Improving Squat Technique and Mobility

Squat down as deep as you can. A good squat will always have your

entire foot firmly planted across these three points.

But what if one heel always lifts, no matter how hard you try to keep it

down?

That was the problem this patient came to me with.

Every time he squatted, his left heel popped off the ground,

making it

impossible to stay balanced. I started by testing his ankle mobility.

His left ankle was significantly more restricted than his right, and he

felt a firm block across the front of the joint whenever he tried to drive knee

forward over toe. Rather than stretching his calf,

I gave him a joint

mobilization. I placed a light band just below his ankle

bones

and had him drive his knee forward and back ten times while keeping

the heel on the floor. The goal wasn't to force more motion,

but to help restore the normal glide of the ankle joint that was

limiting his movement. After, we retested his squat, and this

time, he was able to squat noticeably deeper

while keeping his heel planted,

showing he was finally on the right track.