Just being nosy really as I suspect my ankle flex is not very good, but if you could do this test and give feedback here I'd appreciate it.
Disclaimer - I've no ideal what I am talking about and don't even know if it is a valid test, suggestions of other tests welcome.
Quote:
Find a wall and measure 4 inches off the wall. Mark that point (I used a piece of masking tape)
• Put your big toe on the tape at the 4 inch mark.
• Move your knee forward, by bending at the ankle while keeping your heel on the floor. Your knee should be over your second toe. Yes, you hit the wall, congratulations you have solid ankle mobility. (Middle Photo)
• If you knee doesn't hit the wall you're going to need to work on your ankle mobility. (Right Photo)
@DB, I thought I had reasonable ankle flex, but can't (quite) do it.
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
@DB, it’s pretty much the same as one of the tests my physio used to track progress during post-ACL-tear rehab last spring, so it’s a bona fide test.
I now have good ankle flex, and yes roughly in line with the 4 inch thing your link mentions...the downside is I now find the limits to flexion in my boots! (I can pressure them to a certain extent before the tongue just folds...). Maybe time for a stiffer pair...
Is being short a good excuse? It's further for us to go... I've never had great ankle flex, and the left is still slightly worse than the right after I broke it. My knees are about an inch from the wall.
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Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
I can't do it, but I suspect it's more to do with lack of hip movement than ankle movement. But my ski boots don't hurt either.
After all it is free
After all it is free
Scarlet wrote:
Is being short a good excuse?
No idea, as I said earlier I haven't got a clue.
I can almost touch the wall but I can't do a deep squat without falling over backwards (even when I'm sober) ….. if that helps.
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@DB, I definitely cannot squat.
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I can do it, right foot harder to do than left!
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
I can do both tests quite easily. I use both these tests on a regular basis at my job in the biomechanics clinic that I work at. Surprising how many patients I see who are quite flexible in lots of other ways who have poor ankle dorsi-flexion
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I only JUST fail.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
I can do about 6" on the right foot and 5.5" on the left - but I have been doing this for years. I'm aware of the slight imbalance, so work harder on the left.
I've been intermittently working on this and found the test in the OP quite easy now. I could get to about 5 inches from the wall before my heels started to lift off the floor.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
DB wrote:
Interesting, I think you might be onto something there …. (although in this vid he says you should sort out your ankles first)....
Thanks for posting. Liking the guy's style. Will have to have a go at his lessons.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
I can only just make 1".
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
For the wall test, I can 5.5” on my right, but 0” on my left due to a club foot with locked/blocked ankle. I can’t say that it has stopped me skiing for the last 30+ years
3.75" if I do one leg at a time. I can't squat, I don't think I've ever been able to. Maybe I should join a yoga class, if the idea of doing yoga didn't put me off completely
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
I can do it pretty easily, but I have been working on hip mobility for a few months, and calf / ankle stretches for similar.
Everyone else`s replies makes me think I must have done the test wrong. Gonna do it again.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@Scarlet,
No need for full yoga classes, 5 mins every morning doing light stretches is all you need.
oh, 5.5" both legs pretty easy, but my left knee hurts with any weight on it as I came back from boarding last saturday and it hasn't calmed down yet!
After all it is free
After all it is free
Yeh ok, so just done it again, up to 8 inches no problem, the 4 inches test is absolutely fine. I have no problem with squatting, though I stupidly tried to do the Russian dancing I used to do so easily. Glad no one was around to video that! I am, and have been a dancer & swimmer , all my life, that might have helped? (By the way age wise, I was born in 1958, the scientist in me says that information is necessary lol )
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I could do it easily which supervised me because when I went to Bicester the other week for my boot fitting Colin said I was very inflexible!!
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Just tried doing the same while wearing my ski-touring boots and then my alpine ski boots. Couldn't get anywhere near the wall.
That's confused me now.
