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Chapter 5
The Mobile Ankle

5.1 Screening for Ankle Stiffness

In the last chapter, we discussed how creating a “tripod” foot ensures proper stability for our
squat from the bottom up. If you recall the joint-by-joint concept, the stable foot sets the foundation
for our mobile ankle. This is the topic of the current chapter.
Despite the occasional ankle sprain, our ankle is naturally a fairly stable joint. It is prone to
become stiff and immobile. For this reason, the role of the ankle is movement or mobility. When our
ankle loses its ability to move, it affects the rest of the body. The foot below becomes unstable, and
therefore the natural arch of the foot collapses. The knee above also becomes unstable. When we
squat, an unstable knee will often wobble and fall inward. These are only the immediate effects of an
immobile ankle. Eventually, a stiff ankle could negatively impact the rest of the body. Entire
movement patterns can be thrown out of whack due to stiff ankles.
In order to perform a full-depth squat, our bodies require a certain amount of ankle mobility.
Unless you are performing a low-bar back squat, the knee must be able to move forward over your
toes. This forward knee movement comes from the ankle, and it is called dorsiflexion. You can
measure dorsiflexion by drawing a line with the shin and another line with the outside of the foot. The
smaller or more closed the angle is, the more ankle dorsiflexion the athlete has. A restriction in this
motion is where most athletes run into trouble.

Stiff ankles are often a culprit behind our squat problems. Do your feet point outward when
you squat even when you try your hardest to keep the toes forward? Can you remain upright in the
bottom of your snatch or clean? Do your knees constantly fall inward when you perform a pistol
squat? All of these movement problems can be related to poor ankle mobility.
I want to introduce a simple way to assess our ankles. This screening will tell us if we have full
mobility or if our movement problems are a result of a problem somewhere else in the body.
This test is called the half-kneeling dorsiflexion test. This specific test has been used numerous
times in research to assess ankle mobility.1 Physical therapist Dr. Mike Reinold recommended this
screening for its ability to provide reliable results without the need for a trained specialist.2

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Find a wall and kneel close to it with your shoes off. Use a tape measure and place your big toe
five inches from the wall. From this position, push your knee forward, attempting to touch the wall
with your knee. Your heel must stay in contact with the ground.

Movement Checklist:

Pass Fail
Knee can touch the wall at Knee unable to touch wall at
five-inch or more distance five-inch distance
Heels remain firmly planted Heels pull off from ground
Knees collapse inward
Knees aligned with feet (Valgus collapse) in order to
touch wall
No pain noted Pain noted

Did you have checkmarks in the “pass” column? If you could touch your knee to the wall at a
distance of five inches while keeping your knee in line with your foot, you show adequate mobility in
the ankle.3
However, if you had any checks in the “fail” column for this screening, you have a dorsiflexion
mobility restriction. This restriction could be either a soft-tissue restriction or a joint-mobility
problem—or both.
With the joint-by-joint concept, we can learn to assess the body in a different fashion than we
have in the past. Always assess movement first. If you found a problem in your single- or double-leg
squat, we can then use different tools (such as the half-kneeling dorsiflexion screening) to find out the
cause of the breakdown. By addressing ankle mobility issues, we can improve the overall quality of
our movements.

5.2 Joint Restriction or Soft-Tissue Stiffness?

Let’s now discuss the results of the ankle mobility screening. After performing the test, what

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did you notice? Did you pass? Don’t worry if you failed. You are a part of a large majority of
athletes with stiff ankles. It is important to understand the different reasons for developing stiffness at
the ankle so that we can appropriately treat the problem. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to
fixing stiff ankles.
Stiff ankles are primarily caused by two different factors.

(1) Joint restriction

(2) Soft-tissue restrictions

Joint Restriction
Joint restriction is simply defined as a loss of space between the bones that connect at the
ankle. Essentially, they stop moving appropriately over one another. Bone spurs or abnormal
calcifications within the joint are some of the main reasons for this type of block.4 They usually
develop after trauma, such as a previously sprained ankle. Old age can also contribute to a bony block.
A common result of joint restriction is impingement of the ankle joint. This is usually felt as a
“pinching” or “blocked” sensation in the front portion of the ankle during the ankle mobility screen.
In the book Anatomy for Runners, physical therapist Jay Dicharry uses a perfect metaphor for
describing how these types of restrictions change our movement patterns.5 If you have ever driven
your car through a European-inspired roundabout, you know that you can’t just drive straight through
the intersection. You have to go around the center island.

An ankle with full mobility will allow the tibia to move freely on the foot. Think of this like a
car being able to move straight through an intersection. A bony block is like a roundabout in the
intersection. When the car enters the intersection, it must now go around the island in order to proceed
on its previous route. Essentially, our lower leg spins off its normal route and falls inward. As our
lower leg goes around the bony block, the knee is pulled inward. Movement breaks down.
If you could not pass the ankle-mobility screen and you felt a “pinch” or “block” in the front of
your ankle, there is a possibility that you have a bony block. We can use ankle-mobilization exercises
in order to fix this type of stiffness.

