Man... my gait been an issue for me my whole life.. all from knock knees, bow legs and crouch gait.. all i knew i didnt do it properly.. until now, gotta focus on the big toe on each step and not the calfs as i did befor. Also great channel
I like this style. I agree on the heel placement. I would add that it is important to delay putting your body weight on the front leg until the whole front foot is (almost) on the ground, in the meantime the back foot has to flex (not be straight) and carry most of the body weight. Thus the length of the step should depend on one's ability to carry weight on the front of one's back foot. There could eventually be a push from the back leg but it would have to spring from the ball and toes and then from achilles and knee and hip. And that push should not be artificially strong or at least the final pushoff should not be done with a straight back leg, because the back leg and back foot has to quickly swing to the front which is not possible with a straight back leg. Also on ice the push should be barely perceptible if at all, and a bit more upwards not backwards, while still keeping the body mass horizontally stable (not rocking up and down). The rhythm might differ depending on body and leg proportions but usually the step length is about 2-3 feet (one's feet) and if in doubt keep it shorter. Overall the walking power should come more from the feet, not from the knees and hips. And the hand waiving and shoulder moving is more for body mass balance (in all 6 directions) than for energy conservation. After all, the walking style should also work if one is carrying bags with both hands.
I appreciate your analysis. I would take a look at some of my other videos that address how to change weight and other parts of the full body mechanics. I address all aspects of the step over the course of my many videos. Body weight is transferred in a proportional fashion. It is gradually transferred to the front foot as it is removed from the back foot. This occurs during the loading response portion of the step (see my gait cycle video). The full weight will be completely on the front foot at the moment the foot reaches the flat position and at that moment there will be zero weight left of the rear foot. When 75 percent of the weight is on the front foot, 25 percent will be on the back foot. When 50 percent of the weight is on the front foot, 50 percent will be on the back foot. If you move your core correctly, there is no need to artificially try to control what the legs are doing. Also watch my Don't Push Off with the Toe video. Thanks
"whole front foot is (almost) in the ground" that sounds like a lot of knee flexion which is asking the knees to do a lot of "hiking" up to a straight leg. the Style you talk about would minimize the heel rocker which is a hefty structure that needs to be fully utilized.
i think both conclusions are likely both problematic, walking with full heel strike requires you to dorsiflex your ankle in a bit of an extreme way. It has also been shown that full heel striking often leads to hyperextened knees. also fully front foot striking with plantar flexion is also problematic for the foot joint. From my personal experience with knee pain, walking with heel and mid foot placement (including the tuberosity part of the foot) reduces tension and increases balance. I also think many should be careful when looking at diagrams, expecially medical ones, that show how the foot "should" land when there is not really a legitimate way of knowing the correct way. It does depend alot on one's body type as well. Though I should note that young children and primative tribes that still exist today all tend not to heel strike.
Finally! A video on this subject that isn't totally idiotic. TH-cam keeps recommending me those idiotic videos that tell you that you should step on the front of your foot, the way athletes run, but that is anatomically impossible to do when walking (at leats for healthy people). The only reason athletes run like that is because of the speed that doesn't allow them to touch their entire foot to the ground. A little more speed and they would be flying cause that's how much their feet wouldn't touch the ground. So if that ever happens, these "doctors" on youtube will tell us the correct way of walking is to float, cause that's more safe for your feet and articulations 🤣 Thank you again for your video, hope more people will see it and get properly informed.
Thanks for your comment. I did a debate with the guy from Grown and Healthy on the subject. You can find it on my channel. I have done a lot of videos trying to debunk this idea that forefoot walking is more correct and natural. I think I posted this video prior to that becoming a popular thread on TH-cam. There are a hardcore group of believers that are immune to any evidence, not unlike the flat earth movement.
Interesting that for forward propulsion you stated, "There is no push off from the rear hip or the rear foot." My Taijiquan instructor, Dr. Fuzhong Li, senior scientist at Oregon Research Institute, who examines the effects of exercise, including tai chi, on balance, physical functioning, and risks of falls...states that there is a heel thrust from the rear foot. Without the heel thrust from the rear foot, in your opinion, how does a person move forward. It's not coming from the lead front foot.
During the initiation of the swing through, it is coming from flexion of the standing leg hip, backward rotation of the lower waist, forward rotation of the upper waist (the same combination of core movements used in Press in Tai Chi. The standing knee is also actively extending. There is active plantarflexion of the ankle which comes during terminal swing, the movement leading up to heel contact, and it ends at that time. There is no glute hip extension during the movement. In Tai Chi, compare the movement in Press forward in Grasp the Sparrow's tail and then transition to Push in Grasp the sparrow's Tail, where the arms open in front. This transition from Press to Push in GTSP is the activation of the glutes to Push. During Press, the hip flexors (Psoas Muscle), not the hip extensors are working. Press is the swing through.
