Muscle minute TUESDAY – Windswept (Part 2 – Ankle)
As we begin our journey into studying the windswept posture (one foot supinated/one foot pronated), it is helpful to start with the foot/ankle. With a windswept posture, the typical presentation of ankle limitation is as follows:
| Over Supination | Over Pronation | |
| Lacks STJ joint eversion | ROM | Lacks ankle dorsiflexion |
| STJ eversion mobilization | TESTING | Gravity drop |
| STJ eversion mobilization Trigger point release medial gastrocnemius | TREATMENT | If a jam is felt: IASTM tibialis anterior If a stretch is felt: trigger point release gastroc/soleus |
| Foam roll balance x 1 minute Star reaches | EXERCISE | Gravity drop x 3 Long stride walking |
As you can see, in order to truly solve the windswept posture, different things have to be performed on each leg. It isn’t uncommon for one side to be over pronated because the other foot won’t pronate (over supinates). Treating only the side of the complaint of pain may miss the true cause of the problem.
Why does this matter?
Over supination of a limb may cause:
- Lateral ankle strain (peroneal tendonitis, chronic lateral ankle sprains)
- Lateral knee strain (ITB friction syndrome, fibular head subluxations)
- Medial hip strain (groin pulls)
Over pronation of a limb may cause:
- Medial ankle strain (posterior tibialis tendonitis, Achilles tendonitis, plantar fasciitis)
- Medial knee strain (pes anserine tendonitis, MCL tears)
- Lateral hip strain (greater trochanteric bursitis)
Are you seeing patients with any of these diagnoses? If so, take your ears and listen to the problem and then take your eyes and look down first. When the foot hits the ground, everything changes. And don’t be afraid to treat the asymptomatic side.
Because nobody has time to be in pain.
Until next time…
Kind Regards,
MoveWell Academy
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