The BEST Ankle Mobilization Exercises | Knee Pain 

Wow, dude, thank you, your methods work! I did the fascia abrasion butter knife one while watching the video, 3 minutes, and I got a lot of movement back and it doesn't hurt anymore, damn, thanks again.

Can't wait to get started!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for your channel.

Been watching your videos for many years Blake. Love how direct and to the point you are. Love you calling out these disgraceful rip off merchants trying to sell $2 equipment for $$$ - unscrupulous pieces of sh*t

i recently rolled my ankle. this has helped with my recovery. thanks Blake!

Got relief almost instantly... subscribed

Can't be live it youv done it again .I had a bad ankle break 5 years ago and have had little to no flexibility in it .just tried the exercises and already restored some of the flexibility back genius..

This is the most complete video I've seen on this topic. * Add to favorites *

I really like the informative honest info , this is the way others should be doing their videos. Honesty about stuff like the butter knife option , great way to connect more viewers and keep them coming back.

Wow, I am super impressed! The fork scraping and ball massage worked immediately - this excercise made a huge difference on my foot dorsiflexion ! Thank you so much!

hi.. I am sonu from India. just to say..thanks from my heart. God bless you bro.

Thanks! This has been a lifetime problem.

Great video!

Thanks it worked really well

I really appreciate your videos! You have been very helpful!! 😃 Keep up the good work! 👍👍

Thank you very much. I followed your instruction and noticed a dramatic improvement in my squats and stability. I wished I found your channel more earlier.

Best ankle mobility video I've found yet!! Thank you!! Keep them coming!

Thank you so much for this video. Exactly what I've been needing in dealing with ankle stiffness and pain. You're the best.

Super cool! this will definately help me with my olympic lifts! just awesome...

Way to go, Mr Bowman. You rock. Thanks a lot. You really helped, man. All these misconception that my knee is not okay. It's all because of the weak glutes and ankle mobility. Especially the ankle! Way to go. Thanks again. 👍👏👏

Great video

Holy moly! I just tried the mobilization with the butter knife- being ultra sceptic. 3 min later I can friggin squat with my heels on the ground!!! I love this! Thank you so much!!!

Thanks for those tips. It would never have crossed my mind to do the fascia combing.

Your such a clever gent. I have both the wrap n scrapping stone(very cheap AliExpress). Thanks for the tips

how often should i be doing this? very informative, thanks!!

I'm interested in resolving swollen ankle issues. This fascia scraping may actually do the trick! Thanking you in advance!

I know this video is older but my god thank you for this! simple stuff but I had terrible ankle mobility and pain in the front of my shin to foot. I'll keep doing these stretches! brilliant

Merci beaucoup !

This guy knows his stuff. Very thorough video. This is going to help me!

Thanks for the video. Was wondering if you should do activation right after mobility? Also by doing these mobility exercises will it improve triple extension movements like box jumps? Last question is are these exercises correlated to shin splint prevention? Keep up the good work Blake!

Thanks bro

thank you

keep it up bud solid.

Great video.. i had an ankle ORIF about 10 months back with netal implants n have really stiff ankle now. i have recently resumed some physical activity however ankle mobility is still low. Would these exercises be Ok for me to carry out? really found your video knowledgeable, thank you for your advise. Please do reply. thanks.

I have very stiff ankles I have been working on. I will definitely try these out

I love your videos😄😄

My right ankle/calf (not sure which is playing up the most) has slightly less ROM than my left. I've begun paying more attention to that side with foam rolling and some mobility work. Would you say that wrap is vital?

Really good stuff. Thanks!

great effing video, bro!

The scraping did wonders for me! Thanks!