@@ToddMartinMD Starting from a standstill, I agree regarding the rotation of the waist, the hip flexors... The forward knee is extended out and as the heel touches the ground the forward movement starts with a shift of weight from the planted, full foot onto the forward empty foot. I believe you are leaving out the partial role of forward propulsion from the rear foot, from the ball of the foot, the toes and the heel as they all push off.
It’s more a pull forward grabbing traction through ground much like a claw. If you don’t believe it try it and feel your glutes actually drive you like a motor
Would have been more helpful if the models had been wearing shorts so that the knee and heel alignment could be monitored but still informative.. Thanks
I prefer to land a little bit before the hindfoot a little bit behind the midfoot. To achieve this, the step needs to be a bit shorter than the one shown in the video.
I totally agree. I was walking more like I would in shoes in this video (because I just took them off and did the shot). The strike length with be generally shorter when walking barefoot and place farther up on the heel, but still on the heel. I did a more recent video on stride length when barefoot walking. You might find this closer to what you are doing. th-cam.com/video/C5irDKj_yoA/w-d-xo.html
Can you check out 3:06 .. it seems that you are initiating heel lift too early.. you are near the middle of midstance. The consequence for this is not letting the hefty heel contribute to load support, and instead loading the metatarsal head which are less hefty and more things can deform in that region.. inviting hammer toes, bunions, norton's neuromas..?metatarsia?..etc. Early heel lift often comes from stiff calve muscles and the remedy is stretching to get the goal of 10 degrees of ankle dorsiflextion (unloaded) or 20 to 25 dorsiflextion when loaded. Incline boards are good for this.. 1 to 3 times a day.. stand on it for 30 to 120 seconds.. always listening to the body for discomfort.. should not feel painful..just mildly uncomfortable at most.. 5 days a week.. resting 1 day a week.. and resting 2 to 3 days every 6 weeks. these range of motion gains happen slowly.. about 1-2 degree per 2 months or so (initially might be faster gain but it get slower following a few weeks). the key is daily habit of stretching. IMPORTANT: NEVER STRETCH COLD.. walk the structure with a hot bath or walk 5 minutes. For faster gains.. massage the area with foam roller or roller stick before stretching.. manual massage with nuckles is good.
Hi Endo. I suggest you become an expert first before trying to pick apart things you probably do not have a mastery of. My heel lift begins right at the end of mid stance and the initiation of terminal stance, ending in heel contact of the swing leg foot.
@@ToddMartinMD Well.. no need to use words when we got footage of master walkers here : th-cam.com/video/ZNIPXa5USZE/w-d-xo.html Compare their heel lift position to what you show here.
The standing leg ankle is actively plantarflexing during the loading response phase and actively dorsiflexing during the swing through. The swing leg ankle will be passive during both phases.
You did not answer at all why people disagree on foot placement. I also think citing experts is not that convincing. Todays experts are too dumb to tell the difference between a man and a woman, I doubt they know how to walk. Also, you being right does not necessarily make other people wrong. Maybe there are multiple different gaits that are healthy.
The reason they disagree in my opinion is because there are many people who develop pain of one sort or other from heel striking so they have come up with an alternative theory of walking which is not actually part of human nature. In addition to experts, I make the point that nearly everyone naturally walks with a heel strike. That being the case, there would have to be some really amazing explanation for why that is the case if it is wrong. You are welcome to make that case.I thought this was pretty clear without going into a detailed debate. In most videos advocating avoiding heel strike they completely mischaracterize the nature of heel striking as if someone is putting on the breaks and slamming the heel into the ground, which is not actually how heel placement works. I clearly demonstrate how a correct heel placement works, which should suffice for anyone looking for information. For someone who is an advocate of not heel striking I am happy to clarify as much as desired here in comments. I also don’t agree with the “experts” on many of the details of walking mechanics, but I don’t disagree on its fundamental nature.
@@ToddMartinMD Thanks for your answer. What do you think about the toe striking argument that children naturally walk that way and shoes force us to walk with a heel strike which makes it only appear natural? By the way, do you have some tips or resources on how to correctly stand for a long time?
@@HANSSSSful Thanks for the question. Indigenous people in the amazon who don't grow up with shoes don't walk on their toes. I have never heard any report that Native Americans where walking on their toes when the colonists arrived, nor did African slaves brought over from areas of Africa, some of which I presume didn't use shoes the way we do. Also, walking on the toes would be the most inefficient way to move, both for speed and energy consumption. The one patient I ever had that walked on their toes as an adult came to see me for severe, chronic knee, hip and back pain. Ballet dancers who train for years to be on their toes often end up with deformed feet and chronic pain because of that. Children are just developing their nervous system reflexes and transition to heel walking naturally, and I am sure they did before the development of footwear. Children who walk on their toes longer than normal are higher risk for having autism. In regards to standing for a long time, it isn't something I have thought too much about because I am not aware of it being a problem for people as long as you are standing with good posture and body alignment. People naturally shift weight periodically to rest one leg which is also fine.
this seems like great content. i think a better high frame rate camera without those interpolated frames would greatly improve the presentation and also maybe a few arrows/overlays to direct attention to the specific areas you are discussing. do you have any content on pronation or supination of the foot and the effect on the knee/rest of the leg? also toe placement order and correct pressure distribution would be interesting to see as well, thanks!
