Written by Megan Gaudry.
The views and information provided by Aspire Health & Rehabilitation, and Megan Gaudry, in the form of blogs, videos, photos and reviews are not in any way to be substituted as a Medical consultation, and are for education purposes only.
Restrictions in ankle dorsiflexion can impact the body significantly, from descending stairs to squatting. This is a series of exercises that aim to demonstrate how to improve ankle dorsiflexion movement.
This 'Exercise segment' is a taster of the soon to be released blog on Ankle dorsiflexion movement and how it can impact squatting performance, so keep an eye out!
This 'Exercise segment' is a taster of the soon to be released blog on Ankle dorsiflexion movement and how it can impact squatting performance, so keep an eye out!
HALF KNEELING ANKLE MOBILITY EXERCISE

This is a self-stretch for increasing dorsiflexion mobility of the ankle. You begin in a half kneeling position, with stick on outside of foot. While staying tall, lean forward take knee outside of dowel. The heel of the front foot should maintain contact with the floor.
This exercise can also be used to re-train movement pattern, and limit the amount of movement that occurs in a lunge pattern that results in your knee moving inwards and collapsing. You can exaggerate the movement by using the dowel and moving your knee further forward on the outside of it.
This exercise can also be used to re-train movement pattern, and limit the amount of movement that occurs in a lunge pattern that results in your knee moving inwards and collapsing. You can exaggerate the movement by using the dowel and moving your knee further forward on the outside of it.
HALF KNEELING ANKLE MOBILITY EXERCISE WITH BAND DISTRACTION
This next exercise is a progressive exercise and aims to open up ankle dorsiflexion range, by dragging (distracting) the shank (tibia and fibula) back posteriorly, while moving into dorsiflexion. Place the band just over your shoe, just above the ankle bones (the lateral and medial malleolus), you will create tension by pulling the band, and ankle forward, this will pull the tension backwards and you will lean your knee forward into dorsiflexion range from your big toe out (not inwards from the big toe). In the video a dowel was used to demonstrate movement positioning, however you can also use some overpressure by adding some weight i.e. a kettlebell on top of your thigh. | |
Yours in health,
Megan
Megan
* All photos and videos used in this blog are a product of Aspire Health and Rehabilitation (2014) and cannot be reproduced without permission.