Ankle weights are wearable weights attached to a wide strap that wraps around your ankle with Velcro. They are a cost-effective fitness tool, typically ranging from $20 to $50 depending on the brand. Proponents suggest they can boost the intensity of workouts, aiding in weight loss and improving muscle strength. However, it's crucial to understand both the potential benefits and risks associated with their use.
Potential Benefits of Ankle Weights
Increased Calorie Burn
One of the primary reasons people use ankle weights is to increase calorie expenditure during exercise. According to Dr. Tom Seabourne, Professor of Exercise Science at Northeast Texas Community College, wearing 5-pound ankle weights may increase your calorie burn by as much as 25%. For example, a 150-pound individual engaging in a brisk, 45-minute walk might typically burn around 193 calories. Ankle weights could potentially increase this number.
Muscle Strengthening
Wearing ankle weights while performing exercise is a great way to strengthen your muscles because the more you lift and carry, the stronger your muscles will become. When you wear ankle weights, it's like doing extra reps of your normal workout. A similar study conducted in Japan in 2022 showed that wearing ankle weights allowed older folks to strengthen their lower limb muscles which could aid in reducing their risk of falling.
Improved Balance and Posture
Lloyd suggests that adding some weight to your legs can actually aid those who play sports that require a lot of coordination. Ankle weights can help improve your balance and posture by forcing you to use more muscle groups in order to keep your posture upright and balanced. The added weight challenges your body, requiring it to engage more muscles and increase your body's stability.
Cardiovascular Endurance
Increasing your heart rate is an essential part of anyone's fitness regimen, regardless of what your goals are. Whether you're walking, running, or hitting the elliptical machine, the added weight forces you to work harder and helps build your cardiovascular endurance. Exercising while wearing 1 pound to 3 pound ankle weights may raise your heart rate by about three to five beats per minute and may also boost your oxygen consumption by 5% to 10%.
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Targeted Muscle Work
Resistance equipment like dumbbells or kettlebells require you to physically hold the weight to complete the exercise. Since your legs extend in these exercises, it can be tricky to add any additional load since there's nowhere for the weight to be securely held. Ankle weights can be used to target trouble spots that can be difficult to target with traditional weights.
Rehabilitation and Joint Health
As you age, you lose some sense of joint position. This may lead to changes in your gait and a higher risk of falling. A study of adults ages 60 to 70 found that wearing ankle weights that are 0.5% or 1% of your body weight can help knee joints work the way they should.
Potential Risks and Considerations
Muscle Imbalance
Walking or running with ankle weights can cause a muscle imbalance because ankle weights make you use the muscles in the front of your thighs (quadriceps) more. When you walk, you should use the muscles at the back of your thighs (hamstrings). Downey warns that it's not a good idea to use wearable ankle weights while you're walking or during an aerobics workout, because they force you to use your quadriceps and not your hamstrings. "That causes a muscle imbalance," Downey says.
Joint Strain and Injury
Running or walking with ankle weights may also strain your ankle joint. This raises the risk of injury to your hips, back, and knees.
Overuse Injuries
Adding too much weight or overdoing it with wearable weights can lead to overuse injuries like bursitis, tendonitis, and strains or sprains. Bursitis is when the small, fluid-filled sacs that cushion your bones, muscles, and tendons become inflamed. Tendonitis is when a tendon, the thick fibrous cord that connects your muscle and bone, becomes inflamed or irritated. With a sprain, the thick bands of tissue that connect two bones in your joints stretch or tear. A strain is when the muscle or tendon connected to a bone stretches too far or tears.
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Exacerbation of Existing Conditions
Because it puts pressure on your spine, a weighted vest might make neck or back problems worse. Talk to your doctor first before you buy wearable weights, especially if you have back, joint, or balance problems.
Alternative Uses and Considerations
Leg Exercises
Wearable ankle weights are helpful for exercises that target the leg and hip muscles, like leg lifts. "The weight places a greater load on the muscle group being targeted.
Wrist Weights
Like ankle weights, wearable wrist weights are wide, weighted straps that wrap around the wrist and attach with Velcro. Sometimes people wear these during a cardio workout or on a walk. But this can lead to muscle imbalance as you swing your arms back and forth. But wrist weights do have a place in a workout. "They're great for targeted exercise if you can't grip a dumbbell," Downey says. For example, you might have a weak grip from arthritis or a stroke. In that case, Downey recommends using wearable wrist weights for standard arm exercises, such as biceps curls, or shoulder exercises, such as rows.
Weighted Vests
Weighted vests are typically put on over your head. They hang from the shoulders, with a wide strap that wraps around your middle to keep the vest in place. Unlike wrist or ankle weights, the weighted vest can be beneficial on a walk, putting pressure on your bones to stimulate the growth of new bone cells, which helps fight bone loss. Downey says weighted vests should not exceed 10% of your body weight. But weighted vests aren't right for people with back or neck problems.
Recommendations for Safe and Effective Use
- Consult a Doctor: Talk to your doctor before you start, especially if you have any problems with your balance, joints, or back.
- Start Light: When you start with wearable weights, go with a lighter weight and walk slower than your regular pace. As you get comfortable, you can speed up and increase the weight.
- Adjustable Weights: Think about adjustable weights so you can add or remove weights whenever you want.
- Vary Arm Movements: If you're wearing wrist weights, try to vary your arm movements if you feel any strain. Don’t swing your arms too much.
- Strength-Training Plan: Once you get the go-ahead, Downey suggests working with a physical therapist to develop a strength-training plan.
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