ankle mobility help needed

[Dare Vodusek]

I had sprain right ankle when I was 10 years old and a minor sprain on the left.

Im not sure I can find suitable physical therapist in my country.

Is there some "test" or something similar that I can do on my own to diagnose if I need a specialist or just some mobility work?

[Dakota Base]

I have had several ankle injuries that have stifled my dorsiflexion over the years. Wall calf stretches, or curb calf stretches were the only advice I got for many years.

But then I met my wife, who has amazing dorsiflexion and can go @ss-to- grass with ease, with her heels on the ground.

So I started watching how she moves, and I mimicked that. She often "rests" during the day by going @ss-to-grass, just like you or I might pop-a-squat or take a knee.

This position takes a lot of dorsiflexion, but the knees are bent, so it's an entirely different biomechanical loading than wall calf stretches or toe touches. It essentially isolates the ankle.

So I started doing squats where I would hold a ring to keep my balance, then settle my butt back. Since my dorsiflexion was poor, I'd fall over backwards if I didn't have the ring. I did this at first with my Oly shoes on, then flats, then eventually with a wedge under my toe.

Another thing that helped me was to use a BAPS board (bosu would work too) during the day. BAPS board was about 18-24" diameter disk with half of a 6-8" diameter ball on the bottom. I'll sit at my desk, on the edge of my seat, and place my toe in the middle of the board, then let my body press down on the board to stretch that joint.

For what it's worth, In my experience with relating nerve entrapment to mobility, the easy way to tell if you have nerve entrapment issues is if you can demonstrate higher dorsiflexion ROM in one position, but not in another, or not under load. If your ankle simply never exhibits more ROM in any position (bent knee, straight knee, adducted, abducted, etc), then it's more likely that you have a ROM problem, not a nerve problem.

[Dakota Base]

Double Tap

[Dare Vodusek]

For me dorsiflexion is not an issue, I can do this 5 inch from the wall test without issues:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KgdL5exuqo

The issues for me is lateral ankle flexion, which, according to KStar, is tested with this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3UGl2rHz18

So this kinda movements are a no go for me: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izlw_WSRhUU

I also walk with not straight foot, fingers are pointed out a bit, just like when squatting.

ps, all links wfs

[Dakota Base]

Dare: To clarify, my comments were directed at the OP and his ankle mobility issue, not to yours.

On a side note: I've seen that Kelly Starrett video before, it makes me grin every time. Not because of the content, but because about halfway through, Brian McKenzie laughs and says "I have ankle problems"...

[Andrew Emory]

Originally Posted by Dare Vodusek

Im borrowing this thread for my own question, hope the OP wont mind.

I have a rather solid ankle mobility when moving it forwards and I can do a nice squat with a slight angle on my feet (fingers out). But I have a horrible lateral mobility, almost unable to move in left-right, its like a fixed joint, not a joint. Even if I hold the ankle in my hand I cant move it left-right.

Are there special exercises I could do to improve that, as this also prevents me from doing a nice pistols.

Your ankle isn't designed to move left to right (in the frontal plane). It can move roughly 45 degrees either direction from dorsi flexion to plantar flexion (through the sagital plane).

[Michael A. Jones]

http://fightcampconditioning.com/20-...-fighter/#wrap (WSF)

Scroll done a bit and the article discusses feet and ankle mobility, and other "weak" points that we should be working on.

Mike

[Brian Smith brianisrighthere]

I've been putting off really making an effort to improve my ankle mobility after spraining it 14 months ago wakeboarding. I still have lingering pain and soreness especially after a bunch of double-unders. This was just the inspiration I needed to get at it. Thanks for all the input and video links.