Ankle Motion-Natural Foot Placement Walking and Running

Natural ankle motion and foot placement for walking and running depends on proper use of the core. The ankle movements are not separate. They are part of a whole coordinated pattern connecting the movements of the torso, the pelvis, the hips, the knees, and the ankles. We should keep the ankles relaxed when we move and let them follow their natural course of movement rather than force them to do something. Depending on what we are doing, this may cause the foot to place on the heel, the forefoot, or somewhere in between.

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In normal walking gait on flat ground, almost all people place on the heel with a slightly dorsiflexed ankle, then roll forward to the flat of the foot. Some people are trying to change this heel placement to a forefoot placement to reduce impact force on the body. This is not necessary when we place correctly as I will describe in the video. However, many people do place the heel incorrectly because of the way they are using the core. This can lead to problems which need correcting.

Running technique is different from walking technique, and we should not use assumptions based on running mechanics and apply them to walking mechanics. Running technique can either place on the heel, the midfoot, or the forefoot depending on how the torso and hip movements are coordinated. Some of this is based on choice of techniques, but also depends on speed. Sprinters will often place on the forefoot more often because of the mechanics required to achieve the rapid cycle rate for high speed running. Slower runners may place on the flat foot or the heel. It is still being debated whether either of these foot strikes is more or less prone to injury. It is helpful for all of us interested in running and walking mechanics to understand how the various foot strikes are created so we can choose wisely when deciding on how to optimize our walking and running technique.

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00:00 Introduction
03:57 Variations in Footwork
05:17 Ankle Motion with Walking
07:08 Ankle Motion Stepping Down
09:30 Forefoot Walking
14:30 Running Foot Strike Variations

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