‘Cankles’ is a slang term for calf and ankles. This term describes a lack of definition or distinction between the ankles and calf.
Thus making the two parts look as if they are merged. People, most of the time, do not realize that they have cankles because cankles occur due to several reasons, such as genetics, prolonged standing or sitting, and sometimes pregnancy.
When you have cankles, you find it hard to differentiate between your ankle and your calf because they are merged.
Most people have lived years without noticing their ankles, which is common among middle-aged and older individuals.
Cankles look like continuous cylinders; hence, the legs are not naturally curved like usual. Hence, some people call them ‘sausage legs.’ You are very likely to see such legs in people with obesity.
If you ask people with cankles what it feels like to have sausage legs, they will tell you they don’t like it because it prevents them from dressing comfortably or even doing some activities.
According to research on cankles, doctors have concluded that cankles are not a medical condition that should cause panic.
Hence, this is why most people have lived with cankles all their lives and do not experience any medical issues.
According to doctors, the average ankle size of a woman should be 10 inches, and for men, it is around 11 inches or 10.
This means that anything more than that could be a cankle. Cankles are sometimes termed sexually unappealing, especially for women, because they will be robbed of the privilege of dressing to their liking.
For example, a woman with cankles might feel sexually unattractive to wear a short dress with heels because the cankles will be very visible.
This is why most women try to find a way to get rid of cankles to feel comfortable wearing anything.
Are you interested in knowing how to get rid of cankles? In this article, we will give you detailed information on the causes of cankles and, most importantly, how to get rid of them.
Can you fix the cankles?
Yes, cankles can be fixed because this is not a leading cause of a medical emergency. There are many ways that cankles can be permanently fixed, both naturally and surgically.
You must see a physician so that you can be advised on the right way to fix the cankles. Some underlying conditions might not require a surgical procedure, but others might.
If your physician recommends a surgical procedure, it would be best to choose a surgeon with deep experience with these procedures since the ankle and calf muscles are one of the most critical body parts. Any deviation can lead to permanent damage, which is irreparable.
Exercise and diet can also make a few changes to eliminate cankles, but this might not be a permanent solution since they can recur again if the person does not continue with the exercise regularly.
Drinking enough water after exercise or during the day and eating the right amount of food can be very effective ways of getting rid of cankles, which is less painful than undergoing a surgical procedure to reduce the fat that covers the ankles.
Can you naturally get rid of cankles?
Yes, it is possible to get rid of cankles naturally. Natural ways are the easiest, and they cause less, and most importantly, they are less painful. Some of the natural ways of getting rid of cankles are as follows.
Exercise regularly
Cankles can be easily eliminated through regular exercise. Walking, jogging, and running are all exercises that are known to get rid of cankles since they help in reducing fat from the lower legs as well as aid in proper blood circulation across the body.
For exercises to be effective in the reduction and prevention of cankles, you have to do exercises that are not very strenuous, such as swimming, cycling, or stretching the legs while sitting or standing.
Fat loss on the ankles can take time because fat starts loosening on the abdomen and face before moving toward the legs. Hence, you have to be patient enough if you want to see results.
Dieting
Dieting is also an effective way of getting rid of fat on the cankles. A good diet should be directed at not depriving yourself of food, but eating enough not to be hungry, but also not too full.
This is called mindful eating. With mindful eating, you only eat when hungry and stop when complete. This ensures that you do not overeat. Hence, you do not get too much fat in the body.
Salads with leafy greens during dieting are very effective in weight loss. This can aid in weight loss since they do not contain calories, and, most importantly, they are high in nutrients.
Also, adding fiber-rich diets can be very effective in weight loss. It would help if you also considered coming up with a meal prep once per week.
This will ensure that you do not stock up on calories, but at the same time, you eat meals full of nutrients. When dieting, remember to drink a glass of water. This will help you reduce fat in the body.
Reduce salt intake
Sodium is one of the major causes of cankles in the body. Processed foods are a significant contributor of sodium in the body.
Sodium usually pulls water into the surrounding cells, hence creating some sort of swelling in the joints, such as the face, hands, and ankles. This mainly explains the reason for the cankles’ development.
