Sheldon Sonnenberg

ANKLE + HIP MOBILITY: It’s a Partnership

Your ankle and hip don’t move independently—they work together to create movement throughout the entire lower body.

When the ankle lacks mobility, the knee, hip, or pelvis may have to compensate. When the hip is restricted, the body may ask for extra motion somewhere else down the chain.

That’s why simply stretching the area that feels tight doesn’t always solve the problem.

Sometimes we need to test each region individually to identify where the primary restriction is coming from—and then see how that restriction changes movement when everything is connected.

The goal isn’t just more mobility.

It’s having the right mobility, in the right place, at the right time so the ankle, knee, hip, and pelvis can work together.

Assess the parts. Train the connection. Improve the whole movement.

DON’T JUST STRETCH IT. TEACH YOUR BODY TO CONTROL IT.

One of the ways we work on mobility at HFP is by combining movement with contract-relax techniques.

Why?

Because mobility isn’t only about how far a muscle can stretch. Your nervous system plays a major role in how much movement your body is willing to allow — and how well you can control that range.

We move into a position → create an intentional contraction → relax → then explore the movement again.

The goal isn’t to force more range.

It’s to give the nervous system better information, reduce unnecessary guarding, and teach the body to actively control the movement it just gained.

This can be especially useful when working with movement limitations associated with:

• Low back pain & stiffness
• Hip pain & limited hip mobility
• Knee pain
• SI joint discomfort
• Hamstring & adductor tightness
• Restricted pelvic movement
• Sports & running-related movement limitations

Because sometimes the area that hurts isn’t the area that needs more movement.

Restore the range.
Control the range.
Use the range.

That’s how we turn flexibility into usable mobility.

Move Better. Function Better. Perform Better.

Low Back Pain Isn’t Always a Low Back Problem.

After more than 19 years as a physical therapist, one of the biggest patterns I see is people treating where they hurt instead of understanding why that area is being stressed.

Your pelvis plays a major role in how your hips, low back, rib cage, and the rest of your body move.

When the pelvis becomes elevated, rotated, or a combination of both, your body doesn’t simply stop moving.

It adapts.

Your low back may move more.
Certain muscles may stay tight.
One hip may become restricted.
Your weight may shift differently from side to side.

Eventually, the area doing the extra work may become the area that hurts.

That’s why at Human Function and Performance, we don’t just look at the painful area. We assess the position, movement, and compensation patterns throughout the body to understand what may be contributing to the problem.

Pain is information. The pattern helps tell the story.

Don’t just chase the symptom.

Assess the body. Identify the pattern. Restore the movement.

Move Better. Function Better. Perform Better.

Position creates possibility.

Movement isn’t just about how flexible you are. Sometimes, the right position is what gives your body access to movement it couldn’t find before.

At HFP, we use positioning intentionally.

By creating a stable foundation through the pelvis and lower body, we can influence how the rib cage, thoracic spine, shoulder, and neck are able to move above it.

But there’s another piece we can’t ignore: breathing.

Your rib cage isn’t just part of your posture—it has to expand, rotate, and adapt with every breath and every movement.

Change the position and you can change the options available to the body.

That may mean:
• More thoracic rotation
• Better side bending
• Improved shoulder mobility
• Better rib cage expansion
• Less unnecessary compensation

We’re not simply stretching a muscle.

We’re positioning the body to create the movement we want, while teaching the body how to use that movement.

Better position. Better movement. Better breathing.

Move Better. Function Better. Perform Better.

What if your feet are telling you more than you realize?

Most people look at where they feel pain.

I look at how they move.

One of the simplest things I assess is foot position during movement. The direction your foot naturally points can provide valuable clues about what’s happening higher up the chain—particularly at your hip and pelvis.

If your foot consistently turns out, your body may be compensating for:
• Limited hip mobility
• Pelvic asymmetry
• Restricted rotation
• A movement strategy designed to avoid stress or discomfort

The foot isn’t always the problem.

It’s often the messenger.

This is why chasing symptoms rarely creates lasting change. Orthotics, stretching the foot, or treating the painful area may help temporarily, but if the pelvis and hips aren’t moving well, your body will continue finding another way to get the job done.

At Human Function & Performance, we don’t just ask “Where does it hurt?”

We ask:
“Why is your body choosing to move this way?”

When you identify the pattern, you can restore the movement.
When you restore the movement, the body often takes care of the symptoms.

We Assess. We Identify. We Restore.

If you’re dealing with recurring pain, stiffness, or movement limitations, it may be time to stop treating the symptom and start understanding the pattern.

Your low back isn’t the problem… it’s often the compensation.

One of the biggest misconceptions I see is that the goal is to “fix” the low back.

In reality, the goal is to restore your body’s ability to achieve the position or posture you want—without the low back doing all the work.

Think about it.

If your hips don’t move…

If your rib cage can’t rotate…

If your core can’t stabilize…

Your low back has no choice but to compensate.

Over time, those compensations become your normal.

That’s when stiffness, tightness, fatigue, and pain begin to show up.

At Human Function and Performance, we don’t just chase the painful area.

We identify what’s preventing your body from moving efficiently.

Sometimes the first step isn’t strengthening.

It isn’t stretching.

It’s unlocking the restrictions that are limiting your ability to get into the right position.

When the body can access better positions, it can create better movement.

Better movement leads to better posture.

Better posture improves strength, efficiency, and resilience.

The goal isn’t simply to have a pain-free back.

The goal is to build a body that doesn’t have to rely on your low back in the first place.

Unlock the restriction. Restore the position. Improve the movement.

Feel Better. Move Better. Function Better. Perform Better.

What if you’ve been flipping the wrong switch?

As a Physical Therapist for more than 19 years, I’ve seen it all.

The new medication.

The latest treatment.

The new shoes.

The ergonomic chair.

The expensive mattress.

The next “quick fix.”

Yet the pain, tightness, stiffness, inflammation, and slow recovery keep coming back.

Why?

Because we’re often chasing symptoms instead of improving the systems that regulate them.

At Human Function and Performance, we focus on three systems that influence how your body adapts:

🔹 Musculoskeletal — How you move.
🔹 Nervous System — How you adapt and recover.
🔹 Cardiovascular & Metabolic — How you fuel and heal.

An adaptable nervous system helps you become adaptable to your environment.

But it doesn’t stop there.

You have to learn to communicate with your body.

In this exercise, we’re using three of your most powerful tools:

👀 Sight
✋ Touch
🎧 Sound

The more ways you engage your nervous system, the greater your opportunity to create lasting change.

Don’t complicate life. Challenge your body to become so adaptable that it has no choice but to work for you.

Stop chasing symptoms. Start improving the systems that control them.

Feel Better. Move Better. Function Better. Perform Better. Recover Better.