Works really well :)

hmm..I've got really stiff ankle and knee problems on my left leg, I never really thought about them being connected.. Thanks for the video

Hey Blake! I really enjoy watching your videos! Would you address hip elevation and how to fix it? I wake up every single day with a back pain from it. Also I noticed my knees "when I'm in a standing position" they point toward each other with ankles away apart. Is it comes from the hip? When I squats in the gym with heavy load with feet about shoulder width apart, My knees function are normal like it goes with the foot direction. So the knee valgus only when I stand up or walk. I hope you can address these issues. Thanks in advance.

Wonderful video. But from which position of the butter knife are we supposed to be scrapping ? Like the pointed part?

Great video. Any reason for the banded distraction you're focusing on the tibia instead of the talus, which might be causing the impingement?

That was great @guerrillaZenFitness .. THIS is the video that made me subscribe to u . Good work brother. Keep up the good fight

The fork trick WAS NO JOKE! I had my GF help me and first try I was scared on how effective it was lol

great man :)

Great video! Thxs for this helps a lot. Also I got a $4.00 solid wood cane instead of the butter knife and it works like a charm!

Hello! Do you think that wearing a rounded (concave) soles ( like MBT chors) is usefool for strengthening ankles and improove posture? Thank you

I have snowboarders ankle long story short had surgery on it 5 years ago and it's still stiff and sore have you dealt with this before?

Hi Blake, I ve got a question for you. I have got APT associated with hyperlordosis. Now I figured that I also lack full ankle dorsiflexion. So can I do these exercises??? and can I foam roll my calf muscles for the same?? It is just that it shouldn't worsen my APT. I don't know the science thats why asking.

I don't have a budder knife so I used the regular kind and I my calf bleed so much blood. Is this normal?

I have a torn meniscus in my right knee, so I find it hurts if I try to do the dorsiflexion that you're doing. If I use an angled block or the wall for my toes and the ball of my foot, I can keep my knee straighter while still bending the ankle. Do you have any other workarounds for improving the ankle while avoiding making the knee worse?

watched some of your videos. U deserve my sub.

Thx for video. I really need some input about my situation: for 2 years i've been battling issues that started w/ spontaneous swelling of L ankle. (no trauma) following a bike ride, of all things. Hadn't been running or hiking much at all when this presented. After 2 years of every kind of opinion, imaging, subsequent other maladies (b/c the issues started to present at knee-medially, laterally, front and back, and at top of tibia, then hip). This is only on left side. My chief complaint was ankle pain, swelling, rigidity, and a noticeable dropping of medial ankle inwards. Have had hundreds of foot and ankle chiro adjustments and soft tissue work. Everyone has claimed my foot and ankle are working well and that was that. Definitely have had continued impingement sensation at the top of the foot where tib/fib meet the foot (talus). But my main issue was that I couldn't evert or invert as the ankle was just stuck. I could a little bit when foot was not dorsiflexed, but the foot would compensate and then all sorts of soft tissue issues would ensue. This has ended my work career (bicycle coach, personal trainer, etc), and no activity for 2 years. I am convinced my ankle is the original issue and it has not been resolved. Can you advise? I have professionals who can guide me on this, if in fact I can convince them that this may be the culprit. To me this seems pretty straight-forward, knowing what i know about the foot, ankle complex. Seems obvious that the eversion/inversion limitation would occur along w/ the top of the foot at ankle, when the talus isn't moving along its axis of ROM both at the tib/fib, and at the calcaneus. HELP. I'm about to give up on my former life and don't want to do that. I've not exercised in two years. That's hard for someone who's been athletic (once competitively) for 30+ years and use my body for work!! Thanks

the first one worked like a magic

The link for the NCBI study on knee pain and ankle DF isn't working, do you have a new link for that? Also, do you have any good references for the light abrasion technique?

If you have weakness in the peroneal tendon, are these exercises advisable? It seems like some of these might do more damage than good.

Is it normal for mobility work to cause pain/soreness in the beginning? I just discovered that I have a pretty big ankle mobility issue that is causing my squat form to be problematic, so I started some mobility work this week. However, the front of my ankle and the bottom of my calf/shin area has been sore ever since. Does this mean I'm doing something wrong or is that alright?

