Inside Running: Functional Movement for Runners Part II

Wednesday, July 18, 2018 · Mike Davis

Inside Running

Last week I introduced a new feature that I have now decided to call “Inside Running.” This weekly piece will delve into a more detailed look at running, through science and educational understanding. This may not be something for runners that do not care how things work, but healthy & strong running, is not an accident.

Functional Movement for Runners Part II

The Foot & Great Toe

It is fairly elementary that our running starts with our feet. Pressure from landing not only affects our foot but continues all the way up the kinetic chain (knee, hip and spine). This pressure equals 3-4 times a runner’s weight. This means that a runner that weighs 150 pounds, will exert 600-pounds of weight on their foot as they land. Furthermore, depending on the degree of push-off (propulsion), the amount of pressure can substantially increase.

We are all rightfully proud of ourselves when we make the effort to strength train, doing hip, core and arm strengthening, but not many pay much attention to our feet where it all starts. Instead we bury our feet in cushioned and often snug running shoes and ignore the 20+ foot muscles that are needed for functional running.

We often think about our feet only when we have to deal with that dreaded plantar fasciitis and that drives us to such remedies as self-myofascial release (rolling a ball on the bottom of our foot). However, those 20+ muscles become dormant or trained improperly by as a result of neglect or footwear that restricts feel and movement.

Our great toe (the big toe), is a vital component to our push off as it has much of the responsibility of planting and pushing off. Ideally, our big toe should be capable of 40 degrees of flexion that allows for proper foot function as it moves through the gait cycle. There are 2 possibilities for failure. The first is the big toe is not able to flex 40 degrees. The second (and most likely), is that the big toe can flex 40 degrees, but we do not actively engage it.

I will not go crazy into what the affects of flexing the big toe entail, but anytime we lack mobility at one joint we now ask another part of the kinetic chain to compensate. Right now, I am experiencing calf problems and while I have enough flexion in my big toe I do not actually use it. Since we are talking about me, I am okay with guessing a diagnosis. Possibly my lack of big toe mobility (self-imposed as it is), is causing the next joint (the ankle), to compensate, and the calf muscles attach at the ankle. Hmm… With me it may be my calf that is affected by the big toe not being flexed, but another runner might be affected by a tight iliotibial band (IT-Band). Maybe another might feel it in the lower back and the possibilities go on.

From a performance standpoint, lack of big toe mobility directly impacts affective propulsion and running efficiency is severely restricted. When we leave out a valuable part of the kinetic chain, we now have to work that much harder to compensate and that means we are working harder than we should to run. Doesn’t that sound terrible!

What to do?

First get your shoes off more often! Next check the following:

• Can I pull my big toe toward my shine between 2 and 3 inches off the ground (40 degrees)?
• Can I pull my big toe off the ground without raising the other toes?
• Can I splay my toes?

Most of us can probably get bend (flex) the big toe sufficiently, but the second two are not so easy. Getting active with our feet is important, so walk barefoot as often as you can and work at toe yoga. Getting in touch with your feet and toes is the first steps of improving your usage of it.

Another helpful exercise is a barefoot single foot calf raise. Focus on the toes and pushing off all 5, with some emphasis on the big toe. This as if you were squishing a quarter under the big toe as you push up. Use a wall for balance and do 3 X 15 on each foot daily.

Running shoes can be wonderful for runners, however many are shaped very narrow at the toe box. It is a challenge but think to the above exercises and try to feel your big toe flexing as your plant to push off. We can do all the great exercises possible, but unless we are able to “feel” the toe actually flexing as we move, improved mobility will have no value.

We have some material available for improving foot stability and mobility, and you can contact us if you would like to have it. I would also highly recommend talking with a running centric physical therapist if you think you may have an injury that is the result of any part of your foot.

Hope you understand your foot a little better now! Leave any comments or question you might have!

Mike