"Move Better" Series: Exercises To Improve Lower Extremity Mobility And Stability

Yesterday's “Move Better” post presented the Hurdle Step Test, which assesses the mobility and stability of your hips, knees and ankles.  Performing the Hurdle Step Test requires balance, coordination, and mobility through the joints of the moving and standing leg.  If you tried the Hurdle Step Test and had difficulty performing it due to balance or joint mobility deficits, this post will provide exercises that may help address these issues.

EXERCISES TO IMPROVE BALANCE AND STABILITY

Our joints and tendons contain sensory receptors called proprioceptors that respond to the movement and position of the body.  Proprioceptors communicate information to our brain and muscles and help us maintain or change our body position.  A significant part of our static and dynamic balance relies on this proprioceptive system.  Whether we are standing on one leg, walking on a sandy beach, or backpedaling to guard an opponent on the basketball court, these proprioceptors help us control our movement and balance.  Building our proprioception through balance exercises may help us better control positions of our joints during movements, decrease our fall risk, or improve our sports performance.  

The videos below include beginner balance exercises as well as more advanced dynamic balance exercises: 

EXERCISES TO IMPROVE ANKLE MOBILITY 

Dorsiflexion is a motion that occurs at the ankle and involves the movement of the top part of the foot toward the tibia (shin) bone.  When stepping up onto or over an object (like in the Hurdle Step Test) limitations in ankle dorsiflexion may increase your risk of catching your toes or foot on the object or cause you to compensate with increased movement through the hip or trunk.  

 To learn how to improve your ankle dorsiflexion mobility, CLICK HERE.

EXERCISES TO IMPROVE HIP MOBILITY

Stepping over an object (like in the Hurdle Step Test) also requires adequate hip flexion mobility to raise the femur (thigh bone) high enough to help clear the object.  Impairments in hip flexion mobility may also impact other daily activities, like getting down into a squat or lunging.  Hip flexion mobility may be limited by tightness in musculature around the hip joint or restrictions in the hip joint itself. Exercises to improve hip flexion mobility and provided in the video below:

In summary, the Hurdle Step Test is a quick way to assess mobility and stability in parts of the lower extremities.  Check past “Move Better” content for other ways to improve your balance through dynamic strengthening exercises. 

Questions?  Contact sean@salmonbaypt.com.

-Brian Collins, DPT & Sean Tyler, DPT

"Move Better" Series: Exercises To Improve Your Ability To Squat

Yesterday’s “Move Better” post presented the Overhead Squat Test as a way to test your overhead squatting form and self-assess the mobility of the joints involved in this movement.  Today’s post will discuss ways to improve your mobility in the different areas of the body involved in squatting and overhead squatting.  Specifically, we will discuss mobility exercises for the ankles, hips, thoracic spine, and shoulders. 

Ankle Dorsiflexion Mobility

Dorsiflexion is a motion that occurs at the ankle and involves the movement of the top part of the foot toward the tibia (shin) bone and is an important movement when performing a deep squat.  During a squat, ankle dorsiflexion limitations may present in several ways.  Common signs of poor ankle dorsiflexion that may occur during a squat include excessive turnout of the feet, the knees moving too far inward (knee valgus), or losing contact with your heels on the ground.

To learn how to improve your ankle dorsiflexion mobility, CLICK HERE.

Hip Flexion Mobility

A deep squat requires adequate hip flexion mobility, which occurs when the femur (thigh bone) flexes upward toward your trunk.  Impairments in hip flexion mobility for squatting may present as difficulty getting the femurs below horizontal during the squat.  Hip flexion mobility may be limited by tightness in musculature around the hip joint or restrictions in the hip joint itself.   

If a lack of hip flexion mobility is preventing you from getting into a deep squat the exercises in the video below may be helpful to improve your squat form:

Thoracic Extension and Shoulder Mobility

Thoracic extension mobility is important to allow full overhead shoulder range of motion during an overhead squat.  Sufficient muscle length in the latissimus dorsi and pec muscle groups are also important for optimal overhead squatting form.  Signs of poor thoracic and shoulder mobility during an overhead squat include excessive extension (backward bending) of the lumbar spine and an inability to maintain the bar/dowel above your head and over your feet.

To learn how to improve your thoracic extension mobility, CLICK HERE.

To improve the flexibility of your latissimus dorsi and pec muscle groups, try the exercises in the video below:

Questions?  Contact sean@salmonbaypt.com 

Stay tuned for more “Move Better” content!

-Brian Collins, DPT & Sean Tyler, DPT