The human foot is an amazing machine! With 26 bones, 33 joints, and 100 muscles, tendons, and ligaments, the foot is designed to bear the weight of the human body, support the musculoskeletal system from the ground up, and move us forward.
The human gait cycle, or walking cycle, is what moves us forward. Gait consists of two primary parts: stance phase and swing phase. Let’s Explore….
Stance Phase which represents approximately 60% of the gait cycle, is simply when one or both of the feet are making contact with the walking surface.
Swing Phase represents the time when the foot is not on the ground. Swing phase represents approximately 40% of the gait cycle. The foot lifts off the ground, the hip moves laterally, and weight shifts to other foot. See below diagram of swing phase:
The two most common problems associated with the gait cycle are flat feet (over-pronation) or an arch that is too high (over supination). If ignored, both conditions can cause heel pain, ball of foot pain, hammer toes, bunions, etc.
How do these problems occur? Gait abnormalities occur when the foot is prevented from properly moving through the cycle. Possibly by walking barefoot on hardwood floors, or wearing shoes that are unsupportive for your specific foot type.
Moral of the story? Educate yourself on common foot conditions and know what signs to look for. Your feet are the foundation of your body!
…And remember the immortal words of ‘The Boss’ Bruce Springsteen:
“Baby, We Were Born to Run!”
Thanks to Rob Feldman, Certified Pedorthist for providing today’s article! Rob is owner of Foot Solutions in Plantation, Florida. To contact Rob directly, you can email him at plantation@footsolutions.com or visit the Foot Solutions Plantation Website.
