Why Ankle Movement Matters for Preventing Trips

The ability to lift the front of the foot towards the shin helps clear everyday trip hazards such as rugs, thresholds, uneven pavements, and kerbs. It is a small movement, but it can make a real difference.

(in a class setting, Using a floor ladder has provided a great opportunity for people to practice lifting their feet to avoid catching their toes on the rungs - which has carried over into life outside)

Ankle movement is often overlooked until it starts to limit us.

One movement matters especially for preventing trips: the ability to lift the front of the foot up towards the shin. This is called dorsiflexion.

That “toes up” movement helps the foot clear everyday hazards such as:

• rug edges

• uneven pavements

• door thresholds

• changes in surface

• small steps or kerbs

If the foot does not lift clearly enough, it can catch. And that small catch can be enough to cause a trip.

I did not fully realise my own ankle movement was limited until I was doing rehabilitation after a broken ankle and discovered I had two stiff ankles, not just one.

It was a useful reminder that restricted ankle movement can creep up quietly.

Good ankle movement also helps with everyday tasks such as walking, climbing stairs, and getting up from a chair.

But for me, the trip-prevention point is the one people often understand straight away.

If I am helping someone improve this, I usually start gently.

Seated ankle movements are a good place to begin. They help warm up the joint and wake up the muscles without making things too demanding.

From there, we can move into standing toe lifts with control, using support if needed. That starts to combine ankle movement with balance.

I also like to include gentle calf stretches, because tight calf muscles can limit how easily the ankle bends.

A simple version is to stand facing a wall or sturdy support, step one foot back, keep the heel down, and gently bend the front knee until a stretch is felt in the back calf.

No bouncing. No forcing. Just a steady, comfortable stretch.

And yes, a wall or chair is an ideal support.

Balance is something we build steadily, not something we test for the sake of it.

A simple check is this:

Stand with your weight spread across the whole of both feet.

Gently lift your toes while keeping your heels down, then come back onto the full foot each side.

Notice whether both feet feel the same.

No forcing. No judging. Just noticing.

Sometimes that small awareness is the first step towards moving more comfortably and reducing trip risk.

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