Banded Ankle Dorsiflexion Mobilization

How to do it

1. Anchor a looped band low on a rack and step the working foot into it so the band sits below the ankle bones.
2. Place that foot flat on a low box with the heel down and the band pulling backward.
3. Set the rear foot behind you in a split stance and rest the hands or forearm on the front thigh.
4. Drive the front knee forward over the toes without lifting the heel.
5. Ease back until the shin is just past vertical, then repeat in a slow pumping rhythm.
6. Switch feet and match the same range on the other ankle.

Common mistakes

• Placing the band above the ankle bones so it pulls the shin instead of the talus.
• Letting the heel lift, which turns the drill into a calf stretch off the joint.
• Driving the knee inward instead of over the second toe.
• Using so much band tension that the foot cannot stay planted.