How to Walk Properly Fact Check-Forefoot Strike is the Natural Way to Walk?

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2 жыл бұрын

In Walking Technique Fact Check #3 I will look at the claim that forefoot first walking is the most natural way to walk, and that people currently walk heel first only because of heavily cushioned modern footwear. The further claim is that heel strike walking is by its very nature harmful to the joints. The argument usually hits several points which are all sound legitimate but are really untrue.
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My video with full discussion of forefoot strike
• Forefoot vs Heel Strik...
Popular KZfaq video advocating forefoot walking as the natural way to walkl
Link to How to Walk (Response to Bob and Brad) In-Depth
• How to Walk (In Respon...
Major Points
1. Heel striking involves putting on the breaks with a locked knee:
Answer: No one walks with a locked out knee. The knee flexes instantly after placement on the heel with not even a slight breaking action occurring.
2. There is no shock absorption when landing on the heel.
Answer: The flexion of the knee and roll to the flat foot position occurs in a controlled fashion which reduces the impact on the joints.
3. If people walked barefoot, they would very quickly realize that they cannot walk barefoot with a heel strike due to the pain it would cause.
Answer: Most habitual barefoot walkers do walk heel first with no issues at all
4. Heel Strike doesn't use your muscles.
Answer: Of course you are using all your muscles when you walk with a heel strike. But even it you were not, this wouldn't be a rational for forefoot walking. The goal of walking is not to use an many muscles as possible. The is to walk as efficiently as possible. If you could walk with no muscles, that would probably be the best.
5. Early man could not of walked heel first because of dangerous things they could step on.
Answer: First of all, there were no abundant sharp objects during the evolution of early man. There was no glass, or needles, or other sharp man made objects. There was also no concrete or other hard manmade surfaces. People would have been walking on grass, dirt, and sand. Natural calluses would have easily deflected pebbles, branches, or prickly vegetation. Secondly, the forefoot skin is not less sensitive or vulnerable than the heel.
6. The heel is not designed to be landed on.
Answer: The heel is the largest, most dense bone in the foot. It also has a significant fat pad underneath it which is evolved as a cushion.
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Пікірлер: 58

@theevilsari Ай бұрын

Thank you so much for this video! I've been searching and searching the internet and watching videos that keep saying you should strike with the front of your foot first. I have to start a walking program because I have lower back pain and it's recommended by my physical therapist. I want to make sure I'm walking the most appropriate way, and I strike heal first naturally. It seemed odd and like a lot of work to learn how to strike with the front of your foot first. I tried it and it felt very unnatural and also that it felt very difficult to learn. I felt like your video was very informative and to the point. I also felt like you've done your research. And I really like the length of it. I also like the setting you chose as it's very beautiful and the color of the ground and your shoes helps see exactly what you're trying to demonstrate. Thank you for debunking these theories and helping me start my walking program. Great video. ❤

@ToddMartinMD Ай бұрын

My pleasure. I am glad you found the video.

@thecsslife 3 ай бұрын

I've been struggling with back pain for 10+ years. From consultations with GPs to physiotherapists, having multiple MRIs, X-Rays and bone scans, nothing worked out and I felt neglected by the medical system (and still do). However, after discovering forefoot walking, I found a lifestyle change that has really helped.

@ToddMartinMD 3 ай бұрын

I am glad that helped you. It means the way you were previously walking was not correct. Many people heel strike incorrectly, which is why I have this channel, to teach the proper way to do it.

@yannr.3782 Жыл бұрын

Very helpful content, Todd. Thank you!

@ToddMartinMD Жыл бұрын

My pleasure

@chompushkabombushka3595 9 ай бұрын

Great video Dr. Martin. I was kinda getting pulled in to the "only forefoot walking" is correct debate from Grown and Healthy's videos. Something didn't quite sit right with me, especially as I was trying it. You pulled apart his points well, especially being that no one walks with a fixed extended quad like he does in the video(unless perhaps they're trying to haul ass while they walk). Thanks for the vid! Also I love your choice of location. I collect and landscape with succulent plants so I'd love to see more people do content in a desert garden haha

@ToddMartinMD 9 ай бұрын

Very glad you enjoyed it.

@dzadza7775 9 ай бұрын

I like the bird that flies in. Very superior movement😊

@dzadza7775 9 ай бұрын

Great advice, thank you from a very green ( and hilly) Cornwall, U K

@carlolaput2597 Ай бұрын

I was aparently a duck foot walker for years and had developed significant knee pain. I ended up looking for solutions and found two channels with opposing solutions. I tried the forefoot strike method of a channel called Grown and Healthy, and I tried the way this Todd Martin MD recomends to walk. I fount that the forefoot strike where I would put down my fore foot first then retrograde the heel down for support before taking another step to be strange. If i don't put down the heel and attempt to take the step with just my weight bearing down on the fore foot, then it took a rediculous amount of energy to make the next step. I ended up just following this Dr. Todds recomendations, the knee issues went away and a side effect i found was i was able to now walk faster vs my duck walking days. Forefoot walking because of its increased energy consumption and effort makes me think its must be a great exercise for certain muscles, but for my day to day and hiking activities, i just use the "correct" heel strike movement. Just wanted to say Thank you for this content, literally saved my knees.

