Ever since my long trail run this past weekend, my ankles have been a little stiff and sore.  It was the same after my long run on trails, a week ago.  I decided to try and do something about it.

My chosen approach this evening was Voodoo Flossing. I don’t do it very often, but after the results tonight, I should try flossing more often.  

What is Voodoo Flossing? …   It is a mobilization technique, that involves a thick rubber band or strap.  You wrap the strap around the area you want to focus on, creating compression.  You try to get enough tightness in the band to get good compression, but not so much, that it cuts off circulation.  Once the band is in place, you mobilize the joint or muscle for a minute or two, and then remove the band.  In my case, after wrapping my ankle, I did a series of heel raises.

There are a couple of key benefits:

• Myofascial Release – Under high compression, your fascia and muscles move by different degrees, and any adhesions or restrictions between them are broken down.  This helps with mobility and pain relief.
• Faster Recovery – When under compression, blood flow is slightly restricted, but as soon as the band is released, blood rushes back into the tissue.  This surge of blood brings with it, the nutrients and oxygen your body needs to recover.  It is thought that this approach brings in more of these healing agents, than if no flossing was done.

I would caution you to be careful with this technique.  Only use it on the joints and muscles of your arms and legs. Also be very careful to avoid over compression.  There are lots of resources on the internet to learn more about this technique, and I encourage you to read all about it, if you want to give it a go.