The curse of cankles (chunky ankles): Even being beautiful, thin and rich won’t save you from ankles that merge into your calves

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Her arms are toned, her waist tiny and her bronzed washboard stomach amazingly taut. Strolling along a beach in Florida, Lady Victoria Hervey shows off a body to induce envy in women everywhere. But look a little lower and any jealousy might be tempered by the sight of the 39-year-old socialite's cankles.

The term 'cankle', of course, describes an ankle so wide that it merges into the calf above, blighting even the slenderest silhouette. Cankles are the curse of image-conscious women. But help is at hand, in our guide to avoiding them...

Lady Victoria Hervey, pictured on the beach in Florida. Cankles affect even those with a slim physique

BIG BONED OR JUST FAT?

Although it's tempting to attribute our cankles to being 'big boned', experts believe lifestyle factors are more likely to blame. 'Some people are genetically predisposed but in my experience cankles are usually caused by fluid retention or excess fat,' says physiotherapist Tim Allardyce.

The less sporty among us are more likely to suffer, because water retention is exacerbated by a sedentary lifestyle - inactive calf muscles prevent the return of blood to the heart, leading to excess fluid around the feet.

Allardyce also warns that swollen ankles can be a sign of cardiovascular problems. 'A weak heart won't pump blood back from the body's extremities, leading to water retention. Lymphatic drainage - a form of massage that moves the fluid around the joints and muscles, dispersing it - can help but won't solve the underlying problems.'

WHY CARBS ARE BAD

If you're eating a sensible, healthy diet and are otherwise slim, monitor your salt intake, because too much in your diet causes water retention and is a major culprit in the onset of cankles.

But sprinkling too much salt on your chips isn't the only dietary factor, according to nutritionist Zoe Harcombe. She says the key to preventing water retention lies in lowering carbohydrate intake to no more than 150g a day.

'When we eat more carbohydrates than we need, the excess is stored as glycogen - and our body stores four parts of water for every one part of glycogen,' she explains.

Cheryl Fernandez-Versini, left, and Michelle Mone, right, reveal their ankles. Cankles can be caused by water retention, which is made worse by excessive carbohydrate consumption

'We are capable of storing up to 500g of glycogen at any one time, and therefore up to two kilos of water alongside this - which is why we can lose 5lb overnight by dropping carbs.'

To slim your cankles for your Christmas party, Harcombe suggests cutting down to 50g of carbohydrates two days beforehand. And there's another trick: 'Warmth encourages water retention,' she says. 'So stick your lower legs in a cold bath.'

Kim Kardashian struggles with her cankles. Lowering your ankles into a cold bath can help them to reduce 

YOGA POSES CAN HELP

According to personal trainer Victoria Zimmer, we should do four or five 45-minute exercise sessions a week to help keep our overall body fat below 23 per cent. She says we can also use specific exercises to sculpt muscles and create the illusion of slimmer ankles.

'Some people have a propensity to store fat in this area, but if you strengthen and lengthen leg muscles, your ankles will look more defined in comparison,' says Zimmer. To do this, she recommends 20 repetitions of squats, lunges and calf-raises every day, plus exercises to improve flexibility.

Donatella Versace reveals her ankles in high-heeled shoes. Cankles can be impressed by exercising the area

'Stretches such as the downward dog yoga pose and pushing your heel down with your leg out behind you will lengthen your Achilles' tendon,' she says. 'Even just extending and flexing your feet will improve circulation in the area.'

GO UNDER THE KNIFE

If your cankles are caused by excess fat and you have a similarly bulging bank balance, there is a solution. 'Liposuction - either traditional, ultrasound or laser lipo - is the only viable option in this area,' says Paul Banwell, a consultant plastic surgeon and member of The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, who has had three inquiries this week alone about the procedure, which costs between £1,500 and £5,000.

'The other thing you can do is to disguise the circumference of the ankle by improving the contour of the calf with fat grafts.

'But I would urge caution, as this carries a high risk of complications such as infection and rejection of the implant.'

Helen Mirren, left, and Jerry Hall, right. Surgery can reduce cankles and there are creams that promise help

IS THERE ARE QUICK FIX?

There are creams that claim to reduce cankles. The makers of Nip + Fab's £21.95 Tummy Fix cream, for example, say its combination of caffeine and synephrine can dissolve lipids in fat cells and work wonders on cankles.

A product called VitalTONE (£25 for a 100ml, three-week supply) contains herbal extracts and claims to lessen swollen legs by stimulating lymph drainage and improving fat metabolism. You could also try haemorrhoid cream, said to eliminate water retention, by applying it all over the ankle, wrapping it in a bandage and leaving it overnight.

Yet if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is, says GP Ian Campbell. 'Most cankles only respond to weight loss the hard way - with diet and exercise.'

HOW TO COVER UP

Clearly not much can be done to conceal cankles when, like Lady Victoria, you're on the beach. But there are several fashion tricks you can use to minimise their appearance, says style expert Karen Kay.

'Avoid shoes with ankle straps that draw attention to the area, and ankle boots that cut off at the widest part of the ankle,' says Kay.

'Platforms and wedges make all legs look heavy - a stiletto heel is much more effective in slimming the appearance of the ankle. Knee-high boots are brilliant, as are tailored trousers. Skinny jeans are slimming for cankles, but wear Capri pants or cropped trousers at your peril.'