The Slant Board is a device you can use to stretch many of your leg muscles and is one of my favorites devices to use. It functions as a slanted, wooden device that you can angle differently, which ensures the release of tension in your calf muscles, Achilles tendon, hamstrings, and quadriceps. For the last four years, I have been using the slant board and have witnessed a considerable reduction in tightness in my lower body area. It has made it easier/more comfortable to walk, maintain a better posture, reduce inflammation/tightness, and improve my overall lifestyle. Since it is most efficient to use and is somewhat easy to travel with, I recommend this device to anyone attempting to reduce tightness and enhance their performances in people’s daily lives.
StrongTek created an article called “Interesting Facts You Never Knew About The Slant Board,” which provides some other benefits that come from this device. The first benefit is that fact the calf and leg muscles play a significant role in our events and movements throughout the day. This may include walking, running, jumping, standing, biking, and swimming, displaying how crucial it is to release tension built up in your leg muscles. The slant board serves as a means to enhance flexibility and complete activities throughout the day. Another reason to use a slant board is that it prevents a build-up of inflammation that results in pain and is the foundation of muscular dystrophy in the first place. The main goal for someone with muscular dystrophy is to reduce inflammation and ensure you can be as comfortable as possible in your position. As I mentioned before, the Achilles tendon is the strongest one in your body as it holds your entire body weight when you are on your feet. It is essential to reduce the pressure on the tendon to prevent tightness in your leg muscles that pull on your entire body. Increasing flexibility and reducing tightness ensures that you are less prone to injury, aching, and cramping of muscles. Stretching overall improves blood circulation and enables your heart to oxygenate your body efficiently. More blood circulation puts less strain on your heart, reducing negative impacts that can result from that.
StrongTek makes one popular Slant Board that is similar to mine. The traditional stretch on the slant board is to find an angle that makes you comfortable and stand on it. It is easier to move it near a wall to prevent it from sliding, and the wall can serve to help balance you. Another form is to place one leg on the slant board as high as you can, and I find it easier to have my heel in the air to intensify the stretch. When you stretch a single leg, you can switch the angle of your feet/legs to focus on different parts of your two calf muscles (Soleus and Gastrocnemius). Experiment with bending your knees and keeping your legs straight as they stretch different parts of the calf. If you want to stretch the outside side of your calf (right side of right calf and left side of left calf), angling your foot towards your ankle and position your toes towards your knees, this works to stretch the outside portion of your calf muscles. The last stretching technique I use is alternating calf stretching technique in which you begin by placing both legs on the slant board and then switch stretching one leg at a time. For these stretches, I advise spending between thirty seconds to two minutes performing these stretches to feel the benefits. Body Kore’s Video on Calf Stretches with the slant board demonstrates some techniques I mentioned in this passage.
The Slant Board is an excellent way for you to stretch your lower body, and it will result in a domino effect that reduces tightness throughout your whole body. I promise you that your lifestyle will change due to how beneficial this device is too numerous stretches for your legs. However, do not overstretch yourself and begin with wall calf stretches and slowly ease using the slant board. Once you start using the slant board, you will never look back.
