Ankle Mobility Exercises To Improve Ankle Dorsiflexion

Ankle dorsiflexion has been associated with a whole host of lower extremity injuries including plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinopathy, calf strains, shin splints, patellofemoral pain, IT band syndrome, and even ACL injuries.
Additionally, limited ankle mobility manifests itself as a functional limitation in every day tasks such as walking or going up and down stairs and even in athletic endeavors such as achieving proper squat depth or cutting. While the problems associated with limited ankle mobility are well known, the solutions on how to increase ankle dorsiflexion are not. Who else has spent hours and hours stretching without any increase in ankle dorsiflexion range of motion?
In this video, we're going to cover everything you need to know about ankle mobility. From defining what ankle mobility is, why you need it, how to assess it, and most importantly, how to improve it! Hang on tight for the best ankle mobility exercises to improve ankle dorsiflexion that you can do from the comforts of your home to decrease your risk of lower extremity injury, improve your functional abilities, and enhance your athletic performance!
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[@erabarq]

I’ve watched SO many ankle mobility videos and this is easily the BEST one! Thanks!

[@ThePrehabGuys]

Thank you! So glad you found it helpful!

[@dasilvasantos4340]

@@ThePrehabGuys what is the app name please???

[@ShefferJoe]

@@ThePrehabGuys Yep - thanks. Really great.

[@drostep27040]

Everyone likes my comment, but no one has been able to ANSWER MY QUESTION! Does anyone have a answer for me?

[@drostep27040]

@@ThePrehabGuys What is the name of the app that measures AROM

[@sulezraz]

1:13 Calf Stretch - Do both straight leg and bent leg stretches 2:35 Joint Restriction - 3 main ways 3:13 Banded Ankle Dorsiflexion - put foot on elevation 4:35 Banded Distraction Technique 5:51 Lateral Tibial Glide - Second variation (6:30) 8:30 Active Mobility Exercises 8:49 Rocking Deep Squat 9:05 Kettlebell Dorsiflexion 9:26 Pails and Rails (Hold 10 secs/ Push foot down for 10 secs/ Lift foot for 10 secs)

[@abhinavsukheeja7663]

Thanks mate

[@locomojoboy2]

Thank you for doing what this channel did not

[@ethans4489]

thank you!

[@nissanbling]

This is THEE video I needed, it's gonna save my ankles from all the body weight I'm currently carrying while exercising. Thank you.

[@thejookking]

Ankle Bandwork: 4:23 - _'ADDING OTHER VECTORS BESIDES PURE FORWARD MOTIONS WILL HELP FIND STICKY SPOTS!'_ GREAT little tidbits of information. Thx.

[@yentilharris3808]

This is the only video that helped me. Thank you.

[@abhishektodmal1914]

This is one of the best ankle mobility videos I've seen. Such wonderful information. Thank you so much guys !! Health and happiness always !! 😀❤️❤️

[@brittneyrobinson5290]

Wow wow and wow!! You guys are by FAR the most informative PTs on KZbin. The information is especially helpful for people that workout. Thank you!!

[@ThePrehabGuys]

Wow thanks so much for the kind words, Brittney! We thoroughly enjoy putting quality information out there! We've got some really great fitness programs if at all interested in truly getting after it! theprehabguys.com/product-category/digital/programs/sports-activities/

[@kelvinvo6323]

An incredibly useful video. Great job guys. Appreciate.

[@kusmalal6490]

Thankyou so very much . Such a nice video definitely it will be a lot of help to me as well as other people . God Bless You

[@markm4642]

Hands down the best one on the internet. I love you guys thank you for making this

[@ThePrehabGuys]

Mark we so appreciate the kind words! Appreciate you being part of the [P]rehab family!

[@laurenkilby4651]

Fantastic! So helpful, thanks.

[@barbbroad7130]

Most descriptive and visually helpful video for increasing dorsiflexion and ankle mobility I've seen..I couldn't continue my competitive running without doing the recommended exercises consistently; In 2016 I had surgery to remove a bone spur on the Anterior Tibial Tendon and scar tissue developed...so these exercises are a must. Thank you!! **I left my resistance band in a hotel recently:: What band do you recommend for me ( similar to the thick grey band and where can I order?? - my ankle circumference is small, I am very lean weighing 105 pounds...

