How to Increase Ankle Mobility in 3 Steps

Summary

The video script discusses the three main reasons for tight ankles: habitual use of high-heeled shoes, weak feet, and lack of movement diversity. It suggests solutions such as zero-drop shoes, strengthening foot muscles with minimalist footwear, and various mobility drills to enhance ankle function. The script emphasizes the importance of foot and ankle mobility for overall body stability and function, providing practical advice and exercises to improve ankle flexibility and strength.

Takeaways

• 🥿 Ankle tightness often results from habitual use of shoes with raised heels, leading to shortened calf muscles.
• 👟 Solution to tight ankles is wearing zero-drop shoes that don't elevate the heel, allowing for natural foot positioning.
• 🏃‍♂️ Weak feet contribute to ankle tightness by overburdening the larger muscles, such as the calf, which can lead to chronic tightness and restricted motion.
• 👣 Adopting minimalist, barefoot-style shoes like Origo can help strengthen foot muscles and improve ankle function over time.
• 🦶 A study showed that wearing minimalist footwear for six months can increase foot muscle strength by nearly 60%.
• 🤸‍♀️ Mobility drills that challenge the ankle's range of motion are crucial for maintaining joint functionality and overcoming stiffness.
• 🧘‍♂️ The assisted deep squat is a fundamental pose that can help improve ankle mobility and restore the ability to perform a deep squat.
• 🔄 Using heel wedges or similar supports can aid in ankle mobilization exercises, especially for those with tight ankles.
• 🤸‍♂️ Mobilizing the ankle joint in both flexed and extended knee positions covers its diverse movement capacity and aids in overall joint health.
• 🏋️‍♀️ The contract-relax technique can be applied during ankle mobility exercises to gain additional range of motion and address specific areas of tightness.

Q & A

What are the three primary reasons why ankles become tight?

The three primary reasons for tight ankles are habitual use of shoes with raised heels, which shorten the calf muscles; weak feet that fail to stabilize the foot and ankle complex properly, leading to overburdening of the calf muscles; and a lack of movement diversity and variability, which is crucial for maintaining joint functionality.

How do shoes with raised heels contribute to ankle tightness?

Shoes with raised heels cause the ankles to plantar flex, leading to a shortening of the calf muscles. Prolonged use of these shoes makes the calf muscles adapt to this shortened state, which becomes their default resting length and results in chronic ankle tightness.

What is the solution to ankle tightness caused by habitual use of high-heeled shoes?

The solution is to opt for shoes that have no elevation in the heel, known as zero-drop shoes. High-heeled shoes can be worn occasionally for special occasions without causing issues, but they should not be the everyday choice.

How do weak feet contribute to chronic ankle tightness?

Weak feet cannot properly stabilize the foot and ankle complex, which places a greater burden on the larger muscles, particularly the calf muscles, for stability. Overworking these muscles leads to chronic tightness and restricted motion through the ankles.

What is the significance of the foot and ankle arches in terms of body stability?

The feet and their arches form the primary line of stability and are the foundation of the entire body. If this foundation is not solid, it affects the proper functioning of everything above it.

How can minimalist, barefoot-style shoes help with ankle tightness?

Minimalist, barefoot-style shoes with flexible, zero-drop soles encourage full movement across the 33 joints in each foot, stimulating the intrinsic foot muscles and progressively strengthening them over time. They also feature an anatomical toe box design that allows toes to activate the attached muscles more effectively, enhancing their strength.

What does the University of Calgary's spring model of the foot and ankle represent?

In the University of Calgary's spring model, smaller springs symbolize the minor foot and ankle stabilizing muscles, while larger springs represent the more prominent muscles surrounding the ankle joints, such as the calf muscles. This model helps to understand the impact of weak feet on the overall stability and function of the ankle joint.

Why is it important to explore various mobility drills for the ankles?

Exploring various mobility drills is important because it prompts the ankles to utilize their full range of motion, which is crucial for maintaining joint functionality. This helps to overcome the limitations of modern, flat, and uniform terrain that does not challenge the ankle's movement capabilities.

What is the assisted deep squat drill and how does it help with ankle mobility?

The assisted deep squat is a drill that helps to force the ankle joints into full-range dorsiflexion with the help of an upright support. This support serves as a leverage point to temporarily overcome the limitation tight ankles place on the body's capacity to achieve a deep squat, thus improving ankle mobility.

How can heel wedges be used to further assist in ankle mobility exercises?

Heel wedges can be used to provide additional assistance in ankle mobility exercises, especially if the feet tend to spin out or the heels lift from the ground during the assisted deep squat. They can be adjusted to different heights and are made from a non-slip material to ensure safety and effectiveness during the exercises.

What is the dynamic version of the ankle mobility drill that involves a raised platform?

