Why Your Ankles Might Be Holding You Back

When it comes to improving how you move, your ankles are one of the most overlooked joints, but they’re also some of the most important. Whether you’re walking, squatting, lunging, running, or climbing stairs, your ankles need to move well in order for the rest of your body to move efficiently. If they don’t, your body finds a way to compensate, often leading to issues in your knees, hips, or lower back.

Why Ankle Mobility Matters

The ankle needs to be able to dorsiflex, which means your shin moves forward over your foot. This motion is critical for:

• Walking and running
• Deep squats or lunges
• Balance and stability
• Absorbing shock and preventing injury

When ankle dorsiflexion is limited, you might notice:

• Your heels lifting during squats
• Knees caving in or tracking poorly
• Compensations at the hip or spine
• Difficulty walking uphill or going down stairs smoothly
• A tendency to roll your feet out or flatten your arches

The Knee-to-Wall Test

One easy and effective way to assess your ankle mobility is the knee-to-wall test:

1. Stand facing a wall in a lunge position, with your front foot flat and toes about 4–5 inches from the wall.
2. Try to touch your front knee to the wall without lifting your heel.
3. Move your foot closer or farther until you find the furthest distance where you can touch the wall while keeping your heel down.
4. Measure the distance from your big toe to the wall, that’s your current dorsiflexion range.

Goal: Ideally, you should be able to reach 5 inches comfortably. If you’re short of that, there’s room to improve!

Challenge: Improve Your Knee-to-Wall Range

This month, we’re challenging you to test and work on your knee-to-wall range, and see how it impacts your movement.
Try this daily for 1–2 weeks:

• Perform 2–3 sets of 10 slow, controlled knee-to-wall mobilizations per ankle.
• Keep your heel down and move within a comfortable range.
• Track your progress and re-measure every few days.

Small Gains, Big Wins

Even a small improvement in ankle mobility can make a noticeable difference in your balance, stride, squat depth, and even how your knees and hips feel.

And the best part? It doesn’t take fancy equipment, just a wall, a few minutes a day, and some consistency.

Ready to unlock better movement from the ground up?

Start with your ankle mobility, you may be surprised how much easier everything else feels.

Need help figuring out what’s limiting your range or how to make the most of this challenge? Book a session with us at Move Authentically Physiotherapy in Kingston, we’d love to help you move with more freedom and confidence.