Thanks for the comment. I have been trying to learn some of the technical tricks of shooting and editing better videos. I would check out my How to Prevent Flat Feet video for a discussion of foot pronation and its effect on the rest of the leg. I don't talk specifically about toe placement order or pressure distribution because those are all corrected naturally by using the technique I discuss. Hopefully my new iPhone 12 camera and new gimbal will make for better video in my new releases.
@@ToddMartinMD thanks, will check it out! always hard to balance learning the craft and creating new content, but things can only improve. you can always outsource the editing if it ends up being a good source of revenue and focus on the content
Hey there, I didn't used to move much, but when I kicked up my daily activity, bam - Achilles tendonitis hit. Even got some tearing out of nowhere. Doc said to chill and rest, but it's been 2 years with no improvement. Can only walk for about 5 hours max, falling short of my goal. Achilles tightens up every other morning, but eases after a jog or a few extra rest days. Got this idea - should I be pushing off with my toes when I walk for it to be the right move?
Well I don't know wether anyone will read this but I understand the walking pattern/technique. Ironically there's a video here on yt in which a asian physical therapist shows how to properly walk. And he tells to push off with the behind leg. So I'm just going to try out Todd Martins technique.
I know the video. I believe his description is incorrect technically speaking, but the point he is trying to make is true and important. The true part of his point is that you should be powering the step with the standing leg, making it extend behind the body, as opposed to lifting the swing leg forward. All people who duck foot walk are powering the movement from the swing leg, which is incorrect. I speak about that in another video. Where I believe he is incorrect is in the muscles that are driving the leg back, but that difference is probably difficult for most people to grasp, especially in a 5 minute TH-cam video. Simple explanations will always get more views, even if they are not really correct.
@@ToddMartinMD first thank you for your reply. Well I've probably misunderstood him in some way. As you've warned I can now remember that when I tried his technique I leaned more forward which you warned about. But thats why I quickly gave up on his video and will now try out as you've explained.
Hello! At 3:10 you mention that there is no push from the hip or the foot. However, I've heard that my lower back pain can be associated with not engaging my glutes enough. Do we have to use our butt muscles when walking?
It is very common for people to talk about using the glutes, but I believe this is incorrect. People assume we should be using the glutes because the leg extends behind the body. But this leg extension is not caused by active extension from the glutes. When someone says you should be using your glutes more, what they are really noticing is that you are likely using your swing leg hip to swing forward instead of using the muscles in the standing leg hip to generate the swing through. Using your swing leg is generally going to be associated with having duck feet when you walk. I would check out my video, How to Walk Properly-Pull, Don't Push.
Kavoon he says hips go back. But it’s actually the complete opposite of you push off correctly with the right mechanics as the push off should be more a push through ground through forefoot grabbing traction in the ground and pulling yourself forward this is the mechanics of what will use the right muscles to make that glute actually work like a motor. If you don’t believe me just test it and walk just following through with your finger in your glute then try do it with my method watch the glute shoot the hips forward like a propeller
I would start by getting a doctor evaluation. Watching my videos can help you determine if your walking technique is part of the problem and help you improve that.
can you advise please on how to get rid of pain under left foot 2nd metatarsal? Wondering if I've been walking incorrectly..(?). I went to one dr who spent all of maybe 5 minutes w/me and said it's 'probably a neuroma' and to get proper fitting shoes. Soooo disappointing....
There's not much a doctor can do to fix a problem caused by poor walking technique. Assuming you did not do some excessive activity, walking technique is likely the cause. Using arch supports and getting a metatarsal pad could be of some short term benefit, but they can't fix the underlying cause. The only solution to fixing the walking technique is to work on it like learning a dance. I have plenty of information on the channel to guide you.
Dear Dr, I am suffering from fracture patella 3 yrs ago and got quadriceps wasted since thrn. Now I got hamstring tendon pain. Should i do more stretching since I feel more pain with that.
Isn’t the 2 styles just a difference of speed? The first example is relaxed, the second is a faster more “urgent” walk. If one started running, one starts leaning forward, not keeping body upright like Forest Gump.
Hi Rob. No, it is not a matter of speed. We should not lean forward to pick up speed when walking. Leaning forward is why causes the heel to crash, leading to damage. We pick up speed by rotating the core faster. You can watch my video on how to change speed with walking for the full explanation. It is not analogous to running, which is an entirely different technique.
