Ankle flexibility is essential to all athletic and daily activities, allowing your feet to move in their full range of motion. This provides equal and proper force distribution and production in your feet, allowing your knees and hip joints to move freely. Physical therapist Gray Cook, author of "Movement," recommends that you incorporate your hip joints and spine with ankle flexibility exercises because all of these joints share nerves and connective tissues that influence how each moves. Focusing on ankle flexibility alone without considering your hip and spine would not improve full-body flexibility.
Multiplanar Calf Stretch
Step 1
Put a foot-long half foam roller on the ground about 2 feet away from a wall. Put your right foot on top of the roller with your heel on the ground and your left in the gap between the wall and the roller.
Step 2
Put your hands on the wall for support and shift your weight to your front foot. Keep your posture upright as you hold this position for three deep breaths.
Step 3
Move your left foot across your body to the right edge of the roller, which will cause your right foot to roll toward the outside of the foot. Hold the stretch for three deep breaths.
Step 4
Put your left foot toward the left edge of the roller which will cause your right foot to roll toward the arch of your foot. Hold the stretch for three deep breaths. Repeat Steps 1 to 4 three to four times on each foot.
Standing Toe Touch
Step 1
Put both feet together on top of the foam roll with the balls of your feet on the roll and your heels on the ground. Raise your arms over your head and bend your torso forward to touch your toes or ankles with your fingers. Bend your knees as much as you need if you cannot touch your toes.
Step 2
Hold this position for two deep breaths and slowly roll your body up to the starting position. Perform six to eight reps.
Step 3
Put your heels on top of the foam roll and your toes on the ground with your feet together. Raise your arms over your head. Exhale and bend your torso forward to touch your toes. Hold this position for two deep breaths and return to the starting position. Perform six to eight reps.
Deep Squat
Step 1
Stand with your legs about shoulder-width apart and raise your hands over your head. Exhale and bend your torso forward to touch the ground with your hands or fingers. Hold this position for three deep breaths.
Step 2
Lower your buttocks down to a deep squat while pressing your fingers against the ground. Keep your chest and head up and your shoulders away from your ears. Press your knees and elbows against each other as you hold this position for three deep breaths.
Step 3
Raise your arms over your head, exhale and stand straight up without losing your spinal alignment. Perform two sets of five to six reps.
Tips and Warnings
- Once you gain ankle flexibility, perform strength and stability exercises to avoid ankle and knee injuries, suggests the National Academy of Sports Medicine. These exercises should incorporate multiple joints and muscle groups, such as squats, single-leg squats, stair-running, sprinting and jumping rope.
Things You'll Need
- 1-foot-long half foam roll
References
- "Stretch to Win"; Ann and Chris Frederick; 2006
- "NASM Essentials of Personal Fitness Training"; Michael Clark; 2007
- "Movement"; Gray Cook; 2010
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