游泳脚踝控制器 FINIS Rack Improve Kick Efficiency

iswim

APPLlCATlONS

Swimmers: to increase propulsion from the kick and to decrease drag encountered by the foot on the down kick.

Triathletes: to change the kick from a balancing movement to a propulsive, balancing movement for the same energy expenditure.

Runners: to increase stride length and decrease Achilles tendon stress by decreasing the resistance encountered on the push off.

WARNlNG: The Rack can apply very high forces to the ankle.

DO NOT TRY TO ACHIEVE SUDDEN INCREASES IN RANGE OF MOTION. GO SLOW. APPLY FORCE GRADUALLY. DO NOT USE BOUNCING MOVEMENTS. THE GOAL IS TO INCREASE THE RANGE OF MOTION OVER A PERIOD OF WEEKS OR MONTHS, NOT DAYS.

YOUR ANKLES MAY BE SORE FOR A FEW MINUTES AFTER STRETCHING. IF THE SORENESS LASTS MORE THAN A FEW MINUTES, YOU ARE USING TOO MUCH FORCE.

ASSEMBLY

Insert the strap through the slots in the top of The Rack, slide the retainer clomp on to the strap, then feed the strap back up through the slot. Pull up the strap with the retainer clip to lock it in place (see figure 1.) Adjust one side so the strap end comes up through the slot approximately one inch. The other side will extend up through the slot several inches.

Use the longer side to make strap adjustments. To adjust the strap length, push the strap down through the slot, adjust the length, then pull the strap up into the slot again to lock in place.

HOW TO USE THE RACK

Two stretching positions are available. In position (A), The Rack is used by itself. Stretching forces are reasonably good.

(See Figure 2 below). In position (B), the front of The Rack is slipped under a door or under a couch. This holds down the front end of The Rack, allowing stretching forces two to three times higher than in position (A).

WARNING: If someone opens the door into your foot while you are stretching, injury may occur. For safety, sit on the side of the door which opens away from you or lock the door.

Two areas of the foot can be stretched:

1. The ankle joint or tibio-talus joint strap is placed closer to the ankle joint (See Figure 2 above), and

2. The instep or tarso-metatarsal joints, strap is placed closer to the toes. (See Figure 3 for strap placement).

For maximum plantar flexion, stretch both areas.

Before stretching, heat your ankles for several minutes in warm water (not over 112 degrees F.) To apply stretching forces, sit on the floor, slip the foot into the strap and slowly straighten the leg.

Keep the foot, the ankle and the lower leg in a straight line as viewed from above. As the leg straightens, the stretching forces on the ankle increase; Stretching force is generated by the weight of the leg, and also by con-traction of the leg muscles which straighten the leg at the knee.

Hold the leg in this position for 30 to 40 seconds, gradually increasing force during the 30 to 40-second period. Stretch each ankle 4 to 6 times.

Over a period of weeks, gradually increase the amount of force used, the length of each stretch and the number of repetitions for each leg. Once the desired range of motion has been reached, use the Rack as often as it is necessary to maintain range.

GUIDELINES

Prior to introducing this product, I intentionally used (abused) very high forces for long periods of time on myself.

I learned the following: Application of high forces can cause some temporary bruising to the underside of the heel and the underside of the ankle joint (the posterior-inferior aspect of the tibio-talus joint). Placing a small towel (like a wash cloth) under the heel makes it possible to use higher forces without bruising the heel. The tibio-talus joint bruising can be avoided if moderate forces are used for the first couple weeks. Then force levels are gradually increased over a period of weeks.

After heavy stretching, the swimmer will experience some tenderness when swimming with fins. This has not been a long term problem.

RANGE OF MOTION and BENEFITS

In swimming, the kick is more propulsive if the foot is plantar flexed (the toe is pointed). The further the ankle can flex forward past 90 degrees, the more propulsive the kick is.

For many swimmers, pointing the toe requires aggressively contracting the calf muscles.

Significant blood flow is required to support this contraction. If you can reach a range of motion of 95 degrees or more, the resistance of the water which the foot encounters on the down-kick in freestyle and butterfly (or the up-kick in backstroke), will keep the foot flexed to this propulsive position. The calf muscle will not be used to keep the foot plantar-flexed. The muscles of the hip and thigh execute the kick. The blood flow no longer being used by the calf is then available for use of the upper body. The difference in efficiency is very noticeable. You will swim faster!

Ranges of motion greater than 90 degrees may not be accessible to everyone, but for each degree you get past 90 degrees, the amount of propulsion your kick produces increases and the amount of work to do the kick decreases.

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