Do we really flex the ankles that much when skiing? Maybe the forces are much higher when skiing so it's easier to flex the boots on the slope? I could get the knees further forward with a piece of wood under my heels - but a higher delta angle puts you in the backseat right?
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I'd imagine that the forces skiing are much greater than you can generate in a static position. You may pull in round figures nearly 2g in a turn with most of that force on one leg.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
@DB, I can barely do the 4 inches on my right leg before the knee collapses inwards (old ankle injuries) but can do almost double on the left and keep it straight. I really notice it skiing, especially in powder where it feels like my right leg gets left behind when I try and get forward.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
I manage around 3", likely due to having broken both Achilles tendons.........
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Are we meant to do this with both legs at the same time or one and then the other? Does it matter?
I can do the 4 inch test easily with the right ankle but the left ankle hurts when I try and do it. Then again it has only just stopped turning randomly since a pesky injury in June last year.
It would explain why my skiing hasn't felt quite right last couple of weeks when normally it only takes a day to get back into it.
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I was a total failure- calves felt very tight-possibly aggravated by running and [ahem!] not stretching?
For skiing I’ve had custom insoles for very high arches together with heel lifts (about 5mm) for years- my understanding being the heel lifts/insoles combo resolved the agony under balls of my feet and toes associated with high arches. Am now wondering how odd it would feel to ski without the heel lifts (or how rubbish I would be).
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Just tried it; 4 wasn't even a challenge, then did 7" ok & could probably get it to 8 if I warmed up.
I'm 6'2" which must help. I also never cycle which is apparently bad for ankle flex but walk a lot most days.
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
McKenzie wrote:
Just tried it; 4 wasn't even a challenge, then did 7" ok & could probably get it to 8 if I warmed up.
I'm 6'2" which must help. I also never cycle which is apparently bad for ankle flex but walk a lot most days.
Yes I guess if your tibiae are longer than average they can tilt further but then your feet will probably be bigger than average too to match.
So how do we improve our ankle flex especially when one side is good and the other is pants as in my case?
Last edited by You need to Login to know who's really who. on Thu 16-01-20 20:54; edited 1 time in total
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
I did some deep squats on the power plate earlier today. It felt as though some good was being done in the ankle area. Who knows? (Grandma S probably does. )
I can do the 4" thing easily on my L, just about on my R (and then it feels as if the bones at the bottom front kind of lock up, adn then the top of my foot hurts). Not really news, found this when they did ankle flex tests at the Warren Miller evening which I attended. Been trying for ages to get more flexion, all kinds of stretches, and can't. Can't manage full deep squats without holding onto something or falling back either. Concluded it's just the way that I'm made (short fib/tib, long femur, big back bottom). S'a good excuse for my crap skiing tho'
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@Grizzler, that is what I get as well with the injured left one-as if there is a blockage somewhere or it locks up and then there is pain on the top of the foot where it meets the ankle crease.
It doesn't seem to be a calf issue as can drop both heels on a step down really low.
Will have to work on it I think.
After all it is free
After all it is free
I was about 3 inches away on the left and 6 inches away on the right. That's a lot of inches.
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@VolklAttivaS5, glad to know that it's not just me! My calves seem fine too, as is everything else bar tight hamstrings in both legs.
Not knowingly had an injury there (bar both knees, but this was the same before then). It's the ankle on the leg whose knee is more inward facing (kind of twisted, not just a foot pronation). Have had things checked by physios and podiatry /biomechanics folks, nothing specifically advised to be able to do anything about it, some have commented that it's just the way my lower leg bones were designed (don't cross enough, one said?).
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@Grizzler, I'm sure mine was even both sides before this ankle mash in June. I remember a boot fitter checking it and both knees went way forward of toes but now the left one is like it has a squash ball in the way.
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Glad no one was around to video that! I am, and have been a dancer & swimmer , all my life, that might have helped? (By the way age wise, I was born in 1958, the scientist in me says that information is necessary lol )