Any ideas for gaining ankle ROM after surgery? Really struggling to get my ROM back and it hinders me while playing soccer

I had surgery because i broke my fibula pretty bad. My ankle is very stiff now and i been walking slot to try and get back to normal. Do you think this could help me get some range of motion back

I had ankle surgery to fix a broken tibia and fibula 8 weeks ago (2 plates and many screws). I've been in physical therapy for 2.5 weeks, and am at a plateau because I can't get my dorsiflexion past 90 degrees. Is fascial abrasion safe for someone post surgery? I am going to show my PT this video...thank you!

i have had a ankle fusion op can you help mewith what physio to do to help me

Could bad ankle mobility lead to pattela femoral pain syndrome? Could you do a video on curing/healing pattela femoral pain syndrome?

OMG........ . . .just did this with the edge of my bar stool and a yoga band . I'm 250 and I can start sprint(barefoot) again.... it literally would lock me up for days.... thank you now to superficial head to toe

I have multiple fracture in my ankle Operation done six months now eight screw in my ankle so my ankle movement not properly please give me some ideas

That band one is contrary to what you should do for a stiff ankle. The convex/concave rule stipulates that the talocrural (ankle) joint goes through tallus posterior (therefore tibia anterior) translation during dorsiflexion. The force in this demonstration is the opposite to this. ~Physio

Doing these exercises along with patellar offtracking is ok? Because it causes pain in the knee most of the time

HEY !! Some advice needed! when i roll the ball on my left foot I feel a bit sore and stiff, on my tight one however it is VERY SORE and painful on several places, and there is a TON of crackling and popping. On a side note I pronate with my right foot when I run but not my left. I have had knee problems in my right leg for 4 years and I've spoken to so many different doctors and physiotherapists...they have yet to look at my foot.... and my problem is yet to be resolved. Anyways in a nutshell it feels like the inside of my foot is super stiff and the outside overmobile. if my foot is flat my knee caves inwards and if my knee/leg is straight above the foot, then the foot wants to curl up on its outer side like a claw. Would REALLY appreciate your professional opinion on this last bit, if there is any way to correct the positioning/force distribution that you can think of at the top of your head. I LOVE YOUR CHANNEl btw and have learned so much from sifting through your videos!!!

Do you have to lift your foot off the ground for the 1st exercise

heyy how can I solve carrying angle problem of my hand pls help me

Hello....Very much helpful and excellent explanation. Can you please help me with my problem? - I have had severe fracture to my left ankle (diagnosed with HAWKINS'S TYPE III FRACTURE OF TALUS WITH SUBTALAR JOINT DISLOCATION - ORIF OF LEFT TALUS done on 28.03.2015). Herbert's screws are used to facilitate the fixation. I have been on complete bed rest for 4 months. After one year, nearly 40% of the ankle movement is lost and I couldn't walk on plain surfaces inclined upwards. The range of motion in the upward direction is very limited and. So, after one year of my surgery, is it possible to regain the actual movement of my ankle by doing these mobility exercises. I am unable to run and perform most of the daily activities due to this blocked movement. I am very scared that I have to be like this for my entire life. Please help me with your valuable suggestion.

Forcing it forward with my ankle with the voodoo band There’s a incredible amount of pain

I can mail you for a problème if you ve time ? My ankle are instable and hyperlax, each I hit floor, walk in a hole... Tendon and my talus move and ive pain in ly adductor pyramidal and belly pain :(

What does the scraping do and your'e not doing it that hard?

Wait how lightly are we talking? How hard should I be pressing? Should it hurt at all?

This is great, You look like Buster Posey!

Hey GZ! I have pretty bad ankle mobility that impedes my squat. I have been doing the "scraping" on my calves, but it feels super "nervy" it even causes slight pins and needles in my feet. Is this normal?

