Welcome back to Squat University. Last week we talked about our feet. 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’ lecture, the stable foot sets the foundation for our mobile ankle. This is our topic of discussion for today.
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 inwards. These are only the immediate affects 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 our toes. This forward knee movement comes from the ankle and 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 outwards 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.
How To Screen
Today I want to introduce a simple way to assess our ankles. This screen 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 screen for its ability to provide reliable results without the need for a trained specialist (2).
Find a wall and kneel close to it with your shoes off. Use a tape measure and place your big toe 5 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.
What did you see?
Movement Checklist:
| PASS | FAIL | ||
| Knee can touch the wall at 5 or more inch distance | Knee Unable to touch wall at 5 inch distance | ||
| Heels remain firmly planted | Heels pull off from ground | ||
| Knees Aligned with Feet | Knees collapsed inwards (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 5 inches while keeping your knee in line with your foot, you show adequate mobility in the ankle (1).
However if you had any checks in the ‘fail’ column for this screen, you have a dorsiflexion mobility restriction. This restriction could be either a soft tissue restriction or a joint mobility problem, or both! We will discuss in our next lecture how to decipher between a soft tissue issue or a joint mobility issue. In addition, we can talk about a few ways to improve ankle mobility.
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 (like the half-kneeling dorsiflexion screen) to find out the cause of the breakdown. By addressing ankle mobility issues, we can improve the overall quality of our movements.
Until next time,
With
References
- Bennell K, Talbot R, Wajswelner H, Techovanich W, Kelly D. Intra-rater and inter-rater reliability of a weight-bearing lunge measure of ankle dorsiflexion. Australian Journal of Physiotherapy. 1998; 44(3):175-180.
- Reinold M. (2013) Ankle mobility exercises to improve dorsiflexion. Retrieved from MikeReinold.com.
Look, ankle mobility’s crucial—no one talks about it enough. Plus, if you’re struggling with those squats, you might wanna check out some resources here for extra tips. Steal a Brainrot
Thanks for sharing
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Great breakdown! Maybe you could also suggest how often athletes should re-test ankle mobility to track progress.
Great breakdown! The detail on screening ankle mobility is super helpful — especially how a restricted ankle can disrupt not just your squat but your whole kinetic chain. As someone who works as an electrical contractor, I often find the physical demands of the job (kneeling, climbing, lateral movements) make ankle mobility more important than people realize. The half-knee dorsiflexion test is one I’m going to start doing regularly—not just for squats, but to stay injury-free on the worksite. Thanks for sharing these actionable tips!
Excellent article! Your explanation of how ankle mobility affects squat depth and stability is spot on. I appreciate the step-by-step approach and visuals—it really helps identify tightness areas. Reading this reminded me how small adjustments can lead to big performance gains. I was recently using a Paint Cost Calculator for a renovation project, and it’s the same idea—details matter for accuracy and results. Thanks for breaking this down so clearly!
Great tips! I’ve been struggling with ankle mobility for a while, and these exercises are really helpful.
By the way, I’ve recently been working on a game
that focuses on timing and movement — some of these mobility drills actually help in gameplay reflexes too!
Great tips! I’ve been struggling with ankle mobility for a while, and these exercises are really helpful.
By the way, I’ve recently been working on a game that focuses on timing and movement — some of these mobility drills actually help in gameplay reflexes too!
This is a really useful breakdown — ankle mobility is honestly one of those things people ignore until it starts affecting their squat depth and knee tracking. I noticed a big difference once I started actually screening dorsiflexion instead of guessing.
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This is an excellent breakdown of the “Joint-By-Joint Concept.” It’s often overlooked how a lack of mobility in one area, like the ankle, can create a domino effect that compromises the stability of the entire chain, especially the knees and lower back. Understanding these biomechanics is essential for anyone trying to optimize their squat performance and prevent long-term injury. Just as maintaining physical structural integrity is vital for movement, ensuring you have reliable data backup systems is crucial for protecting the integrity of your digital records. Both require a solid foundation to prevent everything else from “collapsing” when under stress!
Clear explanation of ankle screening and its impact on movement quality. Even while researching topics for Best CIPD Level 7 Assignment Help, this test stands out as simple and effective.
Thanks for the ankle mobility tips! It’s cool how small adjustments can improve movement. Speaking of challenges, I’ve been stuck on a tricky level in drop away—maybe I need to think outside the box like with my squats!
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Thanks for the ankle mobility tips! It’s interesting how assessing movement patterns applies to different areas. Speaking of patterns, I’ve been working on my pixel flow skills lately – those puzzle games really challenge your strategic thinking in a similar way.
Okay, so we’re finally tackling the ankle! Good to see the emphasis on dorsiflexion – it’s the unsung hero of a good squat. Feels like a lot of people skip this part and end up with a perpetually unstable foundation.
Dorsiflexion angle, huh? That’s a metric I can *actually* understand! It’s like the secret handshake to a deep, comfortable squat. Hopefully, this series will help us unlock some serious mobility gains.
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This article on improving ankle mobility for squats provides clear, practical guidance that can help athletes and everyday lifters enhance their squat mechanics and reduce movement limitations. This raises an academic question: how does targeted mobility training, such as improving ankle range of motion, affect biomechanical efficiency, injury prevention, and long-term performance outcomes in strength training populations?