[@jessk4510]

Very nicely explained! Thank you!

[@SingleSuccessfulMomMBA1422]

You guys rock! This will really help my squats and yoga. Thank you!

[@ThePrehabGuys]

So glad to hear it! Improving ankle mobility will make such a difference with squatting but also yoga as you mentioned, let us know how things are going down the road!

[@helenadearham5730]

Very useful information for my ankle issues, thank you 🙏

[@Instagramindiareels]

Really helpful ! Thank you team

[@gadielkungubatoka7171]

Great content, this is exactly what I’ve learned at med school. Explained really easily and loved the comparison of the home exercises and the clinical practice. Never saw it that way!

[@ThePrehabGuys]

Appreciate the support! Thank you!

[@TimboR92]

Great video! I love that you use the measure app, roughly how many degrees of dorsiflexion are we looking for? Thanks

[@thomasgibbs2494]

Amazing video, thanks guys! Coming off the back of torn ankle ligament injury

[@ThePrehabGuys]

We appreciate the feedback! New content out every Tuesday!

[@VR-nx5jg]

very helpful thanks

[@vinceraineing]

Finally a ankle video with every single tactic!!

[@ThePrehabGuys]

yes!

[@thejookking]

9:26 - Another exercise, called PAILS AND RAILS. Same kneeling position. Drive that knee forward and hold position for about 10 seconds. 9:57 - Use your calf and push your foot down into the ground without actually moving for 10 second! 10:16 - Try to lift your foot up and away from The ground without actually moving for 10 seconds!

[@jk3266]

A Gold Standard channel.

[@ThePrehabGuys]

Here for it! Thanks JK, be sure to subscribe!

[@BigSkiSale]

Rad video. Thanks guys

[@evanoginsky7836]

I can’t believe it. After doing this for about 10 minutes I can finally get into a deep squat when I was no where close before.

[@ThePrehabGuys]

Evan! So great! We love to hear about your success stories! Share this video with a friend who may need a little bit of guidance and also check out our program to truly master the squat! theprehabguys.com/program-squat-fundamentals/

[@Hustrulill]

I have been struggling with ankle mobility for a long time. A sudden onset of knee pain made me look both upstream and downstream. Was able to improve dorsiflexion by 5 degrees with just a few minutes with some of the exercises. Have seen many of them before, but you explained it so much better. Thank you!

[@Auzastas]

Try barefoot style shoes like vivo or xero. Helped me a lot!

[@Hustrulill]

@@Auzastas wear both 😊 would probably be even worse if I didn't.

[@Honest_Max]

Is the flexibility permanent? That is, do you still have the increased mobility the day after you did the stretching.

[@Hustrulill]

@@Honest_Max no, sadly not. I have to keep doing ut, but hopefully it's improving over time.

[@dominiquejames696]

🤩🤩🤩🤩 thank you so much brother this is amazing

[@natashasimeonidis3593]

AWESOME video!!!

[@b_l_w]

SUPERB explanation!

[@ThePrehabGuys]

Glad it was helpful!

[@grez6330]

Absolutely fantastic video guys

[@ThePrehabGuys]

Glad you enjoyed it. New video every Tuesday!

[@ColombianFighter018]

Just when I was looking into slant boards on Amazon you may have saved me some $$$

[@marcy07067]

Great video!

[@cadencecha3354]

The zoom ins were very helpful.

[@ThePrehabGuys]

Appreciate the feedback, Cadence! We will keep it up!

[@Aircheekz]

I have that same adjustable plyobox… great piece of equipment!

[@ThePrehabGuys]

We love it!

[@njsofresh1564]

Finally this the one

[@Pari_749]

Achha video hai, Sabse badi baat bahut saralta se bataya gaya hai. Thank you for this

[@ThePrehabGuys]

You're very welcome! Thank you for watching!

[@richardsolorio5910]

great video!!!

