Understanding the Critical Role of Foot Mechanics in Health and Performance

By, Deborah Sophier – O2X Injury Prevention Specialist

Everything in your body changes when the foot hits the ground. Whether you have a high, low, or neutral arch, stretched tendons and ligaments or shortened tendons and ligaments, or pain or no pain in the foot, it all affects the body’s kinetic chain when the foot and the ground meet.

Have you ever had pain in the foot or ankle? Did it cause you to change your walking or running mechanics? Did it feel different with gear compared to no gear? What happened when you put the foot on the ground when you were experiencing pain? Have you experienced pain in the knee, hip, or back following a foot or ankle injury due to compensations while experiencing foot or ankle dysfunction?

If the foot does not land with proper placement, is unable to move through the full range of motion, or does not have the strength to move the body forward, the next part in the body’s chain will take over, leading to compensations affecting the rest of the body’s position, movement pattern, and mechanics.

Understanding the anatomy of the foot and ankle

There are 26 bones in each foot, with 4 additional bones in the lower body on each side for a total of 60 bones in the lower body. If you also include tendons, ligaments and fascia, you can see that with the large number of tissues present, there is a high risk for injury in the lower body, especially the foot and ankle. The foot is able to move in 3 different planes and can pronate and supinate, dorsiflex and plantarflex, and abduct and adduct.

What does the foot do?

The foot helps adapt to uneven surfaces, assists with propulsion, absorbs shock, allows for proprioception, awareness of body position as needed for balance, and the arches protect the foot by redistributing pressure allowing the foot to be rigid and mobile.

Foot injuries and its effect on mechanics:

With an injury such as plantar fasciitis, you may notice that you need to warm up the foot before putting weight on it in order to improve tolerance for standing and walking. Performing ankle circles, ankle pumps, or even writing the alphabet with the whole ankle are great ways to get the foot warmed up and ready for weight bearing. The gastrocnemius and soleus are the two calf muscles that come together to form the Achilles tendon, which then attaches to the heel. When these muscles get tight, it can cause a shortening of the plantar fascia, causing pain in the heel, arch, or bottom part of the foot. Stretching the calf muscles is one of the most important sets of exercises you can do for the plantar fascia to help in alleviating these symptoms.

A lateral ankle sprain, also known as an inversion ankle sprain, is the most common type of ankle sprain. Common ways to sustain a lateral ankle sprain are stepping on a curb causing the foot to rotate inwards, stepping into a divot or hole, or having repeated lateral ankle sprains. Strengthening the ankle with resistance band exercises, addressing stability and mobility dysfunctions, and balance training are all beneficial when recovering from an ankle sprain. Depending on the severity and chronicity of the injury, wearing an ankle brace may provide good short term support while the tissues heal. However, wearing an ankle brace over a long period of time can decondition the muscles and contribute to mechanical changes up the chain due to restricted range of motion in the ankle when wearing the brace.

Many compensations can occur when experiencing a foot or ankle injury. If pain or instability are present in the foot or ankle, there may be challenges with initial weight bearing, inability to move through the full range of motion, have a shortened stride, decreased push off, or decreased tolerance of overall weight bearing on the injured side. When this happens, the knees, hips, or back will take over in order to allow for continued movement of the body, although the pattern is now changed. If the pattern continues to change without addressing the foot or ankle injury, it can lead to further injury up the kinetic chain.

The best way to prevent and recover from a foot or ankle injury is to perform appropriate exercises including strengthening, stretching, balance training, and functional training, wearing appropriate footwear or support for your specific foot type, avoiding overuse, and providing the body with rest as needed to allow for healing. Next time you experience pain in the back, lower body, ankle, or foot, take a look at how your foot is hitting the ground because everything in your body changes when the foot hits the ground.

References:

1. Chan, C. W., & Rudins, A. (1994). Foot biomechanics during walking and running. Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 69(5), 448-461. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0025-6196(12)61642-5
2. van Leeuwen, A. M., van Dieën, J. H., Daffertshofer, A., & Bruijn, S. M. (2020). Active foot placement control ensures stable gait: Effect of constraints on foot placement and ankle moments. In J. L. McKay (Ed.), PLOS ONE, 15(12), e0242215. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0242215
3. When the feet hit the ground… everything changes – PT con ed. (n.d.). When-the-feet-hit. https://www.whenthefeethittheground.com/
4. Wilson, C. (2023). Foot pain explored website. Foot-Pain-Explored.com. https://foot-pain-explored.com/calf-stretches.html (Accessed September 4, 2024)

About O2X Injury Prevention Specialist Deborah Sophier:

Deb Sophier is an O2X Injury Prevention and Strength & Conditioning Specialist who received her Bachelor’s of Science in Exercise Science at Indiana University in 2006 and Doctorate of Physical Therapy at Midwestern University in 2014. She has been a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist with the NSCA since 2006. Deb is a Physical Therapist who specializes in orthopedic conditions, including injuries to the feet, knees, hips, shoulders, and back. She has been performing running evaluations, foot and gait analyses, and footwear assessments since 2015, which is one of her biggest passions in Physical Therapy. Being married to a Police Commander in the Chicagoland area, she has a unique understanding of law enforcement and its effects on physical and mental wellbeing. In her free time, Deborah likes to bake and cook, play with her son, Braden, travel, watch sports, and compete in triathlons and half Ironman races.

About O2X Human Performance:

O2X Human Performance provides comprehensive, science-backed programs to hundreds of public safety departments, federal agencies, and the military. O2X works with clients to elevate culture, improve mental and physical wellbeing, support healthy lifestyles, and reduce healthcare costs associated with injuries and illnesses. Driven by results and cutting edge research, O2X programs are designed and delivered by a team of Special Operations veterans, high level athletes, and hundreds of leading experts in their respective fields of human performance.