So are cankles normal? Sometimes they are. You might have cankles because your parents had them. But there are different causes of cankles and some might indicate an abnormal medical issue. According to the National Institutes of Health NIH , painless swelling in the ankle area may happen if you are overweight, pregnant or experiencing normal hormonal fluctuations.
You might also notice ankle swelling after sitting for a long time in a car or airplane. Certain medications may cause swelling in the ankle area and it may also happen after certain types of surgery. But swelling, or edema, in the lower leg may also indicate a problem.
The NIH warns that foot, leg, and ankle swelling may be caused by a blood clot, a leg infection or when veins cannot properly pump blood back to the heart. Swollen legs may be also a sign of heart failure, kidney failure, or liver failure. If you are concerned about swelling in your lower legs or if you notice an increase in swelling, talk to your physician. And the NIH recommends that if your swelling is accompanied by chest pain or shortness of breath, call If you've ruled out a medical problem, you may be wondering if it is even possible to get rid of cankles.
There are a few things that might help to reduce the fatty appearance in your lower legs. If you are overweight or obese, the best way to get slim down your cankles is to lose weight. Of course, when you slim down, you can't choose where the weight loss will occur.
But if you stick to a calorie-controlled diet and a consistent exercise program, you're likely to see your cankles get smaller. If you begin a weight loss program, remember to start slowly with reasonable goals.
A quick-fix, crash diet might provide results in the short term but is likely to backfire over time. Sometimes cankles are caused by diet-related swelling. For example, if you eat a diet high in sodium you may retain water all over your body. You may notice it more in the ankle area. There are some natural herbs like parsley that help reduce water weight , but you can also eat fewer processed foods and put away the salt shaker to reduce the sodium in your diet.
Another smart diet change is to check your starchy carb intake. Carbohydrates are an important part of a healthy diet.
But if you eat a diet higher in starchy, sugary foods, you may retain more water. If you balance your micronutrients get enough protein, healthy fat, and nutrient-rich carbohydrates you might find that your legs get leaner from a loss of water weight. Some doctors can help you get rid of cankles if the area is enlarged because of fat rather than swelling. Certain liposuction treatments can help add definition to the area so the calf muscle is more noticeable and the ankle area looks slimmer.
But these medical treatments can be expensive and like all medical procedures, they carry some risk. Not only will your two calf muscles gastrocnemius and soleus get stronger, but you will become leaner.
Weight training also helps tone your muscles, improving your appearance and fighting age-related muscle loss. Equipment needed: You can use dumbbells, kettlebells, or a barbell for this movement. Muscles worked: superficial calf muscle gastrocnemius , deep calf muscle soleus. If you need to increase the challenge, you can use a heavier weight in each hand, or increase your reps per set to Equipment needed: A stair that has a drop-off of at least 5 inches. Weights are optional. The aim of this move is to isolate your calves to increase strength.
Start with a lower weight and work up. Muscles worked: Performing a calf raise in a full lunge works your balance, mobility, and flexibility in your hip girdle and in your calf muscles.
Elevate the heel of your front foot by driving your toes into the ground. Hold each rep for a brief moment at the top. Be sure to keep your knee on track; do not allow it to cave inward or roll out. The focus of this move is to improve balance and stability.
Each time you jump, make sure the rope passes under your feet. Aubrey Bailey is a Doctor of Physical Therapy with an additional degree in psychology and board certification in hand therapy. Bailey is also an Anatomy and Physiology professor. Mike Samuels. Mike Samuels started writing for his own fitness website and local publications in He graduated from Peter Symonds College in the UK with A Levels in law, business and sports science, and is a fully qualified personal trainer, sports massage therapist and corrective exercise specialist with accreditations from Premier Global International.
You can get bigger calves from training. Video of the Day. Tip You can make your calves bigger with strength training; but your ankles are joints and cannot grow. Muscles vs. Taking time to strengthen and stretch them will make a big difference in keeping your feet happy and healthy. Nagler Foot Center often recommends that patients do three of the following exercises a few days each week. Place several small objects, like marbles or Monopoly pieces, on the floor in front of you.
Using your toes, pick them up one at a time and drop them into a cup or bowl. Do your best to complete two sets of 10 with each foot. You can also use a towel instead of small objects. This exercise will stretch one of the deeper calf muscles that connect to the Achilles. Continue to lean into the wall until you feel the stretch in the back of your calf, and hold for seconds. Switch legs and repeat. This is an exercise that will help strengthen your toes, calf muscles, and Achilles.
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