If your cankles are severe, it would be best if you cut down on the consumption of sodium in the diet, such as are reduction of the use of canned tomatoes, potato chips, and some desserts. This method has been proven to be very effective in the elimination of cankles.
Avoid consuming alcohol
Alcohol is high in sugar-based calories, which do not add any meaningful nutrients to the body.
The calories present in alcohol can lead to weight gain and consequently lead to cankles. People who have cankles and are heavy drinkers of alcohol should consider reducing alcohol intake and ensure that they consume beverages that have less sugar or substitute alcohol with water.
Drinking too much alcohol can also lead to other conditions in the body, such as liver cirrhosis, which is a condition that affects the liver’s functioning.
Liver damage can prevent the proper functioning of the body. Hence, it can lead to more bodily damage than ever before.
Walk More
Walking is an excellent exercise for everyone, but it is especially good for people with Canckles.
Walking improves circulation in the legs and helps build up the calf muscles. When the calves are more prominent and tighter, the ankles look smaller.
How do you get rid of cankles fast?
The fastest and easiest way to get rid of cankles is through surgery. The surgery for removing excess fat from different body parts is called liposuction.
It mainly involves the removal of fat cells that are resistant to exercise and diet. Liposuction is a very minimal procedure that does not harm anyone.
Celebrities worldwide have undergone liposuction to reduce fat deposits from certain parts of the body, such as the tummy.
This is actually the fastest and easiest way to get rid of cankles. When undergoing liposuction for the ankles, the surgery is conducted this way:
- Local anesthesia will be administered by the doctor into the fatty tissues of the ankle to ensure you do not feel any pain during surgery.
- The doctor then conducts small horizontal incisions around the calf area so as to insert a cannula, which is a tube that is sued to loosen the fatty deposits.
- The excess fat is removed using a device that resembles a vacuum cleaner.
- After that, the doctor stitches the area and covers it with a bandage.
After the procedure is finished, you can happily go home, and you will recover by the end of the week.
Swelling is likely to occur, and doctors recommend wearing a compression garment. You will also be administered painkillers to ease the pain after the surgery.
It is also recommended that you walk around frequently so that the muscles can get used to movement easily and heal faster.
The possible side effects of undergoing liposuction can vary from one person to another. But some of the most common side effects are:
- Bruising
- Swelling
- Loose skin
- Infections
- Allergy reaction to the anesthesia
- Bleeding
- Poor wound healing
The average price for undergoing an ankle liposuction is $4000 to $7000. This depends on the location and the procedures used.
It is best that you use a well-experienced surgeon who has experience in this area, so that you can be assured that everything goes well and that the healing process is also smooth.
What is the leading cause of cankles?
The leading cause of cankles is genetics. Genetics runs in families, and it is very possible to find everyone in the family with cankles.
You can quickly tell if your cankles are genetic by observing one of your parents and siblings to see whether they have cylinder-like legs.
Eliminating cankles that have been genetically inherited can be difficult, and exercise might not really breed anything meaningful.
Genetically transmitted cankles are more common in women than in men. This makes it a prevalent thing for middle-aged women of 25 to 5o years of age.
Men who have cankles are primarily because of genetics and diet. So that you know, everyone can get cankles. No one is limited to getting cankles.
Other than that, the other most common reason why women are more likely to get cankles than men is because of pregnancy.
Women during pregnancy tend to produce excess fluid and blood used to supply nutrients to the baby in the womb.
The excess fluid is deposited in the body tissues to help the body parts expand in preparation for giving birth.
This depositing of excess fluid into the body tissues is what makes most women have cankles.
Sometimes cankles are inevitable for women during pregnancy, and sometimes, they can go on even after the birth of the baby.
Women are mostly advised to walk and move around a little bit during pregnancy so as to reduce the symptoms of cankles.
It is also advisable that women, especially because their bodies tend to have a lot of saturated fat, should do exercises regularly and that they should consider eating foods less in calories and sodium.
What causes cankles?
Many reasons cause cankles. Some of the most common factors behind the occurrence of cankles in humans are as follows.
Genetics
Structural body similarity is primarily due to genetics, which is inherited from people in the same family.
This is very common with women since you are likely to observe sisters having the same body shape and structure as their mothers.
