.For the Body-Conscious, It's Now the Ankle That Rankles -- CANKLES (VIDEO)

The Wall Street Journal ^ | 07-23-09 | AMY CHOZICK

[GOP_Lady]

Chubby Lower Legs, Latest Styles Don't Mix As Women Wage Costly Fight Against 'Cankles'

[GOP_Lady]

To get swimsuit-ready, Jennie Succio adopted a grueling workout regimen that included running uphill and doing dozens of lunges and squats. But she wasn't going for a sculpted derrière or a chiseled abdomen.

Ms. Succio, 32 years old and the owner of a housecleaning business in Minnesota, wanted to slim down her chubby ankles.

The circumference of a woman's ankle is about 11 inches, on average. That's not much to obsess about. But enough Americans are concerned about fat ankles -- or "cankles" -- that gyms are coming up with new ways to tone them; plastic surgeons are pushing $4,000 to $6,000 liposuction procedures to slim them; and shoe companies are offering special models designed to minimize them.

[GOP_Lady]

I wish I had some ankles to cankle.

[GOP_Lady]

[Emile]

Hillary?

[CaptainK]

An article about cankles with no mention of Hillary?

[GOP_Lady]

I was wondering how long a comment like yours was going to take to appear. LOL.

[goodnesswins]

11 inches???? is average???

I'm NOT skinny, and my ankle is about 8"

[Mr Ramsbotham]

What is the government doing to address this issue?

[mamelukesabre]

Only thing that’ll shrink cankles is massive blood flow to the lower extremities for extended periods of aerobic exertion.

ie: jogging. rapid walking. For long durations...like an hour nonstop 3 times a week.

That’s assuming you aren’t obese. If you are obese, then drop the weight first. Or you’ll blow out your knees, hips, and lower back. Probably cause fallen arches too.

[GOP_Lady]

It is an EMERGENCY.

We must have CANKLE REFORM NOW!

[GOP_Lady]

Thank you for that information.

[mamelukesabre]

My ankles are barely bigger than my wrists. But I’m not female. And my wrists are kinda big.

[Mr Ramsbotham]

We must have CANKLE REFORM NOW!

And get the rich to pay for it!

[Venturer]

I believe Cankles are more or less hereditory and I doubt much can be done about them.

[balch3]

I suspect that in all but the morbidly obese, ankle fat is negligible. What they’re calling cankles is nothing more than fluid buildup. Not that I’d recommend it, but diuretics would work better than anything else.

[GBA]

When I was growing up, I was subjected to a wide variety of "wisdom" from older men and boys on all topics a young kid like me needed to know about.

One bit of wisdom that has stuck with me is: "Never marry a woman with thick ankles" and I still don't know what that means.

I have seen examples where that was very, very good advice and other examples where it was completely and totally wrong. Still confused...

[giotto]

I'm NOT skinny, and my ankle is about 8"

Same here, and neither am I skinny. I wonder where they are measuring? I used the narrowest part, but is it possible they are measuring just below the end of the fibula?

[goodnesswins]

I went back and re-measured around the bones of the ankle (one on each side...) and got a measurement of 9” this time....I guess we’re “below average”...LOL.

[giotto]

I guess so. I’ve got my share of problems, but fortunately cankles is not one of them.

[Lizavetta]

Some people just don't have much shape and definition down there. My 110 pound mother has cankles and she's nowhere near fat. She's just got shapeless lower legs.

There is a cure if one is interested. It's called lipo sculpting and in the hands of a good surgeon you can kiss your cankles goodbye.