How to Improve Ankle Dorsiflexion Fewer Injuries and Better Performance
Ankle dorsiflexion is one of the most important and overlooked range of motions in the human body, contributing to pain from the foot all the way up to the shoulder. Today we discuss how to determine if you have adequate ankle dorsiflexion and what you can do to improve this important range of motion,
Measuring Ankle Dorsiflexion
Tip: You should have at least 45 degrees ankle dorsiflexion.
How to Improve Ankle Dorsiflexion
The best way to improve ankle dorsiflexion depends on the cause of the restriction. There are many things that contribute to to limited ankle dorsiflexion and usually a combination of the following techniques works best.
1. Chiropractic Adjustments
A result of spending most of our days in tight/constricting shoes is that the joints in our feet/and ankle can become restricted, often limiting our ability to attain full range of motion. Restrictions in the talocrural joint is commonly contributed to limited ankle dorsiflexion. The chiropractic adjustment is an effective method for freeing restrictions in our feet and restoring full range of motion of the ankle.
2. Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Massage
Tightness in our calves or soleus complex can also be a common contributor to limited ankle dorsiflexion. Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Massage is an effective therapy used to decrease the tone of muscle groups and allow great range of motion.
3. Ankle Mobilization
The most important treatment is going to be an active mobilizaton. For Ankle dorsiflexion the movement looks very similar to the test itself, driving the knee over the front of the toe while keeping your heel on the ground.
Test/Retest
As with anything, the best way to tell we're not completely full of crap, is to test your results. Here we can see that after one round of treatment and exercise we were able to improve ankle dorsiflexion by 5 degrees while also getting us into the recomended range. Woo Woo!
Evolve Performance Healthcare's mission is to create smart, strong, and self reliant human beings. Our unique combination of full body chiropractic care and movement and strength programs are designed to give you the tools to remain pain and injury free.
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