Experts Explain Why Ankle Mobility Exercises Can Level up Your Workouts

How well your ankle moves is a main predictor of future ankle injury, Wilson said.

Research shows the joint takes on forces of about five times your body weight during walking and up to 13 times your weight during running. Healthy mobility protects the joint from these forces. It also ensures weight is distributed across the ankle joint in a healthy way, said Natalie Sampson, P.T., D.P.T.

But, healthy ankle joint mobility also lowers your risk of a whole host of lower-body injuries, Wilson said.

That’s because when your ankle’s range of motion is limited, other joints in the kinetic chain — the musculoskeletal links that connect your toes all the way to the top of your head — have to make up for it, said Wilson. And, research has linked poor ankle mobility with a higher risk of knee, hamstring, and hip injuries.

Improving ankle mobility can assist your running performance. As you push off the ground, three major joints have to extend: the hip, knee, and ankle. This move is also referred to as a triple extension.

That extension of the ankle increases how much force you exert into the ground, and how much power you produce, Wilson said. It decreases the angle between your shin and the ground. As a result, it allows you to move forward with each stride.

Case in point: Try to run on your heels. How’d it go? Probably not very fast. Then, stand still and quickly plantarflex (extend) your ankle to push off the ground through the balls of your feet. You probably caught some air.

It’s a small movement, but optimizing this range of motion is a difference-maker for anyone seeking a running personal record (or to improve their speed).

Getting the most of any exercise hinges on moving well.

The squat is one such example. During the lowering phase of a squat, the ankle needs to dorsiflex (think: shin to toes). That motion is what allows the shins to angle forward and the thighs to get parallel with the floor.

If your ankles aren’t able to fully dorsiflex, you likely won’t be able to lower as far into each rep without falling backward, Wilson said. As a result, your quads can get less of a workout. This is because shallow squats are more or less a hip hinge, and the move recruits fewer muscle fibers. Note, tightness in the calf complex can also interfere with squat depth.

For this reason, some strength training athletes wear special weightlifting shoes during squats. These shoes have solid, raised heels that mimic dorsiflexion by letting their shins move farther toward their toes. It also releases tight achilles and calf complexes. As a result, this enables a person to squat low.

However, if you find that your shoes are getting in your way of your ankle moving freely, consider taking them off.

(Related: The Best Nike Shoes for Weightlifting)

Eccentric exercises focus on strengthening muscles as they relax, and are very effective at improving joint mobility, said Howe. This variation takes things up a notch with an elevated surface. This lets you strengthen your whole range of dorsiflexion motion. Here’s how to try it.

• Stand with your feet close together on the edge of a low platform, like a stair step.
• Position yourself so just the front of your feet are on the platform, and your heels hang off.
• Keeping both legs straight, raise up onto the balls of your feet.
• Pause. Then very slowly lower your heels as far as you can. Note, this move should be performed bilaterally.
• Optional: Hold onto a sturdy object if needed for balance.
• Perform 8 reps, 3 sets.

Tip: Start out easy with this ankle mobility exercise. Once you see how your calves respond, you can add more reps or hold onto a weight for extra resistance.

These simple drills train ankle health in a couple ways, Wilson said. First, they get you to move through full dorsiflexion and plantar flexion. Then, they require you to isometrically hold that position — while walking.

• Stand with your feet close together, and raise up on your heels.
• Holding this position, walk forward a given distance (think: to the other side of the room).
• Reverse the motion and raise up onto your toes.
• Holding this position, walk forward a given distance.

Tip: Focus on walking slowly and with control. This is not a race!

This simple drill takes you through all six of the ankle’s available movement patterns, but it’s especially beneficial for training healthy ankle rotation, Sampson said.

• Sit on the floor with your legs extended and a rolled up towel under your calves.
• Use one foot to write the lowercase alphabet in the air.
• Repeat on the other side.

Tip: You can also squeeze in this exercise while seated in a chair or at your desk.

Flip your foot over. Your plantar fascia is a thick band tissue along the length of your arch that hooks into your heel (it also connects to the Achilles tendon). Inflammation or tightness there can limit your ankle mobility, Wilson said. So, by stretching your plantar fascia — with this move — you can sneakily improve how your ankle moves.

• Sit with one shin crossed over your opposite leg’s thigh.
• Grab your toes and gently pull the front of your foot as close as possible to your shin.
• Optional: Use your other hand to massage the arch of your foot.
• 60 seconds breathing throughout

Tip: If you have plantar fasciitis, do this every day in the morning before you get out of bed. This is when the plantar fascia tends to be at its tightest.