Awesome Advice About Ankles 🏃🏽‍♀️ 🦵🏽

Today, I want to talk to you about something you don't always think about while squatting: ANKLES.

I've seen so many clients come in with poor squatting mechanics or complaining of knee pain and they have really limited ankle mobility.

😲 Squatting is one of the most functional movements we do: we use it throughout our daily life.

🧑🏽‍🦳 Learning how to squat correctly will help keep us safe and healthy as we age.

🏋🏾 Squatting is complex - when we squat, we recruit muscle groups throughout our entire body to properly proceed and stabilize through the movement.

🦵🏿Limited range of ankle motion compromises our form and can lead to injury, especially once we start lifting heavier loads.

👟 In the short term, when you have limited ankle mobility, consider raising the heels slightly by placing small weight plates underneath your heels to increase the depth of your squat without compromising your form.

✔️ To target ankle mobility, make sure you foam roll your calves and add in static stretching that targets both the gastrocnemius and soleus calf muscles

☞ Pro Tip: you hit your soleus by stretching your calves with a slight bend in your knee.

Check out these videos for more info:

PAR 5 Physical Therapy in Randolph, NJ specializes in helping active individuals in Morris County get back to exercising and working out pain-free without having to take time off or relying on injections/pain medication.  PAR5PT offers physical therapy and performance services to all populations, with specialties in Orthopedics, Golf Fitness Training and Rehab, and Manual Therapy Techniques, and Wellness Services.

If you’re dealing with anything, big or small, and you have questions, call/text 973-490-4955.

Thanks for reading!