Injured ankle

[Gergiev]

Hello everyone, I am 57 years old and enjoy doing the 5x5 routine, but for squats I have a problem as I have a long-standing arthritic condition in my left ankle (avascular necrosis in the talus to the medically knowledgeable) which reduces my range of movement when squatting down. In order to be able to squat below parallel I put 1.25kg plates under my heals and have this evening completed 5x5 100kgs for the first time. However I have recently noticed that when I squat down I twist over towards the right, this movement is involuntary and seems to be because of a lack of flexibility in my left hip. If I concentrate carefully I can do things more evenly but the danger as I get to lift heavier weights (my body weight is 78kg) is that it is becoming more difficult not to veer over to the right as I go down into the squat, which I fear might put undue strain on my right knee. I assume this tendency is the result of having this leg injury for thirty years and is the way that my body has learned to compensate for the weakness on the left side. One of the great benefits I have gained from 5x5 over the past year is a strengthening of my left leg, even to the extent that I can now actually run (rather than fast-hop) if I have to, and I have also noticed that the muscle-size in my left thigh and left calf, which have been so much less than in my right leg for so long, are now almost equal to the "healthy" side. Could anyone advise what stretches or other exercises I might do to loosen up my left hip to get a more balanced squat so that I can continue to progress towards a x1.5 body weight lift? Thank you so much.

Gergiev

[LiftingNerd]

http://stronglifts.com/7-dynamic-stretc ... -mobility/

Go to the main page and type in hip mobility, hip flexibility, and ankle flexibility. You'll find some useful information. I just picked this link out of those searches, and I only really chose it because Mehdi looks so graceful.

[Gergiev]

Thank you, most helpful.