Heel strike is not common around the world. Most of the world's population has a forefoot strike. It is very common in the west where most all shoes are higher at the heel than at the toes. This forces a heel strike. Do a shutter stock video search of people walking in India. Virtually nobody is walking with a heel strike. It is a forefoot strike ( not toe strike) . Occasionally you'll see someone heel striking, they will have shoes with heel rise. I wear shoes that do not rise at the heels, I find it hard to heel strike with these kind of shoes. If I wear some "athletic" shoes (typical marshmallow heels), it is hard to walk without a heel strike.
I am not sure if we are living on the same planet. I have watched hundreds of videos of people walking around the world, including IndI and see virtually no one walking forefoot first. I just went to TH-cam and found a scene of a crowd walking in Indi and not a single person was hitting with the forefoot. Everyone had a heel strike. I have also looked up many research articles on the subject and have found no population of people who typically walk forefoot first. Please send. link to a TH-cam video of people in India showing a large group of people walking forefoot first. I would be hugely shocked to see this and am virtually certain this does not exist. Of course this is about walking. Please don’t send a video of people running which is. non issue.
@@ToddMartinMD I'm insulted by the "living on the same planet" comment. That is showing low character. I can't post links but a shutterstock search for "people walking india", sorted for video. Virtually all of the videos shown will show very few people walking with a heel strike. Those that do heel strike clearly are wearing heeled shoes. That is the root of the west and their high incidence of foot, ankle, knee, and hip problems. Much higher than the rest of the world and at much younger ages. In the videos, The lateral side of the forefoot will hit just barely before the heel hits. There is a rolling toward the inner foot which then involves the big toe area. This natural walking technique reduces shock going up the leg.
@@ToddMartinMD google search "shutterstock Indian People Walking Through Street Families Stock Footage" watch the video that comes up. No one is heel striking. they are using the technique i described above. It is a natural walk. Much less shock going up the leg (I understand that you try to minimize the shock but most are just pounding away at their bones) If you wear the common western shoes, you probably can't walk like these people are walking. You will have foot, ankle, knee, hip and other problems at a comparatively young age. Also, westerners walk very little distance per day, comparatively yet still have these problems at a younger age.
@b0b0- Sorry you feel insulted, but what you are describing just does not match up with anything I have observed, and I have been studying this for years. I pulled up a random TH-cam video which is very long and shows tons of people walking in India, most in sandals and many even barefoot. They all are walking with a heel strike. I see no one walking forefoot so what you are saying just does not match up. It is easy to post TH-cam links, and there are tons of them with people walking in India. If you find one demonstrating many people walking forefoot, please post the link. Here is the one I just watched. th-cam.com/video/SFHOR_DE86Q/w-d-xo.htmlsi=8tY5Caia-9ZV5J1t
I watched the video you referred me to. When these people are stepping forward on flat ground, they are walking heel first. You can see this very clearly with the lady in the stripes holding hands with the young girl right as she approaches the step. You may be focusing on them stepping down from the step. Stepping down is different than stepping forward, and absolutely should use a forefoot strike, just as we would do if marching in place. The mechanics of walking forward are different than stepping down a step, and the many elevated stones in the video you linked makes it hard to pick up if you are not aware of this difference. Each time a person in the video lands on the forefoot, they are stepping down from a step or a least taking a pausing step right before stepping down. In all shots where they are clearly stepping forward, they are using the heel. In the video I linked, where you can see many people walking steadily on level ground, not on steps or elevated stones, you will only see heel strike.
This usually means you are swiveling your hips too much. If you follow the techniques described in my videos you should be able to correct this over time
Please I was told dat I have a flat foot and when I stand or walk I feel like am putting pressure on my legs I feel like all the body mass is going to my foot and it has made me my calf pain please help me they have told me to buy different shoes but it’s not helping.
@gynnadenyabenda9247 I would recommend going through my videos where I teach the proper technique and it will take practice but you can make it better.
This is kind of movie I searched. Very comprehensive. God bless you
Thank you very much.
Man... my gait been an issue for me my whole life.. all from knock knees, bow legs and crouch gait.. all i knew i didnt do it properly.. until now, gotta focus on the big toe on each step and not the calfs as i did befor. Also great channel
Thanks. Mike ur to focus on your core. I talk much more about out that in other videos.
I’m glad I found this and thank you for an in-depth breakdown. Very helpful
Glad it was helpful!
I've recently realized that I stomp while walking. This video is very helpful, thank you for making it
You’re welcome.
Makes a lot of sense from a caloric efficiency standpoint. Thanks. This was a big help.
Glad it was helpful!
My go to for proper walking, thank you .
My pleasure. Thanks for your support.
Lots of misinformation out there. Thanks for clearing it up.
You are very welcome
I like this style.
