Why Your Ankles Might Be the Missing Link in Your Knee Pain

Ankles and Knee pain - they're often related.

If your knees feel stiff, achy, or unreliable, especially during squats, stairs, or long walks, you might assume the problem is in the knee itself. But what if the real issue starts lower?

In our experience, we often find that limited ankle mobility is quietly sabotaging knee health. And the research backs us up.

What the Science Says (Translated)

• A 2020 study in the Journal of Foot and Ankle Research found that people with knee arthritis often had poor ankle mobility and foot posture, which made their knee symptoms worse.

• A 2023 review in Research, Society and Development showed that tight ankles can throw off your squat, stair climbing, and even walking mechanics, increasing stress on the knees.

• Biomechanical studies confirm that when your ankle can’t flex properly (called dorsiflexion), your knee is forced to compensate, often by collapsing inward or shifting forward.

In plain English: If your ankle doesn’t move well, your knee ends up doing extra work - and that extra work can lead to pain, strain, or injury.

Why Ankles Matter More Than You Think

Your body moves as a chain. When one link is stiff, the others have to pick up the slack. Limited ankle mobility affects:

• Knee tracking: Your knee may drift too far forward or inward during squats or lunges.

• Hip activation: Your glutes don’t fire properly, which means less support for your knees.

• Balance and control: You may feel wobbly or unstable, especially on stairs or uneven ground.

This isn’t just a gym issue - it’s a daily life issue.

How We Coach for Knee Pain It at North Star Strong

We don’t just treat symptoms - we look upstream. That means:

• Assessing ankle mobility before prescribing knee-dominant movements

• Using joint-friendly drills like heel-elevated squats, banded ankle mobilizations, and supported step-downs

• Coaching alignment cues like “knee over middle toe” and “drive through the heel” to reinforce safe patterns

• Progressing slowly so your body builds trust, not tension

We also teach clients how to spot compensation patterns, so they can self-correct and feel confident in their movement.

Final Thoughts

Knee pain isn’t always about the knee. Sometimes, it’s a downstream effect of limited ankle mobility. By restoring that range, you unlock better movement, reduce strain, and build strength that lasts.