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Form fundamentals

Ankle Dorsiflexion

How far your shin travels forward over the planted foot at midstance.

Healthy range: 15–25° of forward shin travel at midstance

What it is

As your body passes over the foot, the shin should rotate ~20° forward over the ankle. Restricted ankles stop early, forcing the knee and hip to make up the motion — or the foot to bail out sideways.

Why it matters

Limited dorsiflexion is one of the most common mobility restrictions in runners (especially post-ankle-sprain) and quietly drives calf strains, Achilles issues, and plantar fasciitis.

How we detect it

At each detected midstance we measure the angle between your shank and foot segments and report how far past neutral the shin has traveled, median across strides.

How to fix it

This one is almost purely mobility: knee-to-wall ankle rocks daily, plus eccentric calf lowers. Re-film after 4-6 weeks — dorsiflexion changes show up clearly on video.

Recommended drills

  • Knee-to-wall mobilizations (3x15/side)
  • Eccentric calf lowers (3x15/side)
  • Banded ankle glides (2x12/side)

Run these 2-3x per week. Expect to feel a change in form 4-6 weeks in.

Common symptoms when this is off

Calf tightnessAchilles painPlantar fasciitis