Chapter 4
Walking and the Amazing Foot
"Nothing is more supremely important than my great toe."
"The body walking is insanely difficult, so much a little child can do it." Anonymous
Walking and the Amazing Foot
"Nothing is more supremely important than my great toe."
"The body walking is insanely difficult, so much a little child can do it." Anonymous
Every time we take a step, all the components of movement are brought into action. With every step we are literally falling forward, a controlled fall. Our body utilizes amazing balance, proprioception and muscle strength to prevent the fall, right itself and prepare to take another step. Each step is a miracle of body function.
Walking is one of the best forms of exercise requiring athletic effort, stamina and physical co-ordination. The health benefits are remarkable, including weight reduction, relief of stress and positive influence on metabolic disorders such as coronary artery disease, hypertension, diabetes and mental depression. Walking 30 minutes a day, 2-3 times per week can dramatically improve your physical well being and level of energy. In our modern, sedentary society, where physical activity is not a priority, a simple walk can be quite beneficial and should be a priority in our daily life.
Walking is one of the best forms of exercise requiring athletic effort, stamina and physical co-ordination. The health benefits are remarkable, including weight reduction, relief of stress and positive influence on metabolic disorders such as coronary artery disease, hypertension, diabetes and mental depression. Walking 30 minutes a day, 2-3 times per week can dramatically improve your physical well being and level of energy. In our modern, sedentary society, where physical activity is not a priority, a simple walk can be quite beneficial and should be a priority in our daily life.
How does the body do it?
- The head should be lifted upward. The eyes, critical for balance and proprioception, should be looking ahead 20 feet or more Avoid looking down at your feet when you walk.
- The shoulders are best held in the proper posture. The arms swing naturally in a pendulum motion. Typically, left arm is forward, left foot back, alternating with right arm forward, right foot back. Swinging arms helps accelerate momentum.
- The spine and core muscles are fully engaged. The abdominals support the torso, the spine keeps the body erect. The pelvis should be tilted forward. Poor gait, how we step, can cause misalignment of the lower spine, knee, hip, ankle, and feet problems.
- The primary muscles used for walking are in the legs, including the buttocks. Most people have one leg slightly longer or shorter than the other. This can affect how you walk.
- Bearing the weight of the body are the feet. Each foot endures tremendous amount of pressure when walking or standing. The average person may walk 1,000 to 10,000 steps a day.
- The head should be lifted upward. The eyes, critical for balance and proprioception, should be looking ahead 20 feet or more Avoid looking down at your feet when you walk.
- The shoulders are best held in the proper posture. The arms swing naturally in a pendulum motion. Typically, left arm is forward, left foot back, alternating with right arm forward, right foot back. Swinging arms helps accelerate momentum.
- The spine and core muscles are fully engaged. The abdominals support the torso, the spine keeps the body erect. The pelvis should be tilted forward. Poor gait, how we step, can cause misalignment of the lower spine, knee, hip, ankle, and feet problems.
- The primary muscles used for walking are in the legs, including the buttocks. Most people have one leg slightly longer or shorter than the other. This can affect how you walk.
- Bearing the weight of the body are the feet. Each foot endures tremendous amount of pressure when walking or standing. The average person may walk 1,000 to 10,000 steps a day.
When we step the heel strikes the ground. The instep projects the foot forward onto the balls of our feet, the front metatarsals. The great toe helps balance and sends sensory receptors to the brain as to position and posture, The great toe allows the foot to push off with the next step. The opposite foot swings past the stationary foot, like a pendulum and makes contact with the ground. Another step is taken.
The great toe, known as the hallux, dominates the structure and function of the foot.
- Essential nerves surround the toe and leads directly to the brain. These nerves tell the body the position of the foot, proprioception, and helps coordinate balance as well as sensation.
- The great toe helps maintain support of the body, adjusting the weight to the other toes of the foot.
The great toe is not always the longest toe of the foot. In some people the second toe is longer, but the great toe predominates.
Loss of function to the great toe, any damage, can affect other joints of the foot, legs, even hip and back.
One common injury is turf toe. The toe is hyperflexed (bent back to the bottom of the foot).
Split toed tabi shoes
In the dojo, traditionally, the aikidoka goes barefoot on the mat allowing greater balance and toe mobility. It is important for the toes, in particular the great toe, to grasp the mat. Out of doors the split toed shoes are an advantage, as they separate the big toe and allow the foot to grasp the ground better.
In the western world people primarily wear boxed toe shoes with hard soles covering the bottom of the foot. The standard shoe has a wide shoe box enclosing all the toes. The toes, including the great toe, are cramped, the toes can slide around and prevent appropriate gripping of the ground or mat.
The Japanese have traditionally worn sandals. The big toe is separated by a strap between the other toes. Over time the Japanese wore shoes like westerners, but some, particularly laborers, preferred the sandal that evolved into the tabi shoe.
In the dojo, traditionally, the aikidoka goes barefoot on the mat allowing greater balance and toe mobility. It is important for the toes, in particular the great toe, to grasp the mat. Out of doors the split toed shoes are an advantage, as they separate the big toe and allow the foot to grasp the ground better.
In the western world people primarily wear boxed toe shoes with hard soles covering the bottom of the foot. The standard shoe has a wide shoe box enclosing all the toes. The toes, including the great toe, are cramped, the toes can slide around and prevent appropriate gripping of the ground or mat.
The Japanese have traditionally worn sandals. The big toe is separated by a strap between the other toes. Over time the Japanese wore shoes like westerners, but some, particularly laborers, preferred the sandal that evolved into the tabi shoe.
With tabi shoes the great toe is separated from the other toes, allowing them to better grasp the ground. In Japan laborers often prefer the tabi shoe because of the comfort and agility of the toes. Sports and fashion icons have incorporated the tabi syle into popular culture.
In aikido we often slide the bottom of our feet on the mat. It makes a distinctive sound and allows the foot to use the toes to grasp the mat,improving balance and thrusting forward the body. We slide, right foot, right side of body forward, then left foot forward, left side of body forward. Slide, slide, slide. This irimi slide helps keep the foot close to the ground and able to plant the foot, controlled by the big toe, to thrust the body forward with dynamic power.
Children are taught at an early age to walk one foot in front of the other, to swing or arms naturally in a pendulum motion.
Right foot forward, left hand back. Right foot back, left hand forward.
Left foot forward right hand back. Left foot forward, right hand forward.
That is not most effecient way to walk.
Right foot forward, left hand back. Right foot back, left hand forward.
Left foot forward right hand back. Left foot forward, right hand forward.
That is not most effecient way to walk.
POINTS TO REMEMBER
- Walking takes a great deal of coordination and can dramatically improve your physical well-being.
- Proper posture is essential for walking.
- The great toe is important for maintaining balance and proprioception.
- Split toe tabi shoes are unique and are popular for their separation of the great toe and ability to grab the ground better than normal shoes.
- Walking takes a great deal of coordination and can dramatically improve your physical well-being.
- Proper posture is essential for walking.
- The great toe is important for maintaining balance and proprioception.
- Split toe tabi shoes are unique and are popular for their separation of the great toe and ability to grab the ground better than normal shoes.