Laser Clinic MD: Cankles are the new love handles

15 Dec, 2009

Laser Clinic MD: Cankles are the new love handles

Posted by: Laser Clinic MD In: Plastic Surgery ()

Winter is a blessing for women wanting to cover up their cankles….

(CNN) – ”Cankles” is slang for the part of the leg where the ankle meets the calf when there is no definition or indentation.

Why would someone be so self-conscious about a certain part of her body? “I have cankles — that’s all I can say,” Barbara Simone laments. “They are huge and they are horrible. … And I will never wear a skirt or dress again.”

Cankles? What are cankles? We’ve heard about saddle bags, muffin tops and love handles, but it seems that some women and men of the 21st century are now focused on the chubby joints of their lower extremities.

Far from being a medical term, “cankles” is slang for the part of the leg where the ankle meets the calf when there is no definition or indentation. In most cases, cankles are just large ankles — what used to be called “big bones.” But in society’s quest for all things thin and shapely, big-boned ankles have taken on a name — and a life — of their own.

According to podiatrists, the average ankle size is about 10 to 11 inches around; men’s ankles may be a little larger. The American Podiatric Medical Association does not recognize cankles as a medical problem, but according to Dr. Kathya Zinszer, a physician at Temple University’s School of Podiatric Medicine, cankles can be caused by all types of medical issues.

“Things like diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular risks, sometimes just lymphedema,” says Zinszer. “All of those can lend themselves to deformed ankles or what people are [calling] cankles.” But Zinszer says that most cankles are “God-given.”

Zinszer has seen patients try to alter their cankles. Some people turn to ankle liposuction, which can cost anywhere between $4,000 to $8,000, depending on how extensive the ankle-shaping need is.

But Zinszer doesn’t recommend liposuction because it can do more damage than good. “The foot, the lower extremity, has a lot of neuromuscular structures,” she says, explaining that by removing some of the tissue, nerves and vasculature can be damaged, creating an even bigger problem.

There are exercises that can keep your ankles firm. However, they don’t always work. Jeff Timmons, a personal trainer from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, says he has clients who constantly complain about the size of their ankles. Many plead with him to help them shape their legs and give their ankles definition.

Although some exercises can make a little difference, he says, most cankles are stubborn and stay put because they’re part of a person’s anatomy. “Sure, if you’re heavy, you’re going to have heavy ankles, so losing weight will make a difference,” he says. “But to be honest, most of my clients who want to get rid of their cankles are already in pretty good shape.”

Tags: American Podiatric Medical Association, liposuction

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