What Are Cankles And How You Can Get Rid Of Them With These 7 Tips

Jan 03, 2019

Take a look at your ankles. Is it hard to tell where your ankle stops and your calf begins? You might have cankles. A cankle is an ankle that is as thick as your lower calf. Cankles are common during pregnancy, but they're also an early warning sign of dangerous health conditions.

Salt makes everything taste better, so it's no surprise American diets contain too much sodium. Excess sodium causes high blood pressure, heart failure, stroke, kidney disease and stomach cancer. If you're eating too much salt, you'll start retaining water. Water retention can lead to swollen ankles.

Canned foods, processed foods, and soda all have a high salt content. Prepare meals with fresh ingredients and incorporate more potassium into your diet.

Water retention isn't the only cause of cankles. Obesity can lead to an accumulation of fat around your ankles. Experts recommend walking for 30 minutes twice a day, preferably after meals. There are also exercises you can do to whip your legs into shape.

Talk to your doctor before you start any exercise program, especially if you've recently developed cankles. You might have an underlying health condition that needs to be addressed.

If you are pregnant and retaining more water than normal, you're bound to develop cankles. Fortunately, your ankles will return to their pre-pregnancy size after you give birth. In the meantime, you can limit how much time you spend on your feet. Some mothers-to-be find relief by elevating their feet 10 inches above their heart for 15 minutes a day.

Expectant mothers should avoid salt and drink plenty of water to minimize water retention.

Another cause of cankles is vascular disease. Swelling is one of the most commonly reported symptoms of vascular disease. Talk to your doctor about compression socks. Graduated compression socks promote leg circulation and may reduce swelling in the ankle area.

Some sufferers of vascular disease find relief by lying on their back and elevating their legs. Spend 10 to 15 minutes every day with your legs raised above your heart.

If your cankles are the result of fluid retention, you can try drinking diuretics to get some relief. Keep in mind that fluid retention can be an early warning sign of kidney and heart problems. Check with your doctor to find out what's causing you to retain water. Once you rule out any serious health conditions, you can start drinking tea.

Black coffee, dandelion tea, black tea and green tea are all well-known diuretics. If you regularly drink coffee, consider switching to tea. Your body develops a tolerance to caffeine, making coffee a less effective diuretic.

Sometimes cankles can be genetic. If your mom and aunt had cankles, chances are you will too. Make an appointment with your primary care physician to be certain there are no underlying health conditions causing your swollen ankles. Unless you're willing to spend some serious cash on invasive surgical procedures, you might be stuck with your cankles. Don't waste time stressing out over something you can't change.

If your ankles are swollen, check the side effects associated with any medications you are taking. Medications used to treat kidney and heart disease are notorious for causing swollen ankles. Continue taking your medication as prescribed, but schedule an appointment with your doctor to discuss your options. Your doctor will probably run some tests to be sure your cankles aren't caused by something more serious.

No matter the cause of your cankles, you can minimize their appearance with some smart style choices.

• Draw attention to your neck and jawline with natural makeup and accessories. Oversized necklaces and brightly colored scarves are a great way to draw attention to your beauty and stop people from noticing your cankles
• Wear wide leg pants or flared jeans. Skinny jeans and leggings draw attention to your ankles and should be avoided.
• Choose skirts that end at the thinnest part of your legs. Tapered skirts are ideal if you're trying to draw the eye away from swollen ankles.
• Tall boots camouflage cankles. Pointy toe shoes are a great choice because they elongate your foot. Don't buy shoes with ankle straps or stiletto heels.

Do you suffer from cankles? We'd love to hear any tips you've used to combat swollen ankles - and make sure to pass this on to your friends and family!

Our content is created to the best of our knowledge, yet it is of general nature and cannot in any way substitute an individual consultation by your doctor. Your health is important to us!