How Ankle Mobility is Ruining Your Squat
All this talk of mobility but what does it really mean? And why should you care?
Being mobile is a crucial aspect of being fit. If a person is not able to move a joint freely through its full range of motion, then they are already putting themselves at an increased risk of injury before even attempting to pick up a weight and load that range of motion.
Now here is why your ankle mobility is ruining your squat. In my experience with corrective mobility training, the most common reason people may have poor dorsiflexion is a past surgery or injury. This makes sense when dealing with big injuries, such as fractures, Achilles tendon ruptures, and ligament tears from acute sprains. Anything that requires a period of immobilization of the foot can obviously lead to a loss of ankle mobility.But you don’t need to have had a major injury or surgery, even mild injuries can lead to a loss of ankle mobility such as Ankle sprains.
The Good News: A better squat and improved dorsiflexion of the ankle may be just around the corner for you!
The Bad News: It is not guaranteed that your mobility will every fully return to normal especially after injury but that does not mean you should give up all together! Here are some things that may help.
Self-myofascial release for the calf and plantar fascia
Stretching of the calf
Ankle mobility drills
Without the ability to push your knee past your toes your body is forced to sit back and put more load on the hips which could cause hip pinching, lower back pain and instability. It is important to address immobility just like you would address an injury because it could lead to altered movement patterns, and well, more injuries.
Still don’t see why it matters? Without the right muscles working when you squat you won’t be able to lift heavier, grow your booty or burn as many calories the way that you’re hoping to. Which means you’ll be wasting your time and eventually get frustrated when things aren’t going your way.
To learn more about perfecting your squats and growing that booty, visit www.madeformefitness.com and sign up for online personal training today!
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