Difference in Dorsiflexion

[Nicholas Cooper]

Question to the wise? Why do I have greater ankle range of motion when I have one foot forward  ankle stretch to  the wall, then when I have both feet same distance from the wall. 

 

By one foot forward I mean I lunge on one leg a distance from the wall and try and touch my knee to the wall. (the wall gives a target to aim for)

 

If I put both feet parallel and try and test my ankle range of motion its less.  

 

Thanks

[Edoardo Roberto Cagnola]

I'm just guessing, but could it be due to the fact that you have an higher % of your bw on the leg that you are stretching when you perfrom the lunge variation?

[Keegan Yentsch]

^yes, this might be due to the strength of your calves and then tightening more to support your weight when you do both legs together/squat.

Also, do you have equal ROM in both ankles? If one is tighter it may be limiting the other one thus appearing like you have less ROM.

[Nicholas Cooper]

Hi Keegan,

When you say strength  do you mean lack of and that's why they tighten to support my weight? 

[Keegan Yentsch]

Yes, if you have the range when performing passive movements under less load, but not under greater load, then chances are that either you lack eccentric strength in your calves and thus they are contracting harder to support you resulting in less ROM.

Or

You are lacking in strength in your ankle dorsiflexors (Tibialis Anterior) which are therefore unable to pull your ankles into Dorsiflexion and thus you are feeling like you cannot get deep enough into the ROM.

It could be other things as well, but I would try building strength at greater ranges of ROM and see if that doesn't improve your ability to squat better.

You could try:

-doing static holds as low as you can go into the ROM (this is good for building strength and endurance in the Dorsiflexors)

-holding a weight to allow you to get lower into the squatting position (this is good for building up eccentric strength in the Plantarflexors)

Hope this helps, good luck

[Nicholas Cooper]

Thanks Keegan. Much appreciated.