If we think of the body and its function as a whole, ultimately it must work as an overall unit to exert its full potential. Often athletes work endlessly to improve on certain areas of their body to get stronger, fitter and more mobile, but tend to neglect those areas that can optimise your overall performance. If you have any imbalances in your body, it places you at a higher risk of injuries.
One of the many neglected areas athletes generally do not work on is their ankle mobility. From as little as walking, lifting or jumping, an area as small as the ankle can have a large impact on how your body adapts to movement.
Ankle Mobility 101
The term ankle mobility refers to the movement and flexibility of the foot in both planar and dorsiflexion.
The two bones of the leg are known as the tibia and fibula. These two bones are the main bones that make up the ankle joint. Along with the two main bones of the leg, there are also several smaller bones which allow the ankle to rotate, move up and down, in and out and side to side.
Why is ankle mobility important for optimum performance?
The flexibility of the ankle can determine the ability of how to perform an exercise. As stated before, the body is a whole unit. When one area does not function at 100% then it causes a domino effect on the surrounding areas. Poor ankle mobility can even cause poor posture as the chest begins to lean forward.
Some reasons why ankle mobility is important:
Prevents knee and hip muscles from weakening
Prevents ACL injuries
Increases mobility around strength training
Reduces risk of foot collapsing (foot becoming unstable)
For example, the range of a squat. I used to hear the good old myth that "your knees shouldn't go past your toes when you squat" and would live by it!
When I used to perform a squat, my chest would cave forward and my depth would be limited. I would always work on my hips and try and find different ways to keep my chest tall but I was never able to get to the depth I needed. My thought process at the time was that I needed to work on my hips and glutes but never even thought about working on my ankles.
I started researching a lot about mobility and how to improve my squat. I came across a guy named “knees over toes guy” on Instagram and he completely changed how I performed a squat as well as how I coach someone through that movement. The knowledge and proof of how mobility in ankles works to perform better was crazy!
I have not looked back since and encourage your knees to go over your toes when squatting for the ultimate form and depth.
Testing for poor ankle mobility
Perform a bodyweight squat in front of a mirror or record yourself side on.
Do your heels come off the ground?
How low does your rnage allow you to go? 90 degrees? 45 degrees?
Do your knees track over your toes? If they don't, your mobility is limited.
Find yourself a wall and perform a hip flexor stretch with your foot about 12cm (5 inches) from the wall. Drive your knee forward in an attempt to touch the wall. Your heel needs to be flat on the ground. If you fail to touch the wall or your heels come off the ground, your mobility needs to be worked on.
How to improve mobility
Performing heel raises. Starting on a flat surface, hold the wall in front and begin to lift your heels off the floor. As you please, increase your incline, for example placing your feet on a plate or some dumbbells with your heels hanging off to progress as your ankle mobility improves.
Put your foot against a wall with toes pointing up. While keeping your foot on the wall, move your leg right to left, creating constant movement in your ankle. Try for 2 minutes each leg.
Perform a deep squat and hold yourself against a rig or something stable. Hold onto the rig and lean back. As you are in this position, your toes should be able to slightly rock back and forth against the rig causing tension in the ankle. You can perform this same movement with elevated heels, moving into dorsiflexion of the ankle.
Conclusion
The overall use of the ankle can ultimately have a major effect on one's performance. It’s important not to neglect the small areas of the human body as it creates a domino effect and affects movement.
Work on the small areas and the overall results and benefits will be clear through your performance/movement.
Proper ankle mobility is crucial for activities like walking, running, jumping, squatting, and even standing. Efficient Gait and Running Mechanics: Adequate ankle mobility is fundamental for maintaining a natural and efficient walking and running gait.
As one of the body's most major weight-bearing structures, the musculature of the ankle affects the ability to perform activities like running, jumping, and balancing, as well as the likelihood of developing a variety of lower leg injuries, such as ankle sprains and strains, shin splints, Achilles heel tendonitis, and ...
For runners, sprinters, and team sports that involve either or both, ankle mobility is crucial. The repercussions of ankle restrictions are not isolated to your ankle – limited ankle mobility can also impact other joints when training.
The importance of mobility becomes clear when you rise out of bed, shower, manage a flight of stairs, walk a half-mile, get in and out of a car, or carry groceries. Mobility also helps us avoid falls and prevent injuries, and allows older adults to live longer on their own.
3. If you want to improve your ankle range of motion, you can perform a weight-bearing lunge, squat, or split squat variation for 2-4 sets of 30-60 second holds or 6-12 repetitions with a 3-5 second hold at your end range, 2-4 times a week.
Soccer (football) practice can induce a limitation of ankle range of motion (ROM) that is a possible risk factor for injury and other negative consequences over time.
To pitch and throw effectively, your arm must move overhead easily and painlessly. It requires sufficient mobility patterns throughout the entire body along with the ability to move through those end ranges of motion quickly. Mobility is a crucial component of your baseball performance.
Your body relies on your ankles for many key functions including stability, shock absorption and support. Ankles are crucial for balance and injuries to the joint are extremely common.
Improving balance control is an important goal. According to studies, better balance is associated with sports performance and negatively associated with lower limb sports injuries. Keeping your ankles strong helps with balance, reduces the risk of falls, and helps you keep doing the activities you love.
Poor ankle mobility can be caused by a number of different factors, but most often it's the result of a general lack of flexibility in the calf muscles, ankle joint issues (or stiffness) from a previous injury, or frequent wearing of high heels.
Normally our ankles can dorsiflex about 10 to 20 degrees past neutral. Restricted ankle dorsiflexion range of motion can negatively impact your running performance. Stretching and mobilizing your ankle joint can improve your ankle range of motion.
Force generated by the body must be transferred to the ground through the ankle. A stiff ankle results in more efficient transfer. This means we can apply the same impulse in short ground contact time. If the joint is acting as a force “transmitter” as opposed to a force “producer,” it's beneficial to be stiff.
The ankle joint complex is comprised of the lower leg and the foot and forms the kinetic linkage allowing the lower limb to interact with the ground, a key requirement for gait and other activities of daily living.
A brace can help to reduce strain, tension, and pressure on the ankle joint. One of the major uses of an ankle brace is to immobilize the joint and help to reduce swelling after an injury. Among the many problems that can be helped by wearing an ankle brace are sprains, Achilles tendonitis, and arthritis.
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