![]() ![]() Having established where your problem lies - the muscles or the joint - move on to the next step. This time a stretch in the back of your calf indicates a soft tissue problem (most likely in your soleus or Achilles tendon).Ī pinch in the front of your ankle is, again, a joint issue. Repeat the movement with the knee of your standing leg slightly bent and make the same assessment. If you feel pinching in the front of your ankle, the issue is in your ankle joint itself. If you feel a stretch in the back of your calf, your inflexibility is caused by tight soft tissue: tendons or muscles (most likely the gastrocnemius).Keeping your right leg straight and your posture upright, sink into the stretch, dropping your right heel as far as comfortably possible.Hold onto a railing or other stationary object for balance. Stand with the ball of your right foot on a stair, box, or aerobic step, and your left foot hanging loosely.Here’s how to run an ankle function self-check - courtesy of Rusin - and how to specifically address any problems that come up.Ĭheck and see if the issue is in your soft tissue (muscles, tendons, and ligaments) or in the joint itself. “Before you start chasing mobility drills to fix your squat, lunge, or running pattern, you first need to see if ankle mobility is really even a problem,” he recommends. Many people who find lower-body moves like squatting difficult are surprised to find that the problem lies not in their thighs or hips but in their ankles.īy elevating their heels on a board or a pair of weight plates - essentially giving the ankles an additional 30 degrees of movement - they find they’re able to squat more comfortably.Ī little additional ankle mobility might change your attitude.īut don’t just start stretching away, advises physical therapist Dr. So if you’re prone to knee pain, your problem may be one joint down. It’s understandable- ankle work isn’t necessarily sexy.īut if your ankles are tight, pretty soon, you may not have a leg to stand on.Ī 2013 study found that people with limited dorsiflexion (capacity to flex the foot towards the shin) suffered from an altered gait that put undue strain on their knee joints.Īnother showed that ankle instability led to a reduced range of motion in the knees - a major cause of non-contact injury in sports. While most of us are only too happy to spend big chunks of workout time working showy muscles like the abs, glutes, and arms, almost no one gives the ankles their due.
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