The dynamic version of the ankle mobility drill involves stepping up onto and down from a raised platform, such as a heel wedge or a book, repeatedly. This exercise helps to gain additional range of motion in the ankle while ensuring that the toes of the targeted foot remain rooted to the ground at all times.

Outlines

00:00

🥿 Reasons for Tight Ankles and Solutions

This paragraph discusses the three primary reasons for tight ankles, emphasizing the habitual use of shoes with raised heels as the first cause, which leads to shortened calf muscles. The solution is suggested to be zero-drop shoes that do not elevate the heel. The second cause is weak feet, which overburden the calf muscles and lead to chronic tightness. The importance of the feet and arches as the body's foundation is highlighted, and minimalist, barefoot-style shoes from Origo are recommended for their zero-drop soles and anatomical toe box that enhance foot and ankle function.

05:02

👟 Enhancing Foot and Ankle Function with Origo Shoes

The paragraph focuses on the benefits of Origo shoes for foot and ankle function. It explains how the unrestrictive toe-box of Origo shoes allows for more effective muscle activation and strength enhancement. The video's partnership with Origo is mentioned, and a discount code is provided for viewers interested in purchasing these shoes. The paragraph also addresses the third cause of ankle stiffness, which is a lack of movement diversity and variability. It contrasts diverse terrains with the uniform surfaces commonly encountered, leading to a loss of joint functionality due to underutilization of the ankle's range of motion.

10:03

🤸‍♂️ Mobility Drills for Ankle Joints

This paragraph outlines mobility techniques for the ankle joints in both flexed and extended knee positions. It begins with the assisted deep squat drill, which aims to improve the ability to perform a deep squat by addressing tight ankles. The use of heel wedges for additional support is suggested. The paragraph then moves on to a drill for mobilizing the ankle in an extended knee position, involving the use of a raised platform and a box or chair for creating rotational torque. The contract-relax technique is introduced to gain more range of motion in the ankle, and a dynamic version of the drill is suggested for further intensity.

🏃‍♂️ Regaining Child-like Mobility

The final paragraph summarizes the benefits of the previously discussed mobility drills, emphasizing their role in regaining a child-like range of motion in the ankles. It encourages viewers to explore the provided links for more content on the topic and concludes the video with an invitation to engage with other content from the channel.

Keywords

💡Ankle Tightness

Ankle tightness refers to the reduced flexibility and range of motion in the ankle joint. In the context of the video, it is often caused by habitual use of shoes with raised heels, leading to shortened calf muscles and restricted ankle movement. The video emphasizes the importance of addressing ankle tightness to improve overall foot and ankle function, and suggests solutions like wearing zero-drop shoes and performing mobility exercises.

💡Zero-Drop Shoes

Zero-drop shoes are footwear designed with no elevation difference between the heel and forefoot. These shoes are recommended in the video as a solution to prevent and alleviate ankle tightness by promoting a more natural foot position and reducing the strain on calf muscles. They encourage full movement across the foot's 33 joints, which can help in strengthening the intrinsic foot muscles over time.

💡Calf Muscles

Calf muscles are the muscles located at the back of the lower leg, primarily responsible for movements such as walking, running, and jumping. In the video, it is explained that wearing shoes with raised heels can lead to a shortening of these muscles, contributing to ankle tightness. The video also discusses how overworking these muscles can lead to chronic tightness and restricted motion through the ankles.

💡Foot Arches

Foot arches are the curved structures of the foot that help distribute body weight and provide balance. The video emphasizes that the arches form the primary line of stability for the body. Weak foot arches can lead to poor stabilization of the foot and ankle complex, placing additional burden on larger muscles like the calf muscles, which can result in ankle tightness.

💡Minimalist Footwear

Minimalist footwear refers to shoes that are designed to mimic the natural movement of the foot, with features like thin, flexible soles and wide toe boxes. The video promotes the use of minimalist, barefoot-style shoes like Origo to enhance foot and ankle function by stimulating and strengthening the intrinsic foot muscles, allowing for a more natural foot position and movement.

💡Mobility Drills

Mobility drills are exercises designed to improve the range of motion and flexibility of joints. In the video, various mobility drills are introduced to target ankle stiffness and lack of movement diversity. These drills are meant to challenge the ankle joint's range of motion and help regain the natural mobility of the ankles.

💡Anatomical Toe Box

An anatomical toe box is a shoe design feature that provides a wide and unrestrictive space for the toes, allowing them to splay naturally. This design is highlighted in the video as beneficial for foot health because it enables the toes to activate the attached muscles more effectively, which in turn enhances the strength and function of the foot and ankle.

💡Deep Squat

A deep squat is a fundamental pose where an individual squats down with their hips below their knees, allowing for full-range dorsiflexion of the ankle joint. The video discusses the use of a deep squat as a mobility drill to help improve ankle flexibility and range of motion, particularly for those with tight ankles.

