Are your stiff ankles causing you pain?

Why is it important?

Studies have shown that dorsiflexion stiffness is associated with more force going through your knee joint. Having a limitation in this movement can mean that your leg doesn’t travel directly over your foot as far as it should. This can result in a shallow squat, or one where you’re poking your bottom out too far. This movement pattern can cause pain when subjected to more force during jumping, running etc. 

What squatting with stiff ankles can look like

What can cause stiff ankles?

You can have limited ankle movement from prolonged immobility after surgery, multiple ankle strains, calf/achilles injuries like tendinopathies or achilles ruptures. Stiff ankles can be caused by a limitation of the ankle joint itself, or a tight or shortened calf muscle. 

How to know if this affects you?

A knee to wall test can help identify stiff ankles.

• Use a ruler against the wall

• Place your foot as far from the wall as you can, so that you can still touch the wall with your knee without lifting your heel off the floor as in the photo.

• Measure the distance (toe to the wall)

• Compare between both sides. Ideally both ankles should have 10-12cm. 

Exercises to improve your ankle mobility.

Regaining ankle mobility is hard but not impossible. It requires weeks of stretching and strengthening to regain and maintain ankle range of movement. Here are 3 exercises that you should do everyday. 

 

1.   Banded Ankle Mobilisation 

Feel for the joint line of your ankle and place the band under this part. The band stabilises the lower half of the joint while you perform a lunge as far as you can. Hold for 1 minute and repeat 5 times.

2.  Weighted Ankle stretch

Place a kettlebell on your knee as in the photo and take your ankle into the end of it’s range. 

Hold this position for 60 seconds.

3.  Weight calf raises. 

Hold some weight in your hands, stand on a step, let your heel drop as far below the step as you can. Hold at the bottom of your calf for 3 seconds. Do this for 10 reps x 3 sets. 

You should never have pain with any of the above exercises.

If you’re currently having problems with your ankle mobility the coaches at PEAK are trained to assist in developing a plan to allow you to perform the things that you enjoy doing.

 

Pranay Singh

Physiotherapist

PEAK