[@thejookking]

9:05 - If you don't have the depth to get into a deep squat/If you can't deep squat, here's your alternative... Get a weight, kneel (the upright knee is the one with the ankle restriction) and drive your knee over your toes as far as you can with as deep dorsiflexion as possible assisted with the weight on top of your knee keeping your heel down. Do that for about 20 seconds.

[@jorienstreur7025]

you are the first one who understands and explains the upper calf connection where I do felt my first pains, {after 5 year operation with crews and plates in ankle} But can i do these exercises with my operated ankle?

[@jonniewalke]

Fantastic and very complete. I myself am a Physical Therapist but graduated 8 years ago and have not practiced due to me working full time in a completely different sector which I fell in love with. Meaning I understand all of the theory yet because of lack of experience have a lack of clinical knowledge and answers to my ankle issue. I lost DF almost completely past the neutral position, I get to 0º - 5º ROM on my left ankle after suddenly and without trauma one day woke up with Posterior Tibial Tenosynovitis 6 months ago. The apparent cause is thought to be untreated valgus flat foot. As I love long distance walking and hiking most likely repetitive overuse not being aligned perfectly because of the valgus put strain on my tendon until all of a sudden one day I woke up with swelling and pain. 6 months later and after trying all types of non surgical treatments (PT, podiatry, hyaluronic acid injections, manual osteopathy, posturology) I am better in the sense that I no longer have pain and can walk normally (except go up stairs without compensating because of the inclination) and swelling is down (it took a really long time to get to this). What I notice now is this complete loss of DF that 7 months ago I did not have (I’ve always been physically fit, so I know). The suspicion by orthopedist is it might be anterior impingement. I myself feel a hard end feel when pushing back actively and passively. However, after trying your exercises for the FIRST time, right after doing them I was able to almost dorsiflex my ankle to the other ankle's ROM and actually felt a much smoother end feel. I was even able to do a squat going deeper, with some compensation, for the first time in 6 months. However, after 10 minutes of resting, DF gains were lost and went back to the same as before. Any idea about what's going on with the arthrokinematics? I understand I am not a patient at your clinic so I don’t even assume I should be given an answer, let alone waste your time, and for free. But I appreciate any input you may want to give me or if anyone else reads this and has similar issues and through my experience we can help each other out sharing thoughts and details. I have spent a few thousand dollars on trying to resolve this and so far your video has been the only thing close to letting me recover DF even if only for a few minutes, so very seriously from my part a big THANK YOU. I suspect either the temporary gain and sudden back to square one could be joint capsule tightness thus if I repeat the routine constantly maybe the results will eventually stay. Orthopedist suggest's only exploratory arthroscopy to “unblock and remove probable impingement” is the solution but I'm suspicious because without trauma I cannot explain sudden impingement after 30 years of being active and this loss being 100% associated to PTTD. Soft tissue is not an issue, at least I think not, I still have some internal inflammation that I notice when I get to the end of the DF I feel a pull on my PT because it's not healed 100% but as it's not purely an antagonist to dorsiflexion as it's a weak plantiflexor, I don't believe it can be the one causing this brutal loss of DF even if it's tight and thickened and slightly swollen due to this process. I must admit that now that im using custom orthotics for the flat foot and valgus I feel great pain wise but the lack of DF will give me long term problems in knee and hip if I don’t resolve the issue. I would have never imagined PTTD would be so aggressive to heal, the first 3 months I was not even able to walk inside the house without pain (now Im back to approx 10K steps daily as pain is no longer an issue nor swelling, just the consequence of the DF loss). I would say mental strain is high because it chances your lifestyle functionally speaking in quite a dramatic way. Sorry for the extremely long message. Have a great day and many thanks for your thorough video.