Where a mother has a cankle, it is possible to find daughters or sometimes sons having a cankle. Although this is common in women, sometimes this can occur in men too, but it is very rare.
Most people on the internet suggest undergoing a weight loss journey through exercising, but this is likely to be futile because it’s almost impossible to target a weight loss exercise that focuses on the ankles or a particular part of the body.
Hence, it might not actually work. Natural methods have been seen to be effective in weight loss; hence, this might work with genetically produced cankles.
Diet habits
According to research, more than 80% of your body structure is based on your eating habits. If you are used to eating very fatty foods and sugar, even though you go to the gym daily, you will never lose weight.
Diet habits can cause cankles. Sodium has been known to be a reason for cankles development since it results in excess storage of water in the body, which in turn leads to a heavy body that causes fat to settle in areas like the ankles.
Most processed foods like fries and McDonald’s chicken or burgers are full of saturated fats and excess added salt.
This can result in cankles. It is best to cut down on processed foods if you wish to get rid of or prevent the risk of getting cankles.
Pregnancy
Pregnancy is one of the most common reasons for cankles development. If you are observant of pregnant women, you will notice that they tend to have swollen ankles; hence, the ankles might not be visible, and the legs have a cylindrical look.
According to research, during pregnancy, the body produces 50% more fluids and blood, which are used to supply the needs of the woman.
The excess fluid settles on the joints and tissues, which helps the woman’s body expand in preparation for the birth of the baby.
This can lead to cankles, especially in the third trimester, when they stand or sit for too long, which is mainly caused by poor blood circulation in the body.
During pregnancy, women are advised to indulge in some activities that will keep the body active, such as walking, rolling on a ball, etc. They should also avoid doing tedious work since this can lead to cankles.
Medications
This is a very rare cause of cankles, but some medications, such as those administered during surgery, can lead to swelling of the muscles on the ankle due to the buildup of fluid in the body.
You must work with your doctor to ensure that you take only the proper medications that will not make your cankles worse, especially if you have been working towards getting rid of them.
Obesity
Obesity is a condition that affects both children and adults, with many of them ranging from the age of 12 up to the 50s.
Obesity is one of the most common causes of cankles since excess fat in the body settles on the body tissues and muscles; hence, the ankles and legs get covered with excess fat. The majority of the people with cankles are people with obesity.
To know whether you have excess fat in the body that covers your ankle. Press your leg with a finger.
If a dent occurs, just know that you have too much fat and you need to trim some of it. The best way to get rid of excess fat from the body is by checking your diet by avoiding eating food high in fats.
You should also consider exercising. Exercise that is not based on a particular body part tends to be more successful than when you focus on one part. This can, in the long run, eliminate cankles.
Can you get rid of cankles?
Yes, it is possible to get rid of cankles entirely through some procedures, either natural or surgical. Natural procedures for eliminating cankles can take months, but if you follow the right procedure, you are likely to be very successful in your cankles.
If you plan to stick to the gym, ensure that you get a gym routine that will eventually lead to a reduction of cankles and not just tummy and upper body fat.
It is also best if you take time to do less strenuous exercises like swimming, which mainly involve the exercise of the legs.
Another easy and fast way to get rid of cankles entirely is through liposuction. Liposuction is very fast and effective, and you are less likely to need to schedule gym sessions every month.
It is advisable that you get a physician’s approval before undergoing liposuction because cankles do not really need surgery unless really needed.
Other than that, liposuction has its own side effects, which people should also consider before undergoing it, such as swelling, infections, and bruising are likely to occur.
This could be worse for other people than others. It is best that if you are thinking of liposuction, you get a well-qualified surgeon who will do a good job and ensure that you heal properly.
The other way to get rid of cankles completely is through dieting. If you practice mindful eating that mainly involves eating healthy meals, you are likely to lose fat on the cankles since you are not consuming foods rich in calories or sugar, but you are also likely to lose considerable weight, hence reducing the probability of developing cankles at an early age.
In general, there are many ways of getting rid of cankles, both natural and surgical. You just have to contact a physician to know which method will suit you.
Are cankles dangerous?
Cankles fast, of all, is not a medical term, and hence it is not a medical condition that should cause you any worry.
