THE MOST OVERLOOKED

HOW CAN YOU IMPROVE IT?

• Increase your calf length and reduce fascial restrictions in your Achilles by doing a Wall/ Step-Stretch with a straight and bent knee

1 min. of each, 1-3x/day

• Increase your talocrural (ankle) joint mobility through kneeling ankle mobilization using a band or towel.

20 reps with 3 sec. hold, 1x/day

Wall/Step-Stretch

1) Put your foot up as high against a wall or step as far as your ankle allows.

2) Bring your body closer to the wall with a straight knee to feel the stretch in your bigger calf muscles.

3) From there, bend at your knee to reach your knee forward and feel a stretch in the smaller calf muscles and near your Achilles.

Kneeling Ankle Mobilization

1) Wrap the band or towel just below your ankle bones (where the top of the foot and shin meet) then attach the other side of the band around a heavy/stable table or in a door. (If using a towel, hold the other end with your hand or kneel on it with your opposite leg.)

• Visit a medical provider for manual therapy and deep-tissue work.

2) Once set up, drive your knee over your middle toe as far as you can before your heel starts popping up. Avoid your arch collapsing while performing this exercise by focusing on curling your toes or placing a towel under your arch like in test 2 (previous page).

RESULT TWO: I REACHED THE WALL ON TEST 1, BUT NOT ON TEST 2

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

You have good ankle mobility but only when your arch collapses, allowing you to reach your knee further over your toes. Likely this means you have a common diagnosis called overpronation that makes you more susceptible to hip, knee and ankle injuries, like ankle sprains and plantar fasciitis. Overpronation during the golf swing will result in poor balance, dipping, and swaying on the downswing and follow-through.

HOW CAN YOU IMPROVE IT?

• Perform the kneeling ankle mobilization exercise in Option 1.

• Improve your arch stability by strengthening your arches and deep calf muscle by performing two exercises:

1) Toe Curl with StepUp Heel Raise. Keeping one foot on the step with your toes curled on the towel to lift your arch, raise the opposite foot off the ground for two seconds. Keep your toes curled throughout this exercise in order to engage the muscles of the arch and keep it lifted.

2x15 reps with 2 sec. balance hold on each leg, 3x/week