Until you experience an injury, it’s easy to overlook the crucial role your ankles play in everyday movement. Yet stiff or restricted ankles can disrupt your body’s entire mechanical system. When movement at your foundation is limited, the effects travel upward — placing added stress on the knees, hips and spine.
Over two decades working in professional sports, I’ve repeatedly seen limited ankle mobility lead to a wide range of issues, including poor balance, knee pain, hip tightness and chronic back discomfort. Many athletes seek relief from persistent tension without realizing the true source of the problem lies elsewhere.
Ankles are the unsung gatekeepers of healthy movement. Restoring their mobility can ease tension throughout the body and improve overall performance.
Your ankles form the base of nearly every movement performed on your feet. Walking, running, jumping and squatting all depend on the ankle’s ability to flex, allowing the knees to move forward and the hips to shift back. This motion — known as dorsiflexion, or drawing the toes toward the shin — is essential for efficient movement.
When dorsiflexion is restricted, the body is forced to compensate. Heels may lift during squats or lunges, knees may collapse inward, or feet may turn outward while walking or running. Over time, these compensations alter how force is distributed through joints and tissues, increasing strain and ultimately leading to pain and stiffness in the knees, hips and lower back.
I am a human performance scientist and these are the best exercises for strength and mobility
Time is a finite resource, and if you’re investing it in the gym, you want to make every minute count—whether your goal is building strength, managing weight, improving mobility, or enhancing overall fitness.
The term “best” is subjective, depending on factors like your personal goals, genetics, and available equipment. Dr. Andy Galpin, a tenured full professor at Parker University and world-renowned human performance coach, offers guidance for finding the exercises that deliver the most value.
Rather than prescribing the same exercises for everyone, Dr. Galpin advises selecting movements that allow you to work through the largest safe range of motion possible.
This starts with an honest assessment of your current flexibility, comfort level, and strength. Once you understand your body’s capabilities, you can apply Dr. Galpin’s approach.
Optimising Strength and Mobility
“If you can achieve an excellent position on a barbell back squat, fantastic. If you need to switch to a rear-foot elevated split squat, that’s also excellent. And if mobility limitations mean you need to start with a leg extension machine, that’s perfectly fine,” he explains, ahead of Healf’s HX25 wellbeing event.
The key takeaway: progress safely within your range of motion, and tailor your exercises to what your body can handle today, while steadily pushing toward improved strength and mobility.
Unlocking Ankle Mobility to Ease Knee, Hip and Back Pain
