The Knee-to- Wall (KTW) test is becoming one of the quickest, most reliable screening tools in sport. So much so that in elite rugby, they aim to screen the KTW daily before any form of exercise or training is completed at all. ORENO-PÉREZ, V., SOLER, A., ANSA, A., ET. AL., 2020 recommend that Dorsiflexion maintenance should be included as part of any good injury prevention routine.
In fact, loss of ankle range of motion is a risk factor for injury throughout the rest of the lower limb (Bowen, Weaver, Relph & Greig, 2019). Foot, ankle, knee, hip and lower backs are more susceptible to injury if stiffness starts to creep into the ankle – and the KTW score, when monitored regularly, can help to spot these changes before they are allowed to develop into a problem (KONOR, M., MORTON, S., ECKERSON, J. AND GRINDSTAFF, T., 2012)
What is your Knee-To-Wall score?
How far away are you from the wall before your heel lifts off the floor?
8cm or above is not bad, but aiming for 12cm is the best practice for reducing injury risk. It’s important to compare your left and right sides. Previous or current injury may have affected your KTW score. You want to aim to have your right and left sides as close to each other as possible. Should there be a difference, or you are less than 8cm, you are increasing your injury risk.
It is advisable to monitor regularly. Should your baseline be decreased, spend some time before commencing exercise or training to work on your ankle dorsiflexion.
Check out more of the evidence here:
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