Also read | ‘This exercise saved my lower back’: Fitness coach reveals 1 movement to reverse damage from years of sitting If you spend hours sitting at a desk every day and battle persistent knee or lower back aches , your instinct might be to stretch your hamstrings or rub your aching joints.
However, according to US-based fitness coach Dan Go, the true culprit could be an overlooked joint down at your ankles.
If your heel lifts off the ground before your knee touches the wall, or if your knee drifts inward to bridge the gap, your ankle dorsiflexion is restricted, Dan shared. Be sure to test both legs independently; most people display noticeably worse mobility on one side than the other, he highlighted. Once you’ve identified the restriction, the fix doesn’t really require complex gym equipment.
A stiff ankle forces a domino effect of bad biomechanics across your lower body: ⦿ Drive your knee straight forward toward the wall, according to him. It requires controlled movement to teach the joint how to glide again, Dan said as he shared the step-by-step movement: ⦿ Perform six slow reps per side.
