Ankle Dorsiflexion

Athletic performance is highly dependent upon the functioning of myriad joints throughout the body. The ankle joint may garner less attention in the gym, yet its contribution to many athletic maneuvers is critical. As an example, when vertical jumping the hips, knees, and ankles all contribute to varying degrees to the efficiency and height of the jump. Research has reported muscular contributions particularly in the ankle range from 16% (Fukashiro & Komi, 1987) to 23% (Hubley & Wells, 1983) when performing a vertical jump.

Force generation capacity and predominant muscle fiber type around the ankle play a role in an athlete’s jumping ability (Vanezis & Lees, 2005). Any deficits in ankle mobility will impair the athlete’s jumping performance (Godinho et al., 2019), and be a risk factor for injury not only at the ankle itself, but at multiple points along the kinetic chains. Albeit perhaps not as overt as other joint restrictions, minimizing its limitations may go a long way in improving your overall game.