It’s easy to obsess over working the showy muscles like abs and biceps while neglecting other less flashy but equally important body parts. One thing that you might take for granted is your ankles and how mobile they are. At first glance, the ankle seems like a utilitarian joint that has one major function, to bend when you walk. But when you look closer, you see the ankle is the unsung hero of leg and lower body health and it doesn’t get the attention it deserves.
Despite their simplicity, our ankles work hard behind the scenes to help us absorb impact and move smoothly. They connect multiple muscles, tendons, and ligaments up and down the leg and provide stability for the knees, hips, and spine. Ankles with good mobility promote proper body alignment, weight distribution, and shock absorption. They quite literally keep us on our feet! This assumes, of course, that they’re mobile.
Tight, restricted ankles throw the whole system out of whack, limiting the range of motion and putting stress on other joints and tissues. That’s why we need to work hard to keep them flexible and mobile enough to move seamlessly and safely. So, while crunches and bicep curls get all the glory, our bodies are interconnected systems and a little TLC for our hardworking ankles can go a long way.
Why Ankle Mobility Matters for Strength Training
Having flexible, mobile ankles impacts so much more than just walking or running. Proper ankle mobility helps you maintain good form during strength training too, giving you a greater range of motion and lowering your risk of injury.
Let’s start with form. When you do squats, lunges, deadlifts – any exercise where your feet are planted – your ankles function as the base, affecting your whole-body alignment. With good mobility, you have a solid foundation to execute each movement with better balance and control.
Ankle flexibility and mobility also directly influence how deep you can sink into lower body exercises. Tight ankles lead to compensation – your knees, hips, or lower back try to pick up the slack. This not only makes your workout less effective but can cause pain or injury over time. With mobile ankles giving you a greater range of motion, you can activate and engage more muscle fibers smoothly and efficiently.
The impact of good ankle mobility is huge for dynamic, explosive moves too – think jumps, sprints, agility drills. You need ankle mobility to flex, extend, and pivot quickly to generate power. Limited mobility hampers athletic explosiveness and could lead to rolled ankles or other injuries.
So don’t neglect your ankles! Make ankle mobility exercises part of your routine – it’s a smart, proactive way to boost performance and stay injury-free. Keep those ankles happy and watch what you can accomplish!
Beyond Strength Training: The Importance of Ankle Mobility for Reducing Injury Risk.
Keeping your ankles mobile is good for your joints too. When your ankles can’t move freely, it throws off your natural walking motion. This starts a chain reaction that puts extra stress on other joints, especially your hips and knees. Those areas then become more prone to pain and injury.
It’s a sneaky process, but the result is clear: stiff ankles don’t just affect the ankles themselves. They make you more vulnerable to issues in your hips and knees too. So don’t ignore tight ankles – their impact can be felt far beyond your feet. Work on improving ankle mobility, and you may protect your hips and knees in the process. It’s all connected!
Exercises for Enhancing Ankle Mobility
Now let’s look at simple exercises you can do to improve your ankle mobility:
- Calf stretches: Stand facing a wall with your hands on the wall. Place one foot back with the toes pointed forward and heel on the ground. Bend the front knee until you feel a stretch in the calf of the back leg. Hold for 30 seconds and repeat on the other side.
- Ankle circles: Sit with one leg extended. Rotate your ankle slowly in clockwise and counterclockwise circles. Repeat ten times in each direction.
- Toe pulls: Sit on the floor with legs extended. Loop a resistance band around the ball of one foot. Pull your toes back toward your shin against the resistance to feel a stretch in the calf. Hold for 30 seconds. Repeat on the other side.
- Heel drops: Stand with toes on a step or box. Slowly lower your heels below the level of the step to feel a stretch in the calf. Raise back up and repeat ten times.
- Downward dog: From hands and knees, tuck toes under and lift knees off the floor to extend hips and straighten legs. Push heels toward the floor. Hold for 30 seconds.
- Foam rolling: Use a foam roller to massage and release tightness in the calves and Achilles tendon. Roll slowly up and down the calf from the ankle to below the knee.
- Banded ankle distractions: Loop a resistance band around the ball of the foot. Pull the band toward you while pushing your knee forward to feel a stretch in the ankle. Hold for 30 seconds and repeat on the other side.
- Seated soleus stretch: Sit with one leg extended. Bend the ankle of the extended leg and flex the foot to feel a stretch in the soleus muscle. Hold for 30 seconds and repeat on the other side.
Conclusion
In the end, seeking good ankle mobility speaks to our dedication to overall wellness. When we take the time to appreciate and care for this frequently neglected area of the body, it clears the path for us to live with greater ease of motion, fewer aches, and a lower chance of getting hurt. Caring for the ankles allows the rest of the body to move freely and comfortably through life’s twists and turns. Plus, it will enhance your performance when you strength train too.
References:
- Jeon IC, Kwon OY, Yi CH, Cynn HS, Hwang UJ. Ankle-Dorsiflexion Range of Motion After Ankle Self-Stretching Using a Strap. J Athl Train. 2015 Dec;50(12):1226-32. doi: 10.4085/1062-6050-51.1.01. Epub 2015 Dec 3. PMID: 26633750; PMCID: PMC4741247.
- org. “ACE – ProSourceTM: November 2015 – a Systematic Approach to Improving Ankle Mobility,” November 2015. https://www.acefitness.org/continuing-education/prosource/november-2015/5683/a-systematic-approach-to-improving-ankle-mobility/.
- Guillén-Rogel P, San Emeterio C, Marín PJ. Associations between ankle dorsiflexion range of motion and foot and ankle strength in young adults. J Phys Ther Sci. 2017 Aug;29(8):1363-1367. doi: 10.1589/jpts.29.1363. Epub 2017 Aug 10. PMID: 28878463; PMCID: PMC5574351.
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Are Ankle and Hip Mobility Issues Making It Harder for You to Squat?
This Important Psoas Muscle that Can Throw Off Your Body Mechanics
How’s Your Hip Mobility? Why It’s Important
How Flexible Are Your Quadriceps? Why It Matters
Anatomical Problems that Affect Squat Form and How to Correct Them
Related Cathe Friedrich Workout DVDs:
STS Strength 90 Day Workout Program
STS 2.0 Muscle & Recovery Workout Program
All of Cathe’s Strength & Toning Workout DVDs
Total Body Workouts
Lower Body Workouts