Are Your Tight Ankle Making You Slower?
When addressing speed, agility, and quickness it is important to take movement quality into account. Moving fast relies on that fact that athletes are able to get into an effective and efficient position. However, there are times when this position is unattainable due to structural or functional deficits.
A few weeks ago, on our Instagram account, we addressed ankle mobility. Many times ankle mobility is discussed when referencing issues in squat technique. However, if you lack mobility through your ankle it will also limit your ability to get into proper sprinting positions.
Loss of ankle mobility can be created from multiple sources. Many times we will see a loss of mobility from a history of ankle sprains, or from athletes that rely on ankle taping for practice or competition. You may also see a loss of mobility from specific shoe ware or a lack of complete movement, think, “Use it or lose it”. When athletes such as hockey players are stuck in a neutral position with high ankle boots for their sport they tend to lose the mobility within their ankle.
Figure 1 Limited Ankle Mobility
Figure 2 Adequate Ankle Mobility
Sprinting relies on the ankle’s ability to move into a dorsi flexed position then accept force in this position without losing integrity. The ankle then expresses force as it moves into a plantar flexed position. If the joint is limited in its range of motion then it will compromise its integrity in order to accept and produce these forces.
The body recognizes that this is a compromising position and it will limit the amount of force that it creates which is transmitted through this structure. Even the strongest, most powerful athlete will be limited in their movements if the body does not feel strong moving at full capacity. The body does not like compromising positions or movements. Its main goal is always safety in movement.
How to fix this…
In order to address this issue we must address the ankle’s ability to move into and out of platar and dorsi flexion as well as accept and produce forces from these positions. In order to see exercises to best address the mobility aspect of this deficit check out our post on our most common ankle mobility drill.
The body is incredible when it comes to compensation. If it recognizes an issue in structure or function at that structure it will find a way to operate around it when called to do so. Do not rely on this ability to compensate. Find a way to get back to proper movement and function.