Weighing in on Ankle Weights: Are They Worth Wearing?

You have likely seen them at the gym or on people jogging down the sidewalks—velcro-strapped sandbags wrapped around the ankles. Ankle weights have been a fitness staple since the eighties, promising to burn more calories and tone your legs without extra effort. But while they seem like a simple hack for your daily walk, we at  PodiatryCare, PC, and the Heel Pain Center see the reality as a bit more complicated.

The Benefits of Added Resistance

When used correctly, ankle weights can be a great tool for targeted strength training. Because the weight is at the end of your leg, it creates a longer lever arm, which makes your hip and thigh muscles work harder during leg lifts or mule kicks.

If you are recovering from an injury and doing non-weight-bearing exercises, these weights can help you rebuild muscle without putting pressure on your joints. They are fantastic for floor-based routines where you want to add a bit of a challenge to your glutes and hamstrings while keeping your heart rate up.

The Risk to Your Ankle Joints

The problems start when you take those weights for a walk. When you add weight to your ankles during a repetitive motion like walking or running, you may be changing your gait.

Ankle weights create a pendulum effect. As you swing your leg forward, the extra weight creates more momentum, which your ankle ligaments and tendons must catch at the end of the stride, which is unnatural.

If you have any history of ankle instability, this extra pull can lead to tendonitis or even minor ligament tears.

Impact on Your Feet and Arches

Your feet also pay a price for that extra resistance. Every time your foot hits the ground while wearing weights, the force of impact is increased. This extra weight can cause your arch to collapse more than usual.

If you are walking on the hard pavement of a sidewalk, this repetitive over-flattening can overstretch the plantar fascia and lead to heel pain.

Also, the weights can cause you to drag your toes slightly, which might result in tripping or putting stress on the small bones in the midfoot.

The Final Verdict on Ankle Weights

So, should you use ankle weights? If your goal is to add resistance to your Pilates or floor exercise routine, then yes, they are a beneficial tool for overall muscle health.

However, if you are looking to boost your cardio, you are better off skipping the ankle weights and simply increasing your pace or finding a hilly path.

At PodiatryCare, PC, and the Heel Pain Center, we care for a wide variety of foot and ankle ailments. Dr. Matthew Tschudy, Dr. Rebecca Wiesner, Dr. Kristen Winters, Dr. Laura Vander Poel, and the rest of our team are ready to serve our Hartford County patients. To schedule an appointment at our Enfield location, call (860) 741-3041; for an appointment at our South Windsor location, call (860) 644-6525.