Lower Body Mobility

Good stability and movement in the lower body are dependent on good mobility in the three major joints of the leg, which include the ankle, the knee, and the hip. It can be tricky to decipher what is limiting mobility in the legs and hips because apparent poor mobility in one joint may actually stem from poor mobility in a neighboring joint. 

For example, what appears to be poor stability in the knee can actually be caused by weakness in the ankle or in the hip. In fact, weakness in the hip tends to play a major role in knee pain common in runners. Poor dorsiflexion in the ankle can present as too much forward lean of the trunk, heels coming off the floor, or just a difficult time squatting to parallel or lower, which is why wearing lifting shoes or placing wedges under the feet can quickly correct squat form. It requires less flexion in the ankle.

Because mobility limitations are so difficult to diagnose without the proper training, it is important to seek an evaluation by a qualified professional. Once the cause of any limitations is determined, exercises can be chosen to improve mobility in the affected joints. 

There are a myriad of methods and exercises to improve mobility in the lower body. Common protocols may include exercises that improve stability in the ankle by strengthening the muscles of the calf, ankle,and foot, improve muscular balance in the hips by increasing strength in the glute medius, improve range of motion in the hips through dynamic stretching and improve dorsiflexion of the ankle by lengthening the calf muscles.