The Weak Foot Theory

Russ Ebbets
Off The Road Column

    In numerous columns I have discussed the role of the foot in running and jumping and often mentioned the use of the six foot drills to better prepare the foot for the stresses of training and competition. This is all part of what I call my Weak Foot Theory.
    Each foot consists of 26 bones that are moved by some 33 muscles and held together by over 100 ligaments. The largest bone is the heel or calcaneus and the largest muscle is about the size of your thumb. Throughout the phases of gait the foot acts as both a rigid lever for propulsion or braking during toe-off and heel strike and as a mobile adapter where the body balances on the foot, as in mid-stance.
    The concepts of balance and proprioception are central to this discussion. Ultimately our brain is the structure which registers balance and proprioception. Sensory input can come from several areas. Our eyes register spatial relationships and are one source. Our ears have fluid levels that maintain balance. In fact any in-coordination between what we see and the fluid levels in our ears can lead to a spinning sensation called vertigo.
    A third area, equally important to balance and proprioception is the balance information that comes from the muscles and joints of the body. The musculo-skeletal system comprises up to 60% of the body’s weight. The musculo-skeletal system is a tremendous potential source of information for the brain to process. But the problem is it must be developed. The old adage – use it or lose it applies here.
    If there is any doubt that our muscles provide balance try these two simple experiments. Perform a maximum bench press or do the bench press to fatigue on a machine. Now get a spotter and try to duplicate that feat with free weights. The difference is usually significantly less with free weights – why? The machine eliminates the need of the secondary, intrinsic muscles to balance the weight as you push.
    The second experiment is to stand on one leg for 30 seconds. In time you will note a quiver that takes place at your ankle. This is your subtalar joint (between the calcaneus and talar bones). The quiver is the body’s attempt to glean proprioceptive information from the foot to the brain, coincidentally the longest pathway in the body. Interestingly note which foot you choose. The foot chosen is not a random selection. If unguided we opt for our “best” foot or the foot with the clearer, more developed neuromuscular pathway. Coincidentally this is also your strongest leg.
    The neuromuscular pathway is another concept central to this discussion. Coordinated efforts, where the muscles fire and move the joints in a smooth and sequential manner is a direct result of clear and well established neuromuscular pathways. How do these pathways get clarified? Through practice, particularly through fundamental movement patterns that are perfectly practiced on a daily basis.
    Now that you have an understanding of how muscles and the nervous system control and register balance several questions are probably arising. If we stand all day why is not our balance and proprioception already trained to a very high level?
    The answer to this most important question is two fold – shoes and surfaces.
    The shoes that most people wear who live in industrialized nations are usually too small and essentially represent a soft cast on the foot. When any area of the body is casted, movement, by design is significantly restricted. This leads to a poorly developed neuromuscular pathway. The restricted movement leads to muscular atrophy, which leads to decreased sensory input from the affected muscles and joints and ultimately, negatively affects one’s balance.
    If you are still having trouble with this concept go watch a biddy basketball game. Watch the nine and ten year-olds run around the gym in designer shoes that would more aptly be called boots. A strong, stiff shoe does not allow the small intrinsic muscles of the foot to develop. Contrast this with an athlete from the third world, the Kenyans for example. These athletes are lucky to have one pair of shoes in their childhood. In a culture of bare feet the development of the intrinsic muscles of the foot is great.
    A second area of concern is seen in surfaces. If there is one overriding reality about living in an industrialized nation it is that people in these countries live the majority of their lives on hard level surfaces. Review your own day – the floors in your house are flat, the sidewalks, your driveway, your office or classroom or shop floor are all flat. This is done to accommodate the smooth running of the machines that drive the industrialized nations, to the detriment of the human’s balance and proprioception.
    Why is this a detriment to humans? Because a constant smooth, flat surface does not offer the foot any challenges. Each foot strike is essentially the same 5-10,000 times a day. Without that variation in foot strikes it is similar situation to lifting on a machine. We lose the partial function of the secondary stabilizers, the intrinsic muscles that aid balance and proprioception.
    Initially this all may seem terribly dire. You probably have no immediate plans to move to the third world and living your life without shoes is just not an option. The solution to the problem is simple and the effects are profound. In fact I will go on record as saying that a daily application of the six foot drills will eliminate shin splints, Achilles tendonitis, plantar fasciitis and knee problems and should you sprain an ankle it will generally be less severe. This is a bold statement, particularly in the light that one famous study of runners found that 79% of running injuries are from the knee down. Characteristically the teams I coached had little to no knee and foot problems.
    The six foot drills are performed daily. They can be done inside or outside. A grass surface is preferred but any dry, clean, clear surface will do. It is very important that they be done barefooted or in sox, not with the shoes on.
    The drills are done for 25 meters and take all of three minutes to complete. The first drill is to walk 25 meters on the outside of the foot, 25m on the inside of the foot, 25m toeing in and 25m toeing out, 25m backwards on the toes or forefoot and finally with the shoes on 25m on the heels. The reason the last drill is done with the shoes on is to protect the heels from bruising.
    Don’t expect immediate results. Also, more is not better in this case. What we are doing is slightly challenging the system and going on to practice. Over the course of 2-3 weeks you should note several things will happen, most notably is the ability to “corner” (run around a street corner) with more force. Ground contact is more steady which allows for a more forceful push-off.
    After a few weeks were you to go back and try to balance on the foot for a period of time I think you’d note that your balance has improved, there would be less of a quiver. So what you might say. Consider for a second that at each foot strike there is a slight quiver. That quiver represents lost time. Even if that lost time represents only 1/100th of a second repeated for 50 steps that is ½ second. It takes about 50 steps to run 100m and oftentimes the difference between the winner and last place in the Olympic final is ½ second. Google the men’s results from the Athens 2004 100m.
    Another interesting point – remember the comment about putting your best foot forward? The fact is that the weaker foot has a greater quiver. This quiver places greater stress on the insertion sites for the ligaments, muscles and tendons in the area. The weaker foot will tend to have a greater chance of overuse injuries such as shin splints, Achilles problems and plantar fasciitis.
    Somebody might ask – won’t orthotics help this? Yes, orthotics will help. Some people have such glaring foot problems an orthotic may be necessary for added support and protection. Taping of the area may also help. Realize that both these solutions serve as a crutch. Neither really strengthens the foot. While I have long been a proponent of orthotic use I would still recommend the athlete do the foot drills.
    The body adapts to the stresses placed upon it. Aerobic training and training at the anaerobic threshold develops cardio-vascular fitness to the point where racing performance will improve. But the cardio-vascular system is only one link in the chain. Time, effort and energy must be spent developing the musculo-skeletal system through calisthenics and weight training which in turn will develop the balance, proprioception and dynamic stability of the body.
    All forward force is eventually generated by the foot. It is unfortunate that this area is almost universally neglected in terms of athletic development. Six short drills taking three minutes a day is all it takes to counteract the weak foot that our industrialized society creates.

Russ Ebbets, DC is the editor of Track Coach Magazine, the technical journal for USA Track and Field. He is author of Supernova, a novel on the famed Villanova running program. Copies are available for $10.95 plus $2. Shipping and handling from PO Box 229, Union Springs, NY 13160. He can be contacted at spinedoctor229@hotmail.com