Soft-Tissue Restriction
Soft-tissue restrictions at the ankle joint include muscles (gastrocnemius, soleus, tibialis
posterior) and fascia. These structures can become stiff and inflexible over time. For example, a
sedentary lifestyle or wearing high heels often can cause these muscles to become stiff and tight.
Fascia, a type of connective tissue, weaves its way around our entire body. Fascia is like a

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spider web that spans from the top of our head to the bottom of our feet. It wraps around and
envelops bones, muscles, organs, nerves...basically everything!
When we move often and with good technique, the fascia surrounding muscles stays pliable
and elastic. If you viewed fascia under a microscope, it would appear in an organized weave pattern.6
This weave design allows the soft tissues in our body to glide easily over one another in a smooth
fashion.
Inactivity and poor movement disrupts this weave pattern. The once organized pattern ends up
looking more like a random scribble drawn by a two-year-old kid with crayons. Not only are the
fascial fibers now arranged in a complete mess, but also they actually lose their elasticity and stop
gliding easily over one another.7 When this happens, natural flexibility is restricted and movement is
limited.
Earlier I mentioned an analogy about a bony block as equivalent to a roundabout; well, a soft-
tissue restriction is more like a traffic jam. As your knee tries to move forward over the toe, it runs
into a congested mess and is basically halted in its track. When this happens, our body will do one of
two things.

First, the knee will stop moving forward and somewhere else in the body will have to move.
This is what happens when we see a lifter’s chest collapse to get deeper in his or her squat. The other
option is even worse. The knee will take a path of least resistance and fall inward. This is basically
like a car going off-roading to get around the traffic jam. When the ankle rolls in, it takes the knee
with it. Again, movement breaks down.
These types of limitations will usually be felt as tightness in the calf or heel cord during the
ankle-mobility screen. If this is the case for you, we will go about addressing this restriction later with
two different tools: stretching and foam rolling.

5.3 Mobility Corner

There are many great ideas available today to improve ankle mobility. In this section of the
chapter, I want to share with you some of my favorites as a part of my three-step process in dealing
with ankle stiffness.

1. Mobilize
2. Foam roll
3. Stretch

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Ankle Mobilizations
A restriction in joint mobility should be the first area to address. During the ankle-mobility
screen, a “pinch” or “block” sensation felt in the front of your ankle usually signifies this type of
restriction. These types of restrictions will not resolve themselves on their own with conventional
stretching and foam rolling. Therefore, if you had a pinching sensation during the ankle-mobility
screening, it needs to be addressed first before moving on to possible soft-tissue stiffness.
One of the easiest ways to create mobility in restricted joints on your own is to use a band
mobilization. The rubber material of the band is elastic and strong enough to affect the tough joint
capsules.
Band distraction joint mobilizations simply help increase the way our bones glide over each
other. A joint glide is sustained while the athlete actively moves into the specific range of motion we
are trying to change. If we look at the ankle, the talus bone of the foot moves backward as the shin
moves forward into dorsiflexion as we squat. In order to help improve this movement to increase
mobility, the band must help push the talus bone backward.8, 9 Often, athletes will have the band
placed too high on the ankle. This backward pull on the tibia will actually do the opposite of what we
want to achieve.
These types of mobilizations (simply termed mobilizations with movement) have been used for
years by physical therapists. The goal is to alleviate any once-painful or pinching feelings deep in the
joint.

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Foam Rolling
Once joint restrictions have been addressed, the next step is to clear up any soft-tissue stiffness.
This starts with using a foam roller. I usually recommended athletes spend at least two minutes on
each area they are trying to address with a foam roller. Every athlete should spend time each day using
this tool.
Start by moving slowly up and down the lower leg muscles until you find a tender area. Pause
on this area and “tack it down” with your opposite leg for about ten seconds before moving to find
another spot. You can also add in some ankle pumps during this pause to increase the effectiveness.

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Soft-Tissue Stretching
Once foam rolling is complete, stretching the muscles is the next step to addressing soft-tissue
restrictions. The classic ankle stretch is a good go-to in order to make some quick improvements.
Before starting your workout, using this stretch after foam rolling is a great way to decrease any
amount of stiffness in the lower leg.

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Another version of this stretch is one I like to use prior to training sessions that include any
form of barbell squatting. It is very position specific and therefore has good carry-over to the exact
movements we are going to perform. To start, drop into a deep goblet squat. This can be performed
with either a kettle bell or a weighted plate. From this position, shift your weight onto one foot. Push
your knee far forward over your toe until you feel a stretch in the lower calf. After holding for about
ten seconds, shift to the other leg.

Test-Retest
After you have addressed your stiff ankles, it’s time to check on the progress you have made.
Always employ a test-retest strategy when performing mobility exercises. This allows you to see if the
tools you are using are effective in addressing the change you desire.
Performing the ankle mobility screening is a great way to measure and see if you have made
any change. However, in the end our goal is to make a lasting change in our overall movement pattern
of the squat. For this reason, it is just as important to see how any improvements in ankle mobility
have affected your squat. After working on your ankle mobility, perform a deep squat. Then, perform
a deep single-leg pistol squat. Do you notice anything different?
While not everyone has the same reasons for ankle stiffness, using these tools can be the first
step in helping make a lasting change and improving your squat and pistol squat technique.

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