I agree on the heel placement. I would add that it is important to delay putting your body weight on the front leg until the whole front foot is (almost) on the ground, in the meantime the back foot has to flex (not be straight) and carry most of the body weight. Thus the length of the step should depend on one's ability to carry weight on the front of one's back foot. There could eventually be a push from the back leg but it would have to spring from the ball and toes and then from achilles and knee and hip. And that push should not be artificially strong or at least the final pushoff should not be done with a straight back leg, because the back leg and back foot has to quickly swing to the front which is not possible with a straight back leg. Also on ice the push should be barely perceptible if at all, and a bit more upwards not backwards, while still keeping the body mass horizontally stable (not rocking up and down). The rhythm might differ depending on body and leg proportions but usually the step length is about 2-3 feet (one's feet) and if in doubt keep it shorter. Overall the walking power should come more from the feet, not from the knees and hips. And the hand waiving and shoulder moving is more for body mass balance (in all 6 directions) than for energy conservation. After all, the walking style should also work if one is carrying bags with both hands.
I appreciate your analysis. I would take a look at some of my other videos that address how to change weight and other parts of the full body mechanics. I address all aspects of the step over the course of my many videos. Body weight is transferred in a proportional fashion. It is gradually transferred to the front foot as it is removed from the back foot. This occurs during the loading response portion of the step (see my gait cycle video). The full weight will be completely on the front foot at the moment the foot reaches the flat position and at that moment there will be zero weight left of the rear foot. When 75 percent of the weight is on the front foot, 25 percent will be on the back foot. When 50 percent of the weight is on the front foot, 50 percent will be on the back foot. If you move your core correctly, there is no need to artificially try to control what the legs are doing. Also watch my Don't Push Off with the Toe video.
Thanks
"whole front foot is (almost) in the ground" that sounds like a lot of knee flexion which is asking the knees to do a lot of "hiking" up to a straight leg. the Style you talk about would minimize the heel rocker which is a hefty structure that needs to be fully utilized.
i think both conclusions are likely both problematic, walking with full heel strike requires you to dorsiflex your ankle in a bit of an extreme way. It has also been shown that full heel striking often leads to hyperextened knees. also fully front foot striking with plantar flexion is also problematic for the foot joint. From my personal experience with knee pain, walking with heel and mid foot placement (including the tuberosity part of the foot) reduces tension and increases balance. I also think many should be careful when looking at diagrams, expecially medical ones, that show how the foot "should" land when there is not really a legitimate way of knowing the correct way. It does depend alot on one's body type as well. Though I should note that young children and primative tribes that still exist today all tend not to heel strike.
This is all wrong😱
Thanks Doc
Thanks. You are very welcome.
Finally! A video on this subject that isn't totally idiotic. TH-cam keeps recommending me those idiotic videos that tell you that you should step on the front of your foot, the way athletes run, but that is anatomically impossible to do when walking (at leats for healthy people). The only reason athletes run like that is because of the speed that doesn't allow them to touch their entire foot to the ground. A little more speed and they would be flying cause that's how much their feet wouldn't touch the ground. So if that ever happens, these "doctors" on youtube will tell us the correct way of walking is to float, cause that's more safe for your feet and articulations 🤣 Thank you again for your video, hope more people will see it and get properly informed.
Thanks for your comment. I did a debate with the guy from Grown and Healthy on the subject. You can find it on my channel. I have done a lot of videos trying to debunk this idea that forefoot walking is more correct and natural. I think I posted this video prior to that becoming a popular thread on TH-cam. There are a hardcore group of believers that are immune to any evidence, not unlike the flat earth movement.
@@ToddMartinMD Hmm, maybe that was the correct way to walk on the flat earth. That makes sense 😆
Great & best doctor
Thanka
Very helpful and informative
Thank you.
Interesting that for forward propulsion you stated, "There is no push off from the rear hip or the rear foot." My Taijiquan instructor, Dr. Fuzhong Li, senior scientist at Oregon Research Institute, who examines the effects of exercise, including tai chi, on balance, physical functioning, and risks of falls...states that there is a heel thrust from the rear foot. Without the heel thrust from the rear foot, in your opinion, how does a person move forward. It's not coming from the lead front foot.
During the initiation of the swing through, it is coming from flexion of the standing leg hip, backward rotation of the lower waist, forward rotation of the upper waist (the same combination of core movements used in Press in Tai Chi. The standing knee is also actively extending. There is active plantarflexion of the ankle which comes during terminal swing, the movement leading up to heel contact, and it ends at that time. There is no glute hip extension during the movement. In Tai Chi, compare the movement in Press forward in Grasp the Sparrow's tail and then transition to Push in Grasp the sparrow's Tail, where the arms open in front. This transition from Press to Push in GTSP is the activation of the glutes to Push. During Press, the hip flexors (Psoas Muscle), not the hip extensors are working. Press is the swing through.
@@ToddMartinMD Starting from a standstill, I agree regarding the rotation of the waist, the hip flexors... The forward knee is extended out and as the heel touches the ground the forward movement starts with a shift of weight from the planted, full foot onto the forward empty foot. I believe you are leaving out the partial role of forward propulsion from the rear foot, from the ball of the foot, the toes and the heel as they all push off.
