Ready? Time For Ankle Mobility!

Hey there, Yogi!

Today, we're testing ankles.

When you squat (or sit in a chair, or pick something up), your ankles need to let your shins move forward.

If your ankles are stiff:

• Your heels lift off the floor

• Your weight shifts to your toes

• Your knees cave inward

• Your hips can't sit back properly

The result: Hip pain. Knee pain and balance issues.

The problem was your ankles; that’s where the restriction started.

Ankle Assessment: 3 Simple Tests

We're testing three things today:

1. Ankle plantar flexion (how far your ankle points down)

2. Ankle dorsiflexion (how far your ankle bends forward)

3. Weight-bearing mobility (how your ankles function when you're actually moving)

You'll need:

• A wall

• Bare feet

• 5-7 minutes

• Your tracking sheet (below)

⚠️ Before You Start

If you have any lower body injury, surgery, or chronic condition (hip replacement, knee issues, ankle surgery, Achilles problems, arthritis): Some tests may not be safe for your condition.

Check the modifications in each test before starting.

If you feel sharp pain during a test: Stop immediately. Note which test caused pain and skip it.

You're gathering data, not proving anything. Work within your body's limits.

Please, don't start moving until you've read the whole test. Your safety is everything.

TEST 1: Ankle Plantar Flexion (Pointing Foot)

How to test:

1. Lie on your back (supine position) with your knee slightly bent and supported by a pillow.

2. Relax your foot completely

3. Test one ankle at a time

4. Point your foot down and away from your body as far as you can comfortably go

5. Don't force it, just go to your natural range

6. Hold for 2-3 seconds

Notice: How far can your foot point? Does it go easily, or feel restricted?

Now move your foot back towards your body just to feel the difference.

Repeat on the left side.

Track it:

Easy = You can point your foot at least 40-50 degrees (your foot points down significantly)
Tight = Less than 30 degrees of plantar flexion (foot barely points downward)

• Right side: E ___ or T ___

• Left side: E ___ or T ___

Modifications:

→ If lying flat hurts your back: Bend both knees and plant your feet, then test one foot at a time

→ If you have knee pain: Keep a rolled towel under your knee for support

→ If you can't tell how far you're pointing, have someone take a photo from the side

→ If you've had Achilles tendon surgery or rupture: Skip this test entirely

→ Sharp pain in your Achilles tendon or calf: Stop immediately

TEST 2: Ankle Dorsiflexion (Knee to Wall)

In this test, we see how far your ankle can bend forward.
It affects stairs, squats, and getting in/out of a car.

How to test:

1. Stand facing a wall, bare feet.

2. Place your right foot 4 inches (one hand-width) from the wall.

3. The left foot steps back for balance (it doesn't matter where, as long as it keeps you stable).

4. Place both hands on the wall for support.

5. Bend your right knee forward and try to touch the wall with your knee.

6. Key rule: The heel must stay flat on the ground

7. If you succeed: Move your foot farther back from the wall and try again

8. If you fail (heel lifts or knee can't touch): Move your foot closer to the wall

9. Find the farthest distance (from your toes to the wall) where your knee can just barely touch the wall with your heel flat.

That's your measurement.

You’re trying to see how close your toes can get to the wall for your knee to touch the wall without lifting your heel.

You can estimate; exact inches don't matter.
Just notice: toes far from the wall = mobile, toes close to the wall = restricted.

Repeat on the left side.

Track it:

Easy = Toes are 4 inches or more from the wall: your knee touches the wall while your heel stays flat.
Tight = Can't get past 3 inches, or heel lifts before the knee touches the wall.

• Right side: E ___ or T ___

• Left side: E ___ or T ___

💡 Quick check for compensation:

Compensation is everywhere.

For this test, when your ankle can't bend enough, your body finds another way to get your knee to the wall:

Did your heel lift off the floor? Or maybe your foot turned outward?

→ If yes: Your ankle won't bend, so your heel or foot has to compensate. This means your ankle is more restricted than the distance suggests.

Modifications:

If you have balance issues: Hold the wall with both hands (you already are).
→ If you still feel unsteady, place a chair next to you to grab.

If you have knee pain when bending, don't force the knee forward.
→ Go only as far as comfortable. Note: "knee pain limits test."

If your calf is very tight, this test will feel tight.
→ That's okay; calf tightness restricts ankle dorsiflexion. This is what we're testing.

If you've had ankle surgery or an Achilles rupture.
→ Skip this test entirely

TEST 3: Hip Rotation (Seated Cross)

Let’s test how your ankles function during a full squat movement. This shows whether ankle restrictions are affecting your ability to squat with proper form or not.

How to test:

1. Stand with feet hip-width apart, bare feet.

2. Toes can point forward or slightly outward (whatever feels natural).

3. Arms reach forward for balance.

4. Slowly lower down into a squat as far as you comfortably can.

5. Go only as low as:

   • Your heels want to lift, OR

   • You feel stuck, OR

   • Your balance tips forward

6. Don't force it.
   We're not testing how deep you can squat.

   We're testing what your body does when you try.

7. Hold at the bottom for 2 seconds, then stand back up.

Track it:

Easy = You can squat comfortably with heels down, knees tracking over toes, and torso relatively upright.

Tight = You experience any of the compensations listed below

• Right side: E ___ or T ___

• Left side: E ___ or T ___

Modifications:

→ If you have balance issues: Hold onto a chair or countertop lightly with one hand

→ If you've had a hip replacement: Skip this test entirely

→ If you've had ankle surgery: Skip this test entirely

→ If you feel pinching in the front of your ankle, stop at that point, don't force deeper

→ If you have knee pain: Only squat as deeply as feels comfortable or skip it.

What Your Results Mean

Look at your tracking sheet.

Did your ankles test "Tight" on one or more tests?

Now look at your hip results from last week.

Did your hips also test "Tight"?

Here's the connection:

Scenario 1: Tight ankles + Tight hips

Your ankles restrict your squat/stairs/movement → Your hips have to compensate → Your hips get tight and overworked → Your lower back might compensate for both.

This is VERY common. Restriction at the bottom (ankles) creates a cascade upward.

Scenario 2: Mobile ankles + Tight hips

Your hips are the primary restriction.

Your ankles are doing their job, your hips aren't.

Scenario 3: Tight ankles + Mobile hips

Your hips are compensating WELL for your ankle restriction.

This is actually why your hips might feel tight; they're working overtime to make up for your stiff ankles.

Scenario 4: One ankle tight, one mobile

If your right ankle tested tight and your right hip also tested tight last week: Same-side restriction pattern.

If your right ankle tested tight but your LEFT hip tested tight: Cross-body compensation pattern. Your body is shifting the load to the opposite side.

What NOT to do

• Don't start aggressive stretching to "fix" your restriction.

• Don't force your way deeper into poses.

• Don't try to make both sides symmetrical right now.

• Just observe. Track. Notice patterns.

• The plan will come at the end of this series when you have the full picture.

What's Next

Your shoulders and hips are connected through your spine. Tight shoulders affect your lower back. Tight hips affect your upper back.

We'll test shoulder mobility and see how it connects to everything you've learned so far.

You'll need: A wall, a towel, and 5 minutes.

With care,
The Yoga Daily Team

P.S. If you’re super busy and couldn’t do the test now, that’s totally fine.
Would you like to receive a reminder to do it later?