Making a Dynamic Axial Rotation Device (DARD)
By; Vaughn Numrych

A DARD is a device to strengthen the ankles and the anterior tibialis muscles on the front of the shin. I have suffered from shin splints many times and was looking for a way to prevent them. I came across the DARD in many internet articles but the cost to buy one is very high, the least expensive one I found was $69.95 for a standard plate model. Sooo, off to Home Depot I went and came up with this alternative that had a total cost of less than $15.00. Screw all of the pieces together tightly except for the end cap where the plate goes. You may have to fiddle with it a bit to get the two foot rests parallel. I set the dumbbell collar to the thickness of a 25 pound plate and use an end cap to hold it in place but you could easily use a pair of dumbbell collars as well. I wrapped the foot rest that my toes hook under with 3/4 inch pipe insulation and duct tape to make it more comfortable. The pictures show the schematic, a commercial DARD, and then three views of the home made one. You use the DARD by hooking your feet under the pads and then pointing your toes toward the wall then towards the ceiling for the required number of repetitions.