What is Dorsiflexion?
And how do we improve it?
Dorsiflexion is the backward bending and contracting of your hand or foot.
This is the extension of your foot on the ankle and your hand on the wrist. You can additionally dorsiflex your hands and feet, though normally the term is relating to your wrist or ankle.
Dorsiflexion occurs in your ankle whilst you draw your foot back towards your shins. You contract the muscles along the shinbones and flex the ankle joint whilst you dorsiflex your foot.
Dorsiflexion of the hand or wrist occurs whilst you flex your wrist joint back towards your lower arm. You can try this by extending your arm and hand in front of you on a flat surface. Raise your fingers back and up with your hands guiding the motion, ensuring the arm stays still. Dorsiflexion additionally occurs whilst you bring the arms of your hands collectively in front of your chest in an prayer pose.
What limits dorsiflexion
Numerous conditions can restriction ankle mobility. Tight calves and flat feet can negatively affect dorsiflexion, due to a restricted range of motion. Having an ankle that is impaired in some way, by scar tissue for example, can also inhibit dorsiflexion. This will be due to the fact your ankle is too tight or has an injury limiting the range of motion. It’s possible for limited dorsiflexion of the ankle to be hereditary, but it’s typically the end result of an injury.
How do we improve our ankle mobility?
There are many techniques and exercises which can be used to enhance dorsiflexion. YOGA can enhance dorsiflexion in your ankles when you perform poses such as; Camel pose, Chair pose & Infant’s pose.
Stretching your calves also can improve your ankle mobility. This could assist in loosening up and stretching the larger muscles that affect ankle movement. You can additionally roll your calf backward and forward over an foam roller.
Of course ankle mobility exercises also can assist, particularly when incorporating resistance into your training.
For further, more dynamic exercises continue to look through dorsiflexion.com or check out our YouTube channel.