Ankle mobility and stability are two of the most important elements when it comes to exercise that supports overall health and longevity. Many of our older adult clients begin working with an in-home or virtual personal trainer because they’re beginning to feel the consequences of aging without proper attention to the health of their body, especially in regards to their joints.

In fact, the World Health Organization states that “about 528 million people worldwide [are] living with osteoarthritis; an increase of 113% since 1990” (2019). In this blog, we’re going to focus on ankle mobility and how it can affect not only the quality of your workouts, but your activities of daily living.

THE IMPORTANCE OF MOBILE JOINTS

Regardless of how strong your muscles are, you can’t move safely without mobile joints. They are the connection points that allow you to bend, extend, and rotate smoothly. They also help your body to absorb shock while maintaining balance and stability, reducing your risk for falls and injuries. Furthermore, “several studies show that exercise helps decrease pain and improve joint motion for people with hip and knee osteoarthritis (OA). One review of 96 articles showed how physical activity and exercise often result in better outcomes than medications, injections, and surgery” (Healthline, 2023).

THE FUNCTION OF THE ANKLE

Being a literal part of the base of your body, your ankles are vital in basis of movement. Proper ankle mobility supports proper movement mechanics in walking, running, jumping, climbing, and bending. If your ankles aren’t able to move freely, your knees and hips will not be able to maintain alignment.

On top of this, the depth of your squat (the vital bend and lift pattern) will be much reduced if your ankles aren’t able to properly dorsiflex (move your toes towards your shins). This will compromise your strength progress in the gym and possibly increase your risk of injury: if your ankles aren’t able to dorsiflex, you may begin to round through the spine to compensate. This can injure your hips and lower back.

STRENGTH TRAINING

Simple exercises like calf raises (bodyweight and weighted) and single-leg balances can make a big difference in ankle strength. Our in-home personal trainers in Toronto, Collingwood, London, Hamilton, and Ottawa (and virtual personal trainers everywhere) often use tools like BOSU balls and aerobic steps to increase intensity. When practiced regularly, challenging the stabilizing muscles and ligaments that support the ankles can aid in improving mobility.

MOBILITY EXERCISES

Next time you’re in the gym or meeting with your in-home or virtual personal trainer, try including these ankle mobility exercises in your warm up! You can see them demonstrated by trainer Liz here.

Slow Calf Raises: Begin standing tall with your feet hip-width apart. Flex your calves to roll yourself on to the balls of your feet, coming as high up as you can. Hold yourself at the top of the range of motion for a couple of seconds before slowly lowering back down with control. Perform 10-15 reps. To focus more on strength, add weights. To further the challenge, place the balls of your feet on a step or ledge to increase range of motion. To regress the exercise, perform the calf raises from a seated position.

Tibialis Raises: Place your butt against a wall and walk your feet out until your weight is in your heels. Slowly pull your toes up towards your shins, lifting as high as you can. Just like the calf raises, hold at the top of the range of motion for a couple of seconds before slowly lowering back down. If this hurts your heels, place a thick matt, blanket, or towel underneath. This exercise can also be regressed by changing to a seated position.

Controlled Flexion & Dorsiflexion: Begin on the floor in a low lunge (kneeling position). Slowly rock forward onto the front foot, driving your knee over your toe but keeping your heel on the ground. Only move as far as you can without allowing the heel to lift. You can use your hands to assist in keeping your foot planted. Hold for a few seconds, then slowly pull your hips back into a half-split position: your front leg should be almost fully extended, but maintain a slight bend in the front knee as to prevent putting too much pressure on that joint. If you can’t reach the floor in your half split, use yoga blocks or books to assist. We suggest practicing this exercise on a soft surface.

FINAL WORDS

Small, but mighty, your ankles and their mobility are key to good movement. As fun as it is to challenge yourself in the gym with new and exciting goals, it’s vital to stay on top of the practices that will keep your body healthy and happy in the long-term. If you think your joints needs some extra attention, our team of professional and experienced personal trainers can give you the tools you need for success. Book your first session, here!