Published on: 4/24/2025
What causes poor ankle dorsiflexion and how can it be improved?
Poor ankle dorsiflexion can be caused by weak muscles and may lead to falls. Improving it involves exercises to strengthen ankle muscles.
Explanation
Ankle dorsiflexion is when you lift your foot upwards. If this is hard to do, it might be because the muscles that help lift your foot are weak. This weakness can make it easier to trip or fall.
Causes:
- Weak ankle muscles
- Reduced range of motion
Improvement Tips:
- Strengthening Exercises: Doing exercises that make your ankle muscles stronger can help. This can include movements where you lift your toes up while keeping your heel on the ground.
- Stretching: Regularly stretching the muscles around your ankle can improve flexibility.
By working on these exercises, you can help your ankles become stronger and more flexible, which can reduce the risk of falls.
(References)
- Grindstaff TL, Dolan N, & Morton SK. (2017). Ankle dorsiflexion range of motion influences Lateral Step .... Physical therapy in sport : official journal of the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Sports Medicine, 27662790.
- Whipple RH, Wolfson LI, & Amerman PM. (1987). The relationship of knee and ankle weakness to falls in .... Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 3794141.
- Naicker M, McLean M, Esterhuizen TM, & Peters-Futre EM. (2007). Poor peak dorsiflexor torque associated with incidence .... Journal of science and medicine in sport, 17560829.
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