Understanding the Foot

The walking cycle or "foot step" uses all parts of the foot including: bones, joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments, blood vessels, lymphatics, nerves, and bursae. This complex process is taken for granted until a foot problem develops.

The walking cycle begins at heel contact with the ground and ends when the great toe leaves the ground. Heel contact occurs with a slightly inverted foot and accounts for the wear and tear of the heel on shoes.

The foot is flat during 2/3 of the walking cycle (this is called pronation). This absorbs the shock of weight bearing. When the foot is flat, it bears all of the body weight, and it is stabilized by bone alignment of the arch and is supported by strong ligaments, the muscles of the foot, among other systems.

As the foot contacts the walking surface there is a forward "push". Push off begins as the body weight is transferred to the ball of the foot, and partly the toes.

Importance of Stability

When the foot goes through the same motion over and over every day, it is important that all the parts of the foot repeat the walking cycle in a stable manner. Everything needs to work in the balance that nature planned it to be. If not, pain is the most common symptom and usually it doesn't stop at affecting only the foot.

The pain generally moves from the foot up, affecting the ankle, the knee, the hips...etc.

Fortunately, many preventative measures, and therapeutic measures exist thanks to the science of podiatric medicine that permit us to enjoy a long life of mobility.