Motion - H.E.M.
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section two
ankle prehab
SEVEN
Prehab Overview
and mobility in the ankles will not only decrease your risk
of future ankle injuries, it will also significantly improve your
performance in sports and life.
Think about this... the ankles are a mobile joint. You can
wiggle them around in all kinds of angles. But, if your
64 Dynamics of Motion - H.E.M.
Imagine what life was like for our ancestors. They walked
barefoot or in very simple and natural protective footwear.
They walked on uneven surfaces all the time. We have
taken away that natural contact with the ground. So, go get
some very fluid and natural shoes. That is a good beginning.
People ask what kind of shoes I wear. I like two kinds of
shoes, but this is by no means an exhaustive list:
1. Nike Free
2. MBT
I have found the Nike Free shoes to be great for most fitness
activities (not necessarily sports specific though) and every
day use. The MBT are a very different kind of shoe that real-
ly forces your ankles to work a little harder, but are extremely
comfortable and useful. They are great for everyday use.
bare feet. But, you may wear shoes if you wish. Just try
and make them more natural shoes that allow your feet and
ankles to move more freely.
Note: Do not begin doing this section until your ankle has
fully healed. If you have just had an ankle injury, then follow
the H.E.M. protocol explained in section one. Once, your
ankle is healed, then you can move onto this section. Pre-
hab involves more advanced exercises which should not be
done on an injured ankle.
Ten bucks does not buy much nowadays. But, for $10, you
can get one of the most important pieces of equipment
imaginable. Foam rollers are an easy, cheap, and effective
way to relieve the aches and pains that are slowly building
up in your body.
Is it going to hurt?
In the beginning, foam rolling can be painful. You will be
pressing down on very old knots that have been there for
years. But, there is good news... one, assuming you do it
everyday, the pain will diminish dramatically in just a few
72 Dynamics of Motion - H.E.M.
weeks as you work out the knots. Two, even though you will
feel pain while pressing on the knots, there should not be
any bruising or soreness afterward.
Focus on the inner, middle, and outer part of your entire calf
area. I suggest spending about 2-3 minutes in each area.
As you work out the knots, you will be able to apply more
and more pressure. The rewards of rolling out the knots in
these muscles are extremely worth it. I usually make the
analogy that it is like going from wearing ski boots to tennis
shoes.
Chapter 8 - Prehab : Foam Rolling 75
Calf - Beginner
• Begin with both legs on the foam roller.
• If possible, lift your butt off the ground for more pres-
sure on the calves.
• Slowly roll back and forth, working out the knots along
the entire calf area.
76 Dynamics of Motion - H.E.M.
Calf - Intermediate
• Progress by lifting your butt off the ground.
• When ready, try crossing one leg over the other.
• The top leg can push down on the bottom leg for more
pressure.
Chapter 8 - Prehab : Foam Rolling 77
Calf - Advanced
• Replace the foam roller with a tennis or lacrosse ball.
• You can begin with both legs on the ground or one leg
crossed over the other and your butt off the ground.
78 Dynamics of Motion - H.E.M.
Calf - Expert
• Use a raised platform or a stack of books and then roll
the inside, outside and center of the calf slowly.
Calf - Expert #2
• Place a softball below the outer part of your calf and
using a tennis or lacrosse ball, massage the inner part
of your calf.
Chapter 8 - Prehab : Foam Rolling 79
Peroneals – Beginner
• Begin with one leg on the foam roller and the other leg
crossed over in front of it.
• Slowly roll back and forth over the upper side portion,
working out the knots.
Chapter 8 - Prehab : Foam Rolling 81
Peroneals – Intermediate
• Apply more pressure by placing one leg on top of the
other and balancing on your elbow or hands.
Peroneals – Advanced
• Replace the foam roller with a tennis or lacrosse ball.
You can begin with one leg on the ground (see image)
or one leg on top of the other for added pressure.
82 Dynamics of Motion - H.E.M.
Peroneals – Expert
Using a tennis or lacrosse ball, raise your leg on a platform
or stack of books and slowly roll.
Tibialis Anterior
• Slowly roll down the front of your shins, and play with
the angles (right and left) to find knots.
NINE
Prehab : Stretching
WARM UP
Basic Pose
88 Dynamics of Motion - H.E.M.
1) Ankle Up and
Straight
5) Ankle Up and In
Calf T’s
• Keep your knees
straight ahead, letting
only your foot move.
• Flex your calf up as
high and then down
as far you can.