It should be noted that cankles are not dangerous; hence, it is best that you avoid listening to misleading information on social media, which tends to make cankles look like a medical condition that needs to be treated immediately.
Cankles cannot lead to adverse health-related problems; hence, you should not panic when you discover that you have cankles.
Doctors suggest that cankles are very rare; hence, it is not something that should be treated as a rare disease because it is not a disease but a condition that can be managed.
It should be noted that surgery is also not a must procedure for people with cankles. If you follow the proper diet and do exercises frequently, you are likely to reduce the fat deposits on your ankles, and the cankles are likely to disappear in a few months to years.
You also need to understand that patience is essential because it cannot be eliminated in a day to eliminate it. But instead, it takes time. Other than that, cankles are not dangerous at all.
FAQs: How To Get Rid Of Cankles
Is it possible for skinny people to get cankles?
Yes, skinny people can also get cankles due to certain conditions like genetics, hormones, and medications.
Before the myth that is mainly spread online that cankles are only for fat people, cankles can also be found in skinny people.
Sometimes it’s almost impossible to avoid getting cankles, whether as a skinny or fat person. Still, regular exercising and following a healthy diet can help you reduce the possibility of getting cankles. But hormones are a significant cause of cankles in skinny people.
Can cankles go away with weight loss?
Yes, cankles can go away with weight loss very quickly because it is the excess fat that settles on the tissues on the joints, such as the waist and ankle joints.
If you practice weight loss consistently, you will likely get rid of cankles. But for cankles to go away when you have aimed at weight loss, you have to consistently work out and try out healthy diets, and avoid processed foods since they are high in sodium or added salt, which increases the risk of getting cankles.
Can cankles be prevented?
Cankles are not entirely preventable because of things like lifestyle and genetics, which make this almost impossible to eliminate.
The best way to prevent them if you do not have them or you have them and want to eliminate them and reduce their ability them recur, is through liposuction because this will eliminate the fat on the ankle entirely and prevent them from occurring again.
Even with liposuction, you will be expected to do exercises to ensure that your muscles continue to function just like before surgery.
What are the best exercises for cankles?
The best exercises for cankles are jogging and running. Jogging mainly works by enabling the muscles in the legs to experience tension, which in turn helps in stretching them.
These physical exercises ensure that the fat around the base of the leg gets stretched, and they burn down through the process of oxidation.
This can help to eliminate cankles, and if you make it a habit and do it continuously, you are likely to realize that the fat in your ankle is reducing, and you are getting a more streamlined body.
How long do cankles take to disappear completely?
Cankles can take from a few weeks to months to completely disappear, depending on the type of method used for their elimination of the cankles.
If a surgical procedure has been conducted, it can take up to three weeks for the swelling to completely disappear after the surgery, but if there is exercise being done every day and a strict diet is followed, the swelling is likely to take approximately seven to 12 months.
As stated earlier, you have to be patient with cankles if you wish to have them disappear completely.
Can you naturally get rid of cankles?
Having swollen ankles can be traced to your eating habits. Eating a diet high in fiber, protein, and healthy fats can help you lose weight and tone your legs.
Why am I skinny but have cankles?
Skinny people can quickly develop cankles due to hormonal or genetic reasons, even if they have little excess fat in other areas.
What celebrities have cankles?
Just one sausage-shaped lump of fat splodged at the bottom of your leg. Think Hillary Clinton, Cherie Blair, Patsy Kensit, and Mischa Barton.
Will losing weight help cankles?
Generally, losing weight will also reduce the size of your ankles. Meanwhile, adding calf exercises into your regimen will tone those muscles and give them more definition. If you are already slim, though, exercising and dieting will make little to no difference to your cankles
Key Takeaways: How To Get Rid Of Cankles
Cankles is slang for calf and ankle. This condition looks like the calf and ankle are merged; hence, the legs look like cylinders, and sometimes they are said to be sausage legs.
The thing about cankles is that they are not a disease. Hence, they should not be a medical condition that should scare you.
They can be prevented or eliminated naturally through exercise and dieting, or through a surgical procedure of liposuction. Therefore, if you have cankles, you can get rid of them through the many ways explained in the article.