Registered Kinesiologist
Why is mobility important for a lift like a squat?
Mobility training is a crucial component in our fitness routines, and it is the gateway to optimizing your performance in the gym. When you’re more mobile, you gain a bigger range of motion, meaning you can train harder, recover faster and perform better—all great things.
Mobility is a joint’s ability to actively move through its full range of motion (ROM)2. It depends on both flexibility in the soft tissues (e.g. muscles, tendons, ligaments) as well as strength and stability in the joints. A squat requires good mobility in the hips, knees, and ankles. In this article, we’ll focus on how to improve ankle mobility to help you upgrade your performance of lower body exercises like the squat.
Ankle Mobility – Dorsiflexion and Plantarflexion
Figure 1. Dorsiplantar.jpg.
Dorsiflexion refers to the movement of the ankle where the foot moves toward the shin, decreasing the angle between them. This movement is essential for:
- Squatting and lunging
- Climbing stairs
- Walking and running
Why is dorsiflexion important?
Restricted ankle mobility can make your body adjust in ways that put extra stress on joints like the knees, hips, and lower back. This can lead to poor mechanics in these movements, compensations, and an increased risk of injury. Restrictions in dorsiflexion usually stem from:
- Tight and/or weak calves (especially in deep dorsiflexion)
- Tight and/or weak dorsiflexors (e.g., the tibialis anterior on the front of your shin, foot extensors on the top of your foo), which help pull to the knee over the toes
Plantarflexion is the other main action of the ankle joint and occurs when the foot points downward away from the shin. Plantarflexion is primarily controlled by the calf muscles and some other muscles in the lower leg. This movement is essential for:
- Walking and running, a normal gait pattern
- Jumping
- Calf raises
- Injury prevention
Squatting does not require active plantarflexion but tight plantar flexors (i.e. our calf complex) can limit the opposite action, dorsiflexion.
Assessing Ankle Mobility
Signs of limited ankle dorsiflexion may include and are not limited to:
- Excessive forward lean in a squat
- Heels lifting during a squat
- Low back pain while squatting
- Feet collapsing inwards (overpronation) when squatting, walking or running
- Pain or tightness in the front or back of the ankle
- Increased knee discomfort
Limited dorsiflexion may also contribute to:
- Shin splints
- Plantar fasciitis
- Patellofemoral pain syndrome, IT band syndrome, or generalized knee pain
- Achilles tendon issues
You and your personal trainer can assess your dorsiflexion range with the Kneeling Dorsiflexion Test:
1. Get into a half-kneeling position
2. While keeping your front heel on the ground, drive your knee forward as far over your toes as you can
3. Measure the distance between the tip of your big toe and the most forward part of the inside of your knee
4. Repeat on the other side
Target Dorsiflexion ROM
- With the Kneeling Dorsiflexion Test, 4 or more inches is usually sufficient for most exercises. This may increase for exercises that require more dorsiflexion, such as the front squat.
- With walking, we usually require at least 10 degrees of dorsiflexion
Exercises to Improve Ankle Mobility
When improving the ROM of a joint, we need exercises that target both flexibility and strength. Passive ROM is improved with soft tissue release techniques while active ROM is improved with more dynamic exercises and strengthening. Below, we’ll cover a step-by-step routine to prepare for strength training and exercises to improve your ankle dorsiflexion. The sequence starts with more passive exercises and progresses into more active ones.
Soft Tissue Release
Perform for 30 to 60 seconds per muscle group before strength training. Improves muscle range and motion, flexibility, blood flow, and reduces tension.
Lacrosse Ball Sole Release
Targets the plantar fascia which connects to the calf muscles and the Achilles tendon.
Calf Release with Roller, Ball or Barbell
Shin Release with Foam Roller or Lacrosse Ball
Mobility Drills
For these drills, aim for 2 sets of 12-20 repetitions per side or a 30-second hold per side before strength training. These drills can improve both passive and active dorsiflexion.
Half Kneeling Ankle Rocker
Foot Elevated Ankle Rocker
Single Leg Deficit Calf Stretch
Big Toe Extension with Heel Wedge
Banded or Cable Dorsiflexion
Strength Training Exercises
These exercises can all be done within a variety of rep and set ranges but when trying to correct a pattern or improve mobility, you will likely get the best results sticking with a minimum of 3 sets of 8 to 10 repetitions with adequate time under tension. You may go higher in repetitions for exercises that have a smaller range of motion such as the forward step down.
Seated Calf Raises
Front Foot Elevated Split Squat
Front Foot Elevated Split Squat builds strength in deep dorsiflexion positions and can be adjusted (by raising the front leg more) to accommodate your mobility.
Forward Step Downs
Forward Step Downs directly work dorsiflexion while coordinating with the quadriceps muscles, improving the range of motion required for squatting.
Conclusion
Improving ankle mobility takes a combination of soft tissue work, mobility drills, and strength training. By consistently addressing restrictions and reinforcing new ranges with strength exercises, you’ll enhance your squat mechanics, reduce injury risk, and improve overall movement efficiency.
References
[1] Figure 1. Dorsiplantar.jpg. From: http://cnx.org/content/col11496/1.6/. CC BY 3.0
[2] ISSA. Mobility vs Flexibility – What’s the Difference? [Internet] 2021 Aug 23. Available from https://www.issaonline.com/blog/post/mobility-vs-flexibility-whats-the-difference.