• Then, flex your calf as
far out and in as you
can.
• Focus on your ankle
joint moving instead of
your toes.
• Move as far as you
can in each direction.
Chapter 9 - Prehab : Stretching 95
Alphabet
• Form every letter in the alphabet with your toes.
• Go slowly and make sure your move as smoothly as
possible.
• Make big letters so your ankle joint is worked as much
as possible.
96 Dynamics of Motion - H.E.M.
COOL DOWN
Static Stretching
Static stretching involves no movement and has the effect
of turning a muscle “off”. Therefore, we recommend
using this type of stretching in the cool-down phase of the
workout. A stretch position may be gently held for 20 to 60
seconds. Remember, do not stretch to the point of pain. You
should feel a slight pull, but no discomfort. Keep all joints in
alignment. Do not twist joints into unnatural positions. The
stretch should be felt in the belly of the muscle and not in the
joints.
102 Dynamics of Motion - H.E.M.
Step Stretch
• Let your feet hang off a
step.
• Keep your feet straight.
• Stretching for 30-60
seconds
• Turn your feet inward and
stretch for another 30-60
seconds.
• Turn your feet outward
and stretch for another
30-60 seconds.
Straight Knee
• Lean on a wall or something that can hold your weight
and put your right leg a
few feet away from the
wall.
• Slowly move toward the
wall keeping your whole
body straight.
• Push the heel of your
foot back and down into
the floor with about 75%
of your effort.
• If you do not feel a
stretch, stepping back
will increase the stretch
on the calf muscle.
• Then, take a deep
breath, relax and stretch
as far as you can for 2-3 seconds by slowly moving
toward the wall, keeping your whole body straight.
• Repeat this 5 times, trying to get a little deeper every
time you stretch.
• Then, lean toward the right and do the exact same
thing, (pushing through with your heel for 5 seconds,
taking a deep breath and then stretching for 2-3 sec-
onds - repeat 5 times). Now, lean to the left and repeat.
• Switch legs and repeat.
104 Dynamics of Motion - H.E.M.
Note: For every jump, I want you to land silently. If you land
with a loud sound, that means you are using your joints for
the majority of the impact. Instead, I want you to use your
muscles. So, do not forget that for every single jump, LAND
SILENTLY.
Chapter 10 - Prehab : Exercises 115
Box Jumps - One Leg - One leg box jumps are an exercise
that demand superior strength extraordinary balance and
agility. Great for strengthening the calves and ankles.
• Stand in front of your box, step, bench, or platform.
• With your feet roughly shoulder width apart, tighten
core muscles and balance on one leg.
• Then, jump up to the platform.
• When you land, sink your butt back (as if sitting in a
chair) so the knee does not move forward.
• Make sure you land softly and silently.
• Stand up fully, and then step back down and repeat.
122 Dynamics of Motion - H.E.M.
Note: You can apply this to all kinds of terrain. Use your
best judgment depending on your individual ability and
fitness level.
ELEVEN
and pliable shoes. I recommend shoes that help mimic barefoot move-
ment as much as possible. I prefer the Vibram Five Fingers which allow
the foot to move as if barefoot, but the Vibram’s have the added benefit
of protecting the bottom of your feet. These shoes are great for work-
outs, running and daily activity. I also like the shoes known as Nike Free.
These look like more conventional tennis shoes, but do allow for much
more movement of the foot than conventional shoes. They are extremely
comfortable and work well for most activities.
and get the proper range of motion in the joint, so you have proper body
mechanics. If you play basketball or other sports, you will always be at
risk for an ankle injury, but your risk will be far lower if the ankle is strong
and flexible. And, you won’t be putting your knees at increased risk of
injury.
I hope that you will follow the suggestions above and be disciplined
about following through on them. They will produce phenomenal results
for you. I know that there is a lot of information here and may seem
overwhelming. But, once you start doing it, you’ll see it is not that time
consuming. Just do the best you can.
Like you, I have had ankle sprains in the past and used the R.I.C.E.
method, but this only lead to frustration and more injuries. Try putting my
system to the test. It won’t take very long for you to see great results.
By developing this new model, I have created a way for you to get you
back to your life in just a few days. Follow the program and then please
send me your story. I look forward to hearing from you and I wish you
the best of health and a quick and full recovery!
And once you are feeling great again, I strongly recommend trying the
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the Coupon Code: hemankle during the checkout process and 20% will
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wish you the best of health.