💡Heel Wedges

Heel wedges are devices designed to elevate the heel and provide support during certain exercises or mobility drills. In the video, they are used as an additional tool to assist with ankle mobility exercises, particularly when trying to achieve a deep squat with tight ankles.

💡Contract-Relax Technique

The contract-relax technique is a method used in physical therapy and exercise to improve muscle flexibility and joint range of motion. It involves tensing a muscle for a brief period and then relaxing it to allow for deeper stretching or movement into a restricted area. In the video, this technique is applied to the ankle joint during mobility drills to help increase the range of motion and alleviate tightness.

💡Movement Diversity

Movement diversity refers to the variety of movements and terrains that an individual encounters, which is crucial for maintaining joint functionality and overall physical health. The video explains that a lack of movement diversity, often due to modern environments with uniform terrain, can contribute to ankle stiffness and reduced joint capability.

Highlights

Ankles become tight due to habitual use of shoes with raised heels, leading to shortened calf muscles.

Zero-drop shoes can help alleviate ankle tightness by not elevating the heel.

Chronic ankle tightness can also result from weak feet, overburdening larger muscles like the calf muscles.

Feet and arches are crucial for stability, and weak feet can compromise the entire body's functionality.

Minimalist, barefoot-style shoes like Origo encourage full movement across the foot's 33 joints, strengthening intrinsic foot muscles.

Wearing minimalist footwear for six months can increase foot muscle strength by nearly 60%.

An anatomical toe box design in shoes allows toes to activate muscles more effectively, enhancing strength.

Lack of movement diversity and variability contributes to ankle stiffness.

Exploring various mobility drills can prompt ankles to utilize their full range of motion.

The deep squat is a fundamental pose that has become redundant due to the widespread use of chairs.

Many people lose the ability to smoothly transition into a deep squat by their teens due to tight ankles.

An assisted deep squat drill can help achieve a perfect deep squat by forcing full-range dorsiflexion.

Heel wedges can provide additional assistance for the assisted squat drill, especially for those with tight ankles.

The single-leg variant of the squat drill helps locate and promote change in tight areas of the ankle joint.

Contract-relax technique can be used to gain additional range of motion in the ankle by tensing and relaxing muscles.

Mobilizing the ankle joint in an extended knee position can be achieved through specific drills using a raised platform and body rotation.

Pressing toes down and moving body weight forward can intensify the stretch and gain more range of motion in the ankle.

Stepping up and down from a platform can provide a dynamic version of the ankle mobility drill.

Transcripts

There are three primary reasons why ankles  become tight. The first is due to the habitual  

use of shoes with raised heels. These types  of shoes cause the ankles to plantar flex,  

which leads to a shortening of the calf  muscles at the back of your legs. Because  

we spend countless hours each day in these  shoes, the calf muscles gradually adapt to  

this shortened state until it becomes their  default resting length ref. The solution? Opt  

for shoes that have no elevation in the heel -  these are known as zero-drop shoes. Remember,  

poison is a question of dose! High-heeled  shoes can be worn on special occasions  

without causing issues, but they certainly  shouldn't be your everyday choice ref.

The second cause of chronic ankle tightness  lies in weak feet. Let's understand this  

concept through a spring model of the foot and  ankle developed by the University of Calgary.  

In this model, the smaller springs symbolize  the minor foot and ankle stabilizing muscles,  

while the larger springs represent the more  prominent muscles surrounding the ankle joints,  

such as the calf muscles. Now, if the feet  are weak, those smaller muscles can't properly  

stabilize the foot and ankle complex. This leaves  a greater burden on the bigger muscles, especially  

the calf muscles, for stability. Overworking  these muscles leads to chronic tightness,  

in turn, restricting motion through the ankles  ref. It's vital to remember that our feet and  

their arches form our primary line of stability–  they're the foundation of our entire body. So,  

if we can't establish a solid foundation, how can  we expect anything above it to function properly?

The primary solution to this problem  is through the adoption of minimalist,  

barefoot-style shoes, like the ones  we have here from Origo. The flexible,  

zero-drop soles in these shoes encourage full  movement across the 33 joints in each foot,  

which stimulates the intrinsic foot muscles and  progressively strengthens them over time. In fact,  

a recent study found that simply wearing  minimalist footwear for six months increased the  

strength of the foot muscles by nearly 60%. Shoes  like these also feature an anatomical toe box  

design that keeps all your toes in their proper  alignment, as you can see in this side-by-side  

comparison of my toes in the Origo's versus a  regular pair of shoes. This unrestrictive toe-box  

allows your toes to activate the attached muscles  more effectively, which further enhances their  

strength. These features make Origo shoes an ideal  choice for enhancing our foot and ankle function.

