Ankle & foot · Closed dorsiflexion
Stiff ankle
The shin cannot travel over the foot. The body borrows range from the foot arch, the knee, or the lumbar spine, and those joints file the complaint.
Why it shows up
Old sprains, stiff shoes, calf density, and a talus that no longer glides posteriorly. People then squat with lifted heels or turned-out feet and call it their 'style.'
How it feels
- — Heels that pop up in a squat
- — A pinch at the front of the ankle
- — Calves that never feel finished, no matter how much you stretch them
On the table
Soleus, posterior capsule, and the peroneals. Hands-on work here often gives an immediate, temporary change in knee-to-wall distance. Practice keeps it.
Drills
Ankle & foot
Knee-to-Wall Dorsiflexion
Restore ankle bend so the knee and hip stop paying the bill.
Ankle & foot
Short Foot
Wake the small muscles in the foot so the arch can share load instead of collapsing.
Ankle & foot
Tibialis Raise
Strengthen the front of the shin so the foot can land and the knee can travel without dumping in.
Full chain
Goblet Squat to Box
Own a squat that stays tall and keeps the knees tracking.
Self-massage
Ankle & foot
Arch ball
Wake the small muscles in the foot so the arch can share load instead of collapsing.
Ankle & foot
Calf roller
Soften a calf that will not let the ankle bend, so the knee does not have to cheat.
Ankle & foot
Outer-shin ball
Quiet the outer lower leg so the ankle and arch can share the work.