It’s more a pull forward grabbing traction through ground much like a claw. If you don’t believe it try it and feel your glutes actually drive you like a motor
I'm curious about the proper foot shape of walking from the top
Not sure what you mean by the shape of the foot.
@@ToddMartinMD a posture seen from above
A special way is needed for that
Would have been more helpful if the models had been wearing shorts so that the knee and heel alignment could be monitored but still informative.. Thanks
Thanks for the suggestion.
Gracias
Un Placer
I prefer to land a little bit before the hindfoot a little bit behind the midfoot.
To achieve this, the step needs to be a bit shorter than the one shown in the video.
I don't wear shoes.
I totally agree. I was walking more like I would in shoes in this video (because I just took them off and did the shot). The strike length with be generally shorter when walking barefoot and place farther up on the heel, but still on the heel. I did a more recent video on stride length when barefoot walking. You might find this closer to what you are doing. th-cam.com/video/C5irDKj_yoA/w-d-xo.html
Thank you, doc 👍
My pleasure!
Can you check out 3:06 .. it seems that you are initiating heel lift too early.. you are near the middle of midstance. The consequence for this is not letting the hefty heel contribute to load support, and instead loading the metatarsal head which are less hefty and more things can deform in that region.. inviting hammer toes, bunions, norton's neuromas..?metatarsia?..etc.
Early heel lift often comes from stiff calve muscles and the remedy is stretching to get the goal of 10 degrees of ankle dorsiflextion (unloaded) or 20 to 25 dorsiflextion when loaded. Incline boards are good for this.. 1 to 3 times a day.. stand on it for 30 to 120 seconds.. always listening to the body for discomfort.. should not feel painful..just mildly uncomfortable at most.. 5 days a week.. resting 1 day a week.. and resting 2 to 3 days every 6 weeks. these range of motion gains happen slowly.. about 1-2 degree per 2 months or so (initially might be faster gain but it get slower following a few weeks). the key is daily habit of stretching. IMPORTANT: NEVER STRETCH COLD.. walk the structure with a hot bath or walk 5 minutes. For faster gains.. massage the area with foam roller or roller stick before stretching.. manual massage with nuckles is good.
Hi Endo. I suggest you become an expert first before trying to pick apart things you probably do not have a mastery of. My heel lift begins right at the end of mid stance and the initiation of terminal stance, ending in heel contact of the swing leg foot.
@@ToddMartinMD Well.. no need to use words when we got footage of master walkers here : th-cam.com/video/ZNIPXa5USZE/w-d-xo.html
Compare their heel lift position to what you show here.
Does the foot remain passive during the standing or swing faze or are you consciously lifting the toes?
The standing leg ankle is actively plantarflexing during the loading response phase and actively dorsiflexing during the swing through. The swing leg ankle will be passive during both phases.
Let me clarify my response. By active, I do not mean you are consciously trying to do it. The ankle movements are driven by reflex.
Gotcha, thank you for the response
There are a lot of tools that need to be consciously trained in order for the foot to relax and get the right angle to touch the ground
You did not answer at all why people disagree on foot placement. I also think citing experts is not that convincing. Todays experts are too dumb to tell the difference between a man and a woman, I doubt they know how to walk.
Also, you being right does not necessarily make other people wrong. Maybe there are multiple different gaits that are healthy.
The reason they disagree in my opinion is because there are many people who develop pain of one sort or other from heel striking so they have come up with an alternative theory of walking which is not actually part of human nature. In addition to experts, I make the point that nearly everyone naturally walks with a heel strike. That being the case, there would have to be some really amazing explanation for why that is the case if it is wrong. You are welcome to make that case.I thought this was pretty clear without going into a detailed debate. In most videos advocating avoiding heel strike they completely mischaracterize the nature of heel striking as if someone is putting on the breaks and slamming the heel into the ground, which is not actually how heel placement works. I clearly demonstrate how a correct heel placement works, which should suffice for anyone looking for information. For someone who is an advocate of not heel striking I am happy to clarify as much as desired here in comments. I also don’t agree with the “experts” on many of the details of walking mechanics, but I don’t disagree on its fundamental nature.
@@ToddMartinMD Thanks for your answer. What do you think about the toe striking argument that children naturally walk that way and shoes force us to walk with a heel strike which makes it only appear natural?
By the way, do you have some tips or resources on how to correctly stand for a long time?
