A Man, A Plan, Cankle
Speaking of great words, “cankle” just takes the cake in my book. It’s just so “Teh FUNN4Y!!!11!”… who can resist saying this word without laughing? Not me. Nope. Noooooot me.
However, I fear that there may be those of you out there who, like my not-so-long-ago self, are in the dark regarding cankles. So let me offer a bit of information regarding these oh-so-funny anomalies:
First of all, a diagram for your viewing pleasure (all artwork copywright yours truly).
1) A normal leg:
2) A cankled leg:
As for a definition, there seems to be no one, unanimous voice on the matter. So here’s one I’ve pieced together myself:
Cankle n. A fusion of the words “calf” and “ankle,” a cankle is a very thick ankle - one which appears to be a continuation of the calf itself.
Regarding the word’s origins, I myself first heard it used at a local dance club, when one fellow noted (with general revilement) to another that, “There are a lot of cankles on this dance floor!” But, after doing a bit of research, I discovered that the word did not just originate from one clever club-goer, but rather, from football commentator John Madden (!).
John
Yep. Apparently, ol’ John was commenting on an unsightly pair of legs belonging to some very unfortunate defensive tackle. He (John) remarked that what he saw before him were neither legs nor ankles, but rather, Cankles! And with that, Mr. Madden changed the scape of the English language forever.
Ok, enough about cankles.
April 24th, 2005 at 3:23 pm
You are all about the human anatomy these days Hibbies…
CALL me!
January 31st, 2007 at 12:35 pm
i get it
January 31st, 2007 at 12:37 pm
jessica is stupid
March 31st, 2007 at 12:50 am
u r silly
April 29th, 2007 at 11:02 pm
I think cankles are very mysterious….
May 9th, 2007 at 3:48 am
I didn’t know this before. Now I know. Thanks.
May 9th, 2007 at 9:24 am
The things I learn here at Duderus…
June 2nd, 2007 at 5:34 pm
I think that you should do an entry on heads/necks or what I liek to call them, hecks!!!
September 11th, 2007 at 7:02 pm
i have the fattest ankles ever… cankles if you will
October 25th, 2007 at 10:48 am
I have Cankles and I’m proud every day they keeping me upright
August 13th, 2008 at 3:54 pm
I love your cankles pic, can I borrow it for my blog? I have major cankles.
August 14th, 2008 at 11:05 am
Vicki: glad you like it! And feel free to use it - that’s kind of you to ask first.
August 16th, 2008 at 10:18 pm
Thank you for this post! I was trying to explain to my friend what cankles were, and she didn’t get it until I linked here here.
….does anyone else find cankles (in guys) a HUUUGE turn-off?
September 23rd, 2008 at 8:35 pm
I learnt some stuff I never learnt before. Thank goodness for you. Thank goodness. For you.
September 30th, 2008 at 3:17 pm
Who
gives
a
shit.
May 23rd, 2009 at 1:20 pm
i dont like to wear shorts or capris:/
May 23rd, 2009 at 1:36 pm
what should i do?! i mean i wanna wear shorts and capris like all the girls do in my school specially caus summer’s almost here, but i’m just emberrased.
August 25th, 2009 at 2:20 pm
too funny. I also laugh whenever i hear the word or say cankles.
Shame tho that no matter how hot everything else is on a chick, cankles are a deal breaker. and there’s nothing that can be done.
awesome diagram…. “just a straight shot” lol
September 25th, 2009 at 10:14 am
NOT funny. I fell over 20 years ago and I have been looking for an answer for 20 years of what to do for my ankles that have disappeared and are now what you call cankles. I have been to 27 doctors-Not one of them has ever mentioned cankles. They look at my red swollen legs,ankles, and feet and just say they don’t know what to do. When I fell 20 years ago the doctors said would go away in a couple of days, when it didn’t go away-they said maybe in a couple of weeks but now it is over 20 years. This is the first time I have found an article about my condition. The doctors have always made me feel like I was the only one with this problem!!
PLEASE if you or any of your readers find a treatment-please tell me. For me it is urgent–I can’t find shoes, I can’t wear slacks or anything to cover them up.
Maybe the name cankles is so funny sounding butif you had my legs and ankles you would NOT be laughing!!!
September 25th, 2009 at 11:07 am
Wow, this is old enough I doubt that I can help Shirley now, but until I got pregnant with my daughter I was a 300 lb woman with ANKLES. Since the pregnancy I’ve had cankles and it’s quite teh annoying. What I’ve noticed is that circulation and water retention are my two biggest culprits. I twisted my left ankle some time ago and it’s the worst one. I get ice and heat packs on them and am currently on a water pill and I’m finding that my ankles are reappearing!
Again, not sure that it will help Shirley, but maybe somebody out there is having the same issue.
November 14th, 2009 at 12:14 pm
Just wear boots!
In general, I hate my ankles… or lack thereof.
But I agree with Andrew Marmo! I’m a figure skater, we need strong ankles!
Also, it is annoying because I have cankles because I got them off the Genetic Failboat. I’m just 16 and quite healthy.