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“Ankle mobility is super important because your ankle is the first joint that actually connects to the ground,” she says. Meg Julian, a trainer at AMP Fitness in Boston, agrees. “It can even run all the way into the back of your neck, creating posture issues.” “A lack of range in the ankle joint will start to create a lot of decompressing on the other joints that are above it, like your knee, hip, and lumbar spine,” says Aaptiv Trainer Michael Septh. In addition to improving your strength, mobilizing your ankles can help lessen your risk of injury. That’s where ankle mobility comes into play. However, it’s also important to train for function. It’s no secret that mirror muscles, like the abdominals, get the majority of the attention. Repeat this motion as you work up to the top of the calf.Total-body fitness has become synonymous with gaining strength, improving balance, and boosting mobility, but ankles are often left out of the equation. Starting just above the ankle, roll your leg back and forth. Place a barbell (elevated with plates), wine bottle, or rolling pin - something narrower and harder than a standard foam roller - under one leg, perpendicular to your calf.Sit on the floor with one leg extended in front of you and one leg bent.
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Roll forward and back, from ball to arch to heel, and side to side, making sure not to neglect the outermost and innermost areas of the foot.Gently lean your weight into the ball, and roll the sole of your foot across the surface.Standing straight, place one bare foot on top of a tennis ball or other small, hard, round implement.Spend two to three minutes here, then switch sides.
![ankle mobility ankle mobility](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/gzxuj0Wpl5s/maxresdefault.jpg)
Leave your hands on the floor, or press up and rest them on your front leg.
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Want to assess your ankle mobility? Stand with feet slightly wider than shoulder width and, maintaining a neutral spine, squat down. Immobile ankles not only inhibit fitness, but may also cause pain in the heels, Achilles tendons, calves, shins, knees, hips, and lower back, inhibiting proper gait. Your legs may have the strength to squat 200 pounds, but without adequate dorsiflexion, you may find it impossible to squat to parallel without your heels coming off the floor and knees lurching dangerously forward. When the ankle joint can flex and extend optimally, he notes, it allows you to tap into the strength of your legs, hips, and glutes.Ĭonversely, when your ankles are tight, it’s as though your strength is locked up. The role mobile ankles play in many fitness pursuits is underappreciated, says Kelly Starrett, DPT, author of Ready to Run, who runs the popular website.