@@HANSSSSful Thanks for the question. Indigenous people in the amazon who don't grow up with shoes don't walk on their toes. I have never heard any report that Native Americans where walking on their toes when the colonists arrived, nor did African slaves brought over from areas of Africa, some of which I presume didn't use shoes the way we do. Also, walking on the toes would be the most inefficient way to move, both for speed and energy consumption. The one patient I ever had that walked on their toes as an adult came to see me for severe, chronic knee, hip and back pain. Ballet dancers who train for years to be on their toes often end up with deformed feet and chronic pain because of that. Children are just developing their nervous system reflexes and transition to heel walking naturally, and I am sure they did before the development of footwear. Children who walk on their toes longer than normal are higher risk for having autism. In regards to standing for a long time, it isn't something I have thought too much about because I am not aware of it being a problem for people as long as you are standing with good posture and body alignment. People naturally shift weight periodically to rest one leg which is also fine.
@@ToddMartinMD Your arguments are really good and make sense, thanks.
Esther Gorhale states the young learn from the old; if the old has it wrong, than the young will do it wrong
this seems like great content. i think a better high frame rate camera without those interpolated frames would greatly improve the presentation and also maybe a few arrows/overlays to direct attention to the specific areas you are discussing.
do you have any content on pronation or supination of the foot and the effect on the knee/rest of the leg? also toe placement order and correct pressure distribution would be interesting to see as well, thanks!
Thanks for the comment. I have been trying to learn some of the technical tricks of shooting and editing better videos. I would check out my How to Prevent Flat Feet video for a discussion of foot pronation and its effect on the rest of the leg. I don't talk specifically about toe placement order or pressure distribution because those are all corrected naturally by using the technique I discuss. Hopefully my new iPhone 12 camera and new gimbal will make for better video in my new releases.
@@ToddMartinMD thanks, will check it out! always hard to balance learning the craft and creating new content, but things can only improve. you can always outsource the editing if it ends up being a good source of revenue and focus on the content
@@zephyr707 I appreciate the thoughts.
Let me know what you think about the new forefoot walking video. I took your advice.
Hey there, I didn't used to move much, but when I kicked up my daily activity, bam - Achilles tendonitis hit. Even got some tearing out of nowhere. Doc said to chill and rest, but it's been 2 years with no improvement. Can only walk for about 5 hours max, falling short of my goal. Achilles tightens up every other morning, but eases after a jog or a few extra rest days. Got this idea - should I be pushing off with my toes when I walk for it to be the right move?
I do not recommend consciously trying to push off with your toes. I would watch my technique videos to get the right way.
Well I don't know wether anyone will read this but I understand the walking pattern/technique. Ironically there's a video here on yt in which a asian physical therapist shows how to properly walk. And he tells to push off with the behind leg. So I'm just going to try out Todd Martins technique.
I know the video. I believe his description is incorrect technically speaking, but the point he is trying to make is true and important. The true part of his point is that you should be powering the step with the standing leg, making it extend behind the body, as opposed to lifting the swing leg forward. All people who duck foot walk are powering the movement from the swing leg, which is incorrect. I speak about that in another video. Where I believe he is incorrect is in the muscles that are driving the leg back, but that difference is probably difficult for most people to grasp, especially in a 5 minute TH-cam video. Simple explanations will always get more views, even if they are not really correct.
@@ToddMartinMD first thank you for your reply. Well I've probably misunderstood him in some way. As you've warned I can now remember that when I tried his technique I leaned more forward which you warned about. But thats why I quickly gave up on his video and will now try out as you've explained.
@@Lucas-kf9pz I wish you the best on your practice.
Hello! At 3:10 you mention that there is no push from the hip or the foot. However, I've heard that my lower back pain can be associated with not engaging my glutes enough. Do we have to use our butt muscles when walking?
It is very common for people to talk about using the glutes, but I believe this is incorrect. People assume we should be using the glutes because the leg extends behind the body. But this leg extension is not caused by active extension from the glutes. When someone says you should be using your glutes more, what they are really noticing is that you are likely using your swing leg hip to swing forward instead of using the muscles in the standing leg hip to generate the swing through. Using your swing leg is generally going to be associated with having duck feet when you walk. I would check out my video, How to Walk Properly-Pull, Don't Push.
Kavoon he says hips go back. But it’s actually the complete opposite of you push off correctly with the right mechanics as the push off should be more a push through ground through forefoot grabbing traction in the ground and pulling yourself forward this is the mechanics of what will use the right muscles to make that glute actually work like a motor.
If you don’t believe me just test it and walk just following through with your finger in your glute then try do it with my method watch the glute shoot the hips forward like a propeller
Doc my knees really hurt I don’t know why
I would start by getting a doctor evaluation. Watching my videos can help you determine if your walking technique is part of the problem and help you improve that.
can you advise please on how to get rid of pain under left foot 2nd metatarsal? Wondering if I've been walking incorrectly..(?). I went to one dr who spent all of maybe 5 minutes w/me and said it's 'probably a neuroma' and to get proper fitting shoes. Soooo disappointing....
There's not much a doctor can do to fix a problem caused by poor walking technique. Assuming you did not do some excessive activity, walking technique is likely the cause. Using arch supports and getting a metatarsal pad could be of some short term benefit, but they can't fix the underlying cause. The only solution to fixing the walking technique is to work on it like learning a dance. I have plenty of information on the channel to guide you.
