Stiff Ankles = PROBLEMS (Ankle Motor Control)
Movement starts from the 👟 up! We’ve posted a few videos on how to improve your ankle ROM over the past few weeks. This final video in the series shows you how to own that new range of motion. Without teaching your body how to effectively use the new range, it will continue to fall into the same restricted movement patterns, and all of that stretching will go to 💩!
Eccentric strength through ankle dorsiflexion ROM is essential. In fact, EMG studies show that the gastrocs soleus complex (our calves) are most active in the gait cycle when slowing down our tibias as they move over our feet in the stance phase. Translation- our calf muscles need to be the strongest when controlling and slowing down our bodies during walking (during ankle dorsiflexion), and not actuallywhen we would think they are pushing us forward (ankle plantar flexion)🤔 We’ll save that though for another post though.