[@ThePrehabGuys]

Sebastian, thanks so much for being part of the fam! Make sure you subscribe to see more awesome content! Unfortunately, we can not give individualized medical advice over social media but we recommend taking a peek at our foot and ankle program, it sounds like it could be exactly what you need! theprehabguys.com/foot-ankle-prehab-program/

[@leenisharamroop2424]

Hi have you experienced pain going up to your knees and buttocks with DF? Has it healed? I can relate to your issue especially on the mental sprain part. I had a minor sprain and that completely changed my life. I still have pain after 2 years and been to physio and chiro. With chiro, it helped healed the area when it was originally sprained but around the ankle there’s still some pain. I get muscle cramps and some muscle knots have been formed. I’m hopeless because I’ve tried literally everything. So idk what to do anymore. Also I have sciatica in the same leg which is why maybe the pain goes up to the knee and thigh but never experienced this before the ankle sprain.

[@dhananajayshukla9496]

Great video, Dr. Aaron, do these stretches work for recovering from insertional Achilles tendinopathy?

[@xixu3603]

i had ankle surgery 2 years ago , i tried several exercises but not much result . these are by far the best exercises , thanks a lot ..

[@leenisharamroop2424]

Hi did it really heal your ankle also did the pain go up to your knees and buttocks?

[@xixu3603]

@@leenisharamroop2424 this exercise is not to heal your ankle it helps with mobility and strength. and yea pain went up to my knee ,hip even lower back. i still have pain issues but i am alot better now.

[@conniechan3280]

Thanks

[@cleatusmaynardsen]

Awesome videos! How often can/should you do the banded movements? Thanks!

[@Valentin.85]

1:11 After an ankle injury this is very useful i'll do it for a week rn it's 48°

[@njsofresh1564]

Can you Marian this mobility Tho or the range that you added

[@tunakurucu7704]

Great content! How frequent should we be doing this and do I need to warmup before these exercises?

[@ThePrehabGuys]

Thank you! Can do up to 2-3 times per day as able and we are always big proponents of a warm up!

[@neilbeech4093]

thanks for your exercises. I broke both of my ankles which sux!

[@kinseycarmichael5978]

👌👌🔥

[@kitt12300]

Hi! your vid is really helpful i have limited ankle mobility however I don’t have a elevated thing.

[@ThePrehabGuys]

Any sort of elevated surface can be used!

[@VeraPin88]

This is the most throughout ankle mobility exercises video as others I’ve watched don’t go into so much details.

[@rominamagali6777]

I was wondering if you could provide an alternative for the bands. Those are a bit expensive where I live (at least for me) 🤧.

[@towasenwalling8369]

I need Best foot drop treatment and exercise please

[@wolfmafia3734]

subscribed, liked, shared, saved !

[@ThePrehabGuys]

Awesome thank you!

[@mgetoff]

Could someone please give me some instruction on how to use the Measure iPhone app here? How do I set it for degrees? It's measuring inches. Thanks!!

[@avia4281]

Is there a bluetooth or wireless app or other hardware to see degrees while doing other exercise or stretches or maybe the straps for phones ?

[@drostep27040]

What app are you using on the phone in order to do a measurement of range of motion? Thank you

[@user-ud9cd3tx3j]

It was the stock measure app that comes with the iPhone

[@jemelspearman2042]

What exact measure app did you use on iPhone?

[@shawnjbray]

I need to fix my ankle lock up from drop foot. I can dorsal flex and lift my toes half way to how good I used too, but my

[@leenisharamroop2424]

@theprehabguys hi I sprained my ankle over a year ago and sometimes it hurts to the point it goes up to my thigh and knee. Also noticed some muscle knots in the back of my lower limb. Would these exercises help?

[@-xlntc91x-]

Do these exercises (especially the ones for joint restriction) help with anterior ankle impingement? Right now I can't move my knee past my foot due to pain when doing it.

[@beto.aveiga]

In the first measure he is not forcing to go further, so... 🤷‍♂️ Anyhow, thanks for the video, I'll try these exercises at home.

[@harryshum63]

Hey Prehab! Great video on the ankle dorsiflexion, was wondering if Craig didn't feel tightness on the back of the ankle and instead at the front of the ankle maybe like a pinching sensation. Would these exercises also apply to it? Thanks a lot!!

[@ThePrehabGuys]

Hey Harry! Thanks so much for the love! Pinching in the from of the ankle can also be caused by a lack of ankle dorsiflexion, these exercises are definitely still applicable! Give them a try!