Recently I fractured my ankle and had to have surgery. That ankle is still somewhat stiff. Will this video help with that? If not, can you recommend something?

ive come across the graston thing before. i gotta add this on top of the foam rolling

Would just like to ask: Has anyone who had fractured tibula or a very severe ankle sprain ever got back to normal? I play football and it still feels uncomfortable after 16 moths of the injury, it still gets swollen from time to time.

My hubby got an accident on 9th june 2020 ... tibia and fibula were frectured now more than 3 months passed now knee and ankle both stiff ..please guide me about this matter .. leg is swelled and foot is little unbalanced ...please help me

Awesome vid man, but my kind of pain is a bit different, it's lateral/back knee pain and it only happens once I load my knees while I'm at an angle a bit above parallel...Done MRI and there was nothing wrong with the knee...any thoughts ?

Hi , could the scraping technique be used on the it band

When I'm pushing the limits of my dorsal flexion it is actually the front of my ankle that hurts. Do you know why that is and what I can do to fix it?

Would this work for peroneal tendons of ankle?

About 2 weeks ago i got a pinched nerve in my calf (i slept on it funny), which caused some loss in dorsiflexion. It feels better but now but there is still a little numbness and tingling and i still can't fully dorsiflex my foot. Do you think some of these would help? P. S. I really like your channel and keep up the good work man👍!

I was an athlete in college, track and football, have stayed active out of college. Recently, been having bursa problems with left foot (both sides). Is lack of mobility causing this? It is terribly painful and I can hardly walk for 1.5 weeks. Any help appreciated.

Hi Blake, My tibia leans towards the outside of my body and the inside of my ankle collapses down when I squat I get pain inside my right knee if I don't point my toes out... Any recommendations? Im new to weight lifting and activity. My father and my paternal grandmother both have "bad knees". I also can't keep my heels on the ground when squatting.

Most individuals (even with a true dorsiflexion limitation) will be able to lift their toes off of the ground without falling backwards pushing their hips back. You are loading the joint and assessing active DF not passive ankle dorsiflexion mobility. It is better to assess from a set point on the floor where you line your toes up 5 inches from the wall and you see how far your knee can go forward next to a ruler in order to measure objective progress over time. Also, in dorsiflexion the talus glides posteriorly on the tibia so using a band to pull the tibia posteriorly with movement is counterproductive. Using the band when you turned around to pull the tibia anteriorly is more logical but even then you are weight bearing so their is no distraction at the talocrural joint, and therefore no true “mobilization” occurring at all. You are just stretching the gastroc/Achilles tendon, which would be good for someone who’s lack of dorsiflexion is actually due to stiffness on the posterior side musculature, but not for someone who’s joint mobility is the problem. Better option (for people who’s joint movement is the cause) is to have your foot up on a bench and use a band directly over the talus (just below the malleoli -big boney bumps on each side of your ankle) pulling posteriorly and inferiorly. Keep the majority of your weight on your back leg, relaxing the tibialis anterior and extensor digitorum longus muscles (to prevent guarding), and letting the band do its job. Try with your next client having trouble with dorsiflexion and see if it makes a difference!

I am having difficulty on taping my ankle. How do i wrap the heel?

How often do you do this?

Sir please help me i can't sit in squat postion when I squat my heels come off from ground and my hip hurt and my Gastrocnemius. Hurt please help me

Je me suis foulée les chevilles a plusieurs reprises, après 2 ans des que je me cogne, trébuche, marche dans un trou, je ressens immédiatement une gêne, une douleur sur le ligament interne près de la malléole... Et cela me remonte dans le ventre, l'adducteur et le muscle pyramidal de la fesse... On me manipule manipulation du tibial antérieur ect et cela part, mais cela est chronique est revient tout le temps que puisse faire ???

7:40 for 1st excersize

9:30 for 2nd myofacial release

I can feel my knee hurts when doing that 2nd exercise any advice?

When the ball rolled away from him lmao

could this be the reason why my back hurts after I run 3/4 th of a mile?

Where are the shoes from?