Front-of-Ankle Pain Changes the Strategy

Описание: We saw this a lot today, so I wanted to make a quick, practical point about ankle mobility.

If you’re using half-kneeling or the wall test to assess dorsiflexion (or you’re using it in training), you can’t only watch it from the side. You also need the front view. Why? Because a lot of people “get the motion” without actually getting the motion. If I don’t have true dorsiflexion, my brain will often buy it back by internally rotating and adducting at the hip so I can still project over the midfoot. From the side, it can look “fine enough.” From the front, it’s obvious, and it’s a different conversation, because you might be paying for it up the chain.

Second piece: pay attention to where you feel the restriction.

If you feel it in the back of the ankle (anywhere from the heel north), that’s usually more linear and easier to work with. A stick, foam rolling, and better yet, hands-on work can help, and you can generally keep progressing.

But if you feel it in the front, don’t push through it. That’s not “a stretch.” That’s often your nervous system reading a threat as you approach end range. In that case, your move is foot-focused work to create better centration first. Once it shifts to the back, then you earn the right to use the more traditional mobility strategies.

If you want to train this well: front view + side view, and respect front-of-ankle pain.

Question for you: when you test dorsiflexion, do you observe it from the front as well, or only from the side?

#anklemobility #dorsiflexion #sportsperformance #injuryprevention #mobility #strengthandconditioning