[@harryshum63]

@@ThePrehabGuys Thanks for this info and wondering what would be the cause for the front of the ankle as the back of the ankle is caused by tightness/ restriction in soft tissues in calves region, would the front be due to tibilais anterior?

[@tylerbettencourt9097]

Very well done. What app do you use to level? I use Measure.

[@ThePrehabGuys]

Thanks, Tyler! Measure is a great app!

[@shubhamspatil]

My measurement came out as 51°. Using squatting toilets does have its benifits.

[@thienbao3467]

Hi guys, i just want to ask that i felt a little bit of discomfort on my knee when i was going to dorsi flexion in those exercises. Sorry for my bad english, i really hope you guys can understand what i’m saying. Much love for your content

[@ThePrehabGuys]

Thank you! Try decreasing the range a bit and then gradually progress it as movement improves!

[@thienbao3467]

@@ThePrehabGuys ❤️

[@MarkBacera]

Which of these exercises are best for front of the ankle impingement?

[@shuruebale1514]

Are all the stretches here applicable for all degrees of experience in movement? There is usually variations in flexibility depending on how sedentary the individual is....please respond

[@aftabshaikh7860]

My ankle mobility is soo poor.... I hope i can improve it by follow this routine

[@ThePrehabGuys]

Check this out for me Aftab! theprehabguys.com/product/ankle-dorsiflexion-overhaul/

[@macadam678]

What app measurement are you using?

[@bartalonejames]

HEY DOES ANYONE KNOW THE APP HE IS USING?

[@heragr2912]

Quick question: any idea why I get any uneasy feeling at the balls of my feet when doing exercises like toe taps, or using bands to expand my feet left and right, or doing calf raises. The feeling goes away after a few days. Is it because I do these exercises with just socks on and no footwear? It's like a numbness or a burning feeling or a combo of both.

[@Jaskaran__Singh7]

💪

[@shawnjbray]

I got drop foot a half a dozen years ago. It’s fixed about half way, but my heel is still locked up. I stretch my calves every day but my heel still doesn’t get more flexible

[@mohamedmagdi8331]

What is the name of the app you using to measure please?

[@davidwaldermar793]

Was buying into it all then he went into a deep squat and he was basically touching the floor, he does not have low mobility in his ankles

[@sashabariffe6730]

What if "joint things" are due to ORIF? still working the same way?

[@michaeltheberge6681]

What’s the app you used in this video to measure dorsiflexion? Thanks!

[@ThePrehabGuys]

Lots of great apps to download that will take measurements! Goniometer Pro is a good one for Apple!

[@beachwanderer1938]

My ankle and front of foot issues are from sitting in congested traffic 2 hours a day w my foot on the brake. This area is completely locked up now

[@anthonytran8569]

How about with blockage in the front?

[@davefacts3550]

Getting alot of pinching in the front during these drills enough to be sore the next day. Should I continue but not go as deep? Thanks

[@ThePrehabGuys]

Generally speaking, with mobility exercises, you want to stay consistent with the exercises, but not push past symptoms. Here is an article that can give you more insight on ankle dorsiflexion. Thank you for your great question and best of luck to you! theprehabguys.com/unlock-ankle-mobility/

[@ericstachowiak1087]

Would you recommend tibialis anterior training in addition to the ankle mobility exercises?

[@ThePrehabGuys]

Absolutely! But important to build strength onto of healthy mobility!

[@Rahulkumar-hz3qk]

I had an injury in my left leg 2 years ago and after surgery I have ankle stiffness by which I cannot walk, running and squat properly what can I do to recover my ankle fully. Thank you,waiting for your reply...

[@ThePrehabGuys]

Hey Rahul, thanks so much for reaching out! We actually have a great program dedicated to improving your ankle mobility which will improve your walking, running and squatting! Check it out! theprehabguys.com/program-ankle-dorsiflexion-overhaul/

[@aguekajack7163]

How often should these exercises be done?

[@rhondafleming4759]

You probably can't take the time to answer, but how safe and effective are these stretches for a 75 year old with end stage arthritis in the ankle? I don't want to make things worse! Thanks!