That's why we've partnered with Origo for this  video. If you want to grab a pair of these highly  

functional shoes, hit the link in the description  where we've included a discount code just for you,  

contributing to ankle stiffness - a simple  lack of movement diversity and variability.  

Let me explain: If I were to move along a diverse  landscape with varying terrain, my ankles would  

encounter numerous scenarios that challenge their  range of motion. This kind of diverse movement is  

crucial to maintaining joint functionality. This  variation is in contrast with the flat and uniform  

terrain we often encounter in our developed  environments. In these modern landscapes,  

our ankles never have to push past a certain  degree of movement. And without this regular  

challenge, one eventually loses the capability.  It's the simple principle of 'use it or lose it'.

So, to overcome this challenge, we need to  explore various mobility drills that prompt  

the ankles to utilize their full range of  motion. We'll provide mobility techniques  

for the ankle joints in a flexed knee position,  which aligns well with squatting-type movements,  

and in an extended knee position, which  correlates with more upright movements,  

such as walking and running. This way we'll  cover the ankle's diverse movement capacity.

Let's start with the assisted deep squat.  The deep squat is a fundamental pose used  

by children to rest and to pick items up from the  floor. However, with the widespread use of chairs,  

the squat has become redundant. The consequence  is that by the time we reach our teens,  

many of us have lost our ability to  smoothly transition into a deep squat  

without resorting to poor compensations like  spinning the feet outwards, dropping the chest,  

rounding the spine, or rising onto the toes.  Most of these compensations stem from tight  

ankles. Restricted hips can also contribute,  but that's a discussion for another video.  

Be sure to let us know in the comments if  you're interested in a video on hip mobility.

So, the squat drill I'm about to demonstrate  aims to help you reclaim your squat by forcing  

your ankle joints into full-range dorsiflexion,  with the help of an upright support. The upright  

support serves as a leverage point to help  you temporarily overcome the limitation tight  

ankles place on your body's capacity to get  your butt close to your feet. In many cases,  

this bit of help is all someone needs to  achieve a perfect deep squat. However,  

if your feet still tend to spin out,  or your heels lift from the ground,  

you may require additional  assistance with heel wedges.

I found these basic ones on Amazon that  are adjustable to three different heights  

and made from a non-slip material. I'll  drop links to them in the description.

Once you've managed to perform this drill  properly, the next progression would be to try  

the single-leg variant. Start from the assisted  squat position, shift your weight onto one leg,  

and wrap the non-supportive leg around the  supporting foot. With most of your bodyweight  

now balanced on one foot, begin exploring the  various 'corners' of the joint to locate any  

areas of tightness. Once you discover a tight  spot, focus there for a while to help promote  

change in that specific area.You can also use  the contract-relax technique, which involves  

tensing all the muscles in your supporting foot  for three seconds, and then relaxing them while  

simultaneously drawing your body deeper  into the restricted region of the joint,  

aided by the upright support. The main mistakes  to avoid are losing ground contact with your toes  

or allowing your knee to deviate inside your foot.

Now that we've mobilized the ankle  joint in a flexed knee position,  

it's time to shift our attention to mobilizing  the joints in an extended knee position. An ideal  

mobility drill for this purpose starts with  placing the forefoot of the ankle you want  

to mobilize on a raised platform, like the  heel wedges we used for the assisted squat  

mobilization. If you don't have heel  wedges, a book will serve the purpose.

The next step is to position a box, chair,  or ladder directly in front of and to the  

outside of the targeted leg. This setup  facilitates body rotation when you step  

onto the platform with the opposite  leg, thereby creating a rotational  

torque through the targeted ankle and foot.  This action supinates the supporting foot,  

which aids in lifting the arch to ensure that  the ankle joint is properly aligned during the  

mobilization. With the heel of your back foot  firmly planted on the floor, shift your body  

weight forward through your hips by squeezing your  glute muscles until you feel a stretch in the back  

of the heel and calf. If you also feel a stretch  in the front of your hip and quad, then you have  

potentially identified a hip restriction,  which you may need to address in the future.

To intensify the stretch, apply the contract-relax  technique. Press your toes down as hard as you  

can, then relax and simultaneously move  your body weight further forward through  

the ankle joint. Repeating this contract-relax  technique will help gain additional range of  

motion in the ankle. For the dynamic version of  this mobility drill, you will need to step up  

onto and down from the platform, repeatedly. But,  be sure to keep your toes of your targeted foot  

rooted into the ground at all times. Increasing  the slope under the targeted leg can further  

intensify this mobilization. However, ensure  you keep that supporting knee extended. Bending  

the knee will introduce slack into the system  and reduce the effectiveness of the exercise.

With these new tools in hand, you are  on the path to regaining the child-like  

mobility you once had. If you enjoyed this video,  

you'll definitely love our other content. You  can check it out here and here. See you there!