Dear Dr,
I am suffering from fracture patella 3 yrs ago and got quadriceps wasted since thrn. Now I got hamstring tendon pain. Should i do more stretching since I feel more pain with that.
Strengthening your quads and hamstrings will be key, then stretching.
@@ToddMartinMD Thank you very much.
Isn’t the 2 styles just a difference of speed? The first example is relaxed, the second is a faster more “urgent” walk. If one started running, one starts leaning forward, not keeping body upright like Forest Gump.
Hi Rob. No, it is not a matter of speed. We should not lean forward to pick up speed when walking. Leaning forward is why causes the heel to crash, leading to damage. We pick up speed by rotating the core faster. You can watch my video on how to change speed with walking for the full explanation. It is not analogous to running, which is an entirely different technique.
top notch
Heel strike is not common around the world. Most of the world's population has a forefoot strike. It is very common in the west where most all shoes are higher at the heel than at the toes. This forces a heel strike. Do a shutter stock video search of people walking in India. Virtually nobody is walking with a heel strike. It is a forefoot strike ( not toe strike) . Occasionally you'll see someone heel striking, they will have shoes with heel rise. I wear shoes that do not rise at the heels, I find it hard to heel strike with these kind of shoes. If I wear some "athletic" shoes (typical marshmallow heels), it is hard to walk without a heel strike.
I am not sure if we are living on the same planet. I have watched hundreds of videos of people walking around the world, including IndI and see virtually no one walking forefoot first. I just went to TH-cam and found a scene of a crowd walking in Indi and not a single person was hitting with the forefoot. Everyone had a heel strike. I have also looked up many research articles on the subject and have found no population of people who typically walk forefoot first. Please send. link to a TH-cam video of people in India showing a large group of people walking forefoot first. I would be hugely shocked to see this and am virtually certain this does not exist. Of course this is about walking. Please don’t send a video of people running which is. non issue.
@@ToddMartinMD I'm insulted by the "living on the same planet" comment. That is showing low character. I can't post links but a shutterstock search for "people walking india", sorted for video. Virtually all of the videos shown will show very few people walking with a heel strike. Those that do heel strike clearly are wearing heeled shoes. That is the root of the west and their high incidence of foot, ankle, knee, and hip problems. Much higher than the rest of the world and at much younger ages. In the videos, The lateral side of the forefoot will hit just barely before the heel hits. There is a rolling toward the inner foot which then involves the big toe area. This natural walking technique reduces shock going up the leg.
@@ToddMartinMD google search "shutterstock Indian People Walking Through Street Families Stock Footage" watch the video that comes up. No one is heel striking. they are using the technique i described above. It is a natural walk. Much less shock going up the leg (I understand that you try to minimize the shock but most are just pounding away at their bones) If you wear the common western shoes, you probably can't walk like these people are walking. You will have foot, ankle, knee, hip and other problems at a comparatively young age. Also, westerners walk very little distance per day, comparatively yet still have these problems at a younger age.
@b0b0- Sorry you feel insulted, but what you are describing just does not match up with anything I have observed, and I have been studying this for years. I pulled up a random TH-cam video which is very long and shows tons of people walking in India, most in sandals and many even barefoot. They all are walking with a heel strike. I see no one walking forefoot so what you are saying just does not match up. It is easy to post TH-cam links, and there are tons of them with people walking in India. If you find one demonstrating many people walking forefoot, please post the link. Here is the one I just watched. th-cam.com/video/SFHOR_DE86Q/w-d-xo.htmlsi=8tY5Caia-9ZV5J1t
I watched the video you referred me to. When these people are stepping forward on flat ground, they are walking heel first. You can see this very clearly with the lady in the stripes holding hands with the young girl right as she approaches the step. You may be focusing on them stepping down from the step. Stepping down is different than stepping forward, and absolutely should use a forefoot strike, just as we would do if marching in place. The mechanics of walking forward are different than stepping down a step, and the many elevated stones in the video you linked makes it hard to pick up if you are not aware of this difference. Each time a person in the video lands on the forefoot, they are stepping down from a step or a least taking a pausing step right before stepping down. In all shots where they are clearly stepping forward, they are using the heel. In the video I linked, where you can see many people walking steadily on level ground, not on steps or elevated stones, you will only see heel strike.
Please help me l am a boy walking like a girl walking please help me
This usually means you are swiveling your hips too much. If you follow the techniques described in my videos you should be able to correct this over time
Please I was told dat I have a flat foot and when I stand or walk I feel like am putting pressure on my legs I feel like all the body mass is going to my foot and it has made me my calf pain please help me they have told me to buy different shoes but it’s not helping.
@gynnadenyabenda9247 I would recommend going through my videos where I teach the proper technique and it will take practice but you can make it better.
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