[@beepsilver]

I'll answer since I'm getting up there too--kudos for seeking help for an issue. You can do these stretches despite the arthritis as long as you don't cause pain when you're doing the stretches. Since it sometimes takes longer for us aged folks to feel the effects of exercise/mobility, try doing this session for your sticking points only, then wait a day or two to see how it affected you. Proceed from there . There are many reasons/causes for arthritis, but a tight joint (especially in the feet) leads to friction and is a major factor in the body laying down minerals that eventually become spurs/arthritis. Go barefoot as much as possible. If we lack mobility, age will progressively be unkind. It's best to move as much as you can within a pain free range. There's a difference between the feeling of overstretching a tendon or ligament vs an arthritic joint. Sharp or hard pulling pain won't help. Check your progress by perceived increase in range, how much freer your ankle feels, and for how long. If you've injured your ankle(s) over the years, have some scar tissue and they're always stiff/painful, ask your doctor about prolotherapy (may have to refer you to sports medicine). You'll reel back in horror if you watch a video about how it's done to the feet, but I promise you it's not that painful and it works. Good luck! kzbin.info/www/bejne/faHdZIePrLKEhNE

[@user-fq5pl7cp1w]

How many days work out to win this problem

[@bartalonejames]

WHICJ APP AFE YOU USING?

[@titomikegaming6520]

What if its stiff infront? Do you have a video for that one?? Thank you

[@ThePrehabGuys]

We have some great ankle mobility videos on our foot and ankle playlist on the channel - check em out!

[@sachinff5367]

Sir muscles below the thigh back side is small than other ??please give me tips to back the muscles and make them equal ???I request you sir please reply 😩😩😩😩😩

[@anjalipradip2555]

Hi! I was wondering if these would be okay to gain back my mobility after a ligament tear in my ankle?

[@ThePrehabGuys]

Yes it is! Regaining mobility after any injury is crucial for healing but also return to activities as you progress and get better! We have a few really good ankle programs that can help with this! Check em out here! theprehabguys.com/prehab-programs-v2/

[@thejookking]

8:26 - _'YOU MUST FOLLOW UP ALL YOUR PASSIVE MOBILITY WORK (I.E. STRETCHING) WITH ACTIVE MOBILITY WORK!! (I.E. EXERCISES)'_

[@dust_and_the_catcher]

Oh my god I can bend my ankle NOW !!! by just few minutes!!

[@ThePrehabGuys]

Yes we love to hear it! Be sure to subscribe, great stuff dropping weekly!

[@kneecage3236]

What's the name of the app?

[@17jeza]

Are these stretches good for lower leg shin splints? Thanks

[@ThePrehabGuys]

Jeremy check out this blog we have on shin splints!theprehabguys.com/shin-splints-exercises/

[@tjgrafiks]

I was taught these over 20yrs ago. only used them a few times. wish I'd kept doing them. now my ankles garbage lol

[@FunnyyMaster]

My both leg ankle mobility is actually different so can i do exercise one leg it has poor ankle mobility please replay 🙂 and can i know what is the reason to happened that problem

[@FunnyyMaster]

Replay plz

[@thejookking]

8:45 - _'ACTIVE MOBILITY EXERCISES TEACH OUR BODIES HOW TO USE THE NEW RANGE WE JUST GAINED'_

[@rituchoudhary8428]

I'm so confused cause there were so many stretches and I still dk which one I'm suppose to do. I just wanna learn to squat🥲

[@ThePrehabGuys]

Hey Ritu! Lots of great stretches for ankle dorsiflexion! If you are truly looking to master the squat, check out our program here! theprehabguys.com/program-squat-fundamentals/

[@glenmayepete]

I sprained my 'inferior extensor retinaculum' back in 2011. It feels thickened and inflexible which is restricted my dorsiflexon. I have tried breaking the scar tissue up but it still feels thick.

[@ThePrehabGuys]

Definitely check out our ankle program here! theprehabguys.com/foot-ankle-prehab-program/

[@PremKumar-eq9rb]

👌👍