Both your calf muscle and Achilles can become inflamed if your ankle is not functioning properly. Your soleus sits just above your Achilles tendon and beneath your gastrocnemius (the top part of your calf).
Typically, limited ankle dorsiflexion is caused by tightness in your calf muscles - particularly your soleus (the very center of your calf). Limited ankle dorsiflexion can be caused by a previous injury, such as an ankle sprain, or tightness within other muscle groups. Lastly, you need ankle mobility to stand up from a seated position, climb stairs, and even kneel to tie your shoelaces.
You also need it to run down the street, do standing broad jumps, or perform sprints on the track. You need a mobile ankle joint to perform Power or Olympic weightlifting movements, like squats, deadlifts, or cleans. Limited ankle mobility will cause problems in your workouts and daily life. If you answered no to any of these questions, you have poor ankle mobility, or limited ankle dorsiflexion (the movement of the top of the foot toward your shin). Can you get the ball of your foot off the ground, so that your foot is at least at a 20 degree angle? Now, try to raise the ball of both feet off the ground, keeping your heels connected with the floor. Foot raises: Sit in a chair with your feet flat on the floor.Can you keep your heels connected with the ground? Downward dog: Stretch back into a downward dog.Can you keep your heels connected with the ground? Now, try to sit below parallel - can you still keep your heels connected with the floor? Squats: Sit deep into a parallel squat.To assess your ankle mobility, try the following exercises: If you have limited ankle range of motion, please speak to a physical therapist about mobility exercises to work into your training program. Please note: This post is meant for informational purposes only, and should not be taken as medical advice. īelow, I'll explain what causes limited ankle mobility (and why you should care), and the best ankle mobility exercises to increase your range of motion. Limited ankle mobility prevents you from doing these exercises correctly, and can manifest in heel, calf, Achilles, and knee pain when you run, jump, or do other cardio movements. ”Īnkle mobility is important because it allows you to do powerful (and necessary) strength movements, including squats, deadlifts, and lunges. You can learn more about this holistic approach in my new online course “ Understand and Leverage the Key Areas of Fitness to Improve Your Performance. This is why we preach the four pillars of fitness ( strength, cardio, nutrition, and recovery ), to help you achieve a well-rounded approach to wellness. Meaning, you cannot target one muscle group and simply ignore the rest of your body. Here's why that causes a problem: Your body is one complete system. They want six pack abs, so they'll only do crunches they want to grow their glutes, so they only do glute bridges. Today, I want to discuss one of the most overlooked areas in your body: your ankles.īefore I describe why ankles - and more specifically, ankle mobility - are important, allow me to explain this: Too often, athletes set a narrow goal, and forget the seemingly unrelated steps required to hit that goal.
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