@ToddMartinMD Ай бұрын

Thanks for the comment. I am so happy you were able to fix your issue with duck feet and knee pain.

@andybryant8509 Жыл бұрын

I've been trying forefoot walking for the last few days. I've noticed it takes as much energy to forefoot walk as it does to forefoot run. It seems like it has helped with my achilles tendon pain, because it is basically a high amount of reps of calf raise negatives. However, it has been hard for me to imagine developing this as a walking technique to always be used. Thank you for the video!

@ToddMartinMD Жыл бұрын

My pleasure. Forefoot walking isn't meant to be used as the go to gait, so I wouldn't put effort into trying.

@toneysisk1585 Жыл бұрын

Just to be clear, our forefathers were hunters. This requires walking silently on the forefoot, testing the ground as they stalked in order to minimize making noises in the woods. When they weren't stalking using the forefoot, they probably walked heel first because it is easier shlumping around camp this way as they relaxed from the hunt. So, we walked both ways because our anatomy allowed it. I walk both ways. I walk forefooot when I'm walking barefoot around the house or walking quietly outside. And heel first when I want to move quickly or get my heart rate up. Now as I grow older, I tend toward forefoot more frequently (but not entirely) to minimize the little bit of heel pain your can get when older. Also, my heel first step is almost flat with a pronounced rolling of the foot without much push off. Too much push off takes my glues out the picture, which is very bad thing. Hope this helps! Thanks for what your do, Todd!

@ToddMartinMD Жыл бұрын

Of course you are exactly right. We are built to walk in many different manners depending on the situation. Forefoot would be perfect for sneaking around keeping the body low to the ground while stalking in the forest and heel strike for humping 60 miles across the plains looking for a herd. Your other points weee also right on. My main point of contention is with the zealots who try to teach others that heel striking by its nature is wrong and unnatural and a consequence of shoes.

@toneysisk1585 Жыл бұрын

@@ToddMartinMD Awesome. Thanks much Todd!

@kylediaz3302 Жыл бұрын

@@ToddMartinMD The ANGLE in which most people land on the heel first is unnatural and a consequence of modern shoes that have elevated heels. The angle of a heel strike in zero drop shoes or barefoot is substantially smaller (ex: 45 degrees vs 10 degrees). With feet staying under the body and without overextending, you can efficiently heel to midfoot strike without injury; such a gait is impossible with modern footwear. That is the argument. A woman walking in 5 inch heels over the course of a lifetime completely ruins the entire kinetic chain; just because modern athletic shoes don't have 5 inch heels doesn't mean their 5-20mm elevated heels wont do damage over the course of a lifetime. Even business dress shoes for men and women have heel elevation. This chain reaction of events begins from childhood when our overly protective parents (scared of the modern world) put us from walking barefoot to slapping on a pair Tonka trucks to our feet completely ruining our natural gait development. We are the product of what began when we were 1 year old and now have to correct the damage that has been done. correcttoes.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/rossiWhyShoesMakeNormalGaitImpossible.pdf?_ga=2.135175858.227407989.1673645706-1481140590.1673645706 correcttoes.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Rossi-FashionandFootDeformation.pdf correcttoes.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Rossi-FootwearTheprimarycauseofFootDisorders.pdf correcttoes.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/ChildrensFootwear-LaunchingSiteforAdultFootIlls.pdf

@ToddMartinMD Жыл бұрын

@@kylediaz3302 I agree with that, especially the damage to women wearing high heels. I would question what people mean when they say "modern" footwear because we are likely talking about hundreds of years of footwear and not just modern corporations. Men have been wearing heeled dress shoes I am sure for over a hundred years or maybe much longer. But the bottom line which is still true is that none of this means forefoot first walking is the way to walk, which is the point of the video.

@alexagranado 9 ай бұрын

@lucagian9801 2 жыл бұрын

very well argumentated thanks

@ToddMartinMD 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks again, Luca.

@YaYippieYeah 2 жыл бұрын

Solid video as always. People please comment more to help raise his viewer count 😉

@ToddMartinMD 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Lars.

@edwardmeisse4361 10 ай бұрын

I have been wearing barefoot walking shoes for almost 2 years now. I am finding that without the, "Support," provided by most shoes these days, my body is naturally moving in the direction of the type of walking that you recommend with no effort on my part. Watching lots of your videos, by the way, helps me understand what you're talking about better and better. You often repeat the same things but you say them in different ways. That has helped me understand.

@ToddMartinMD 10 ай бұрын

That is my plan. You do need to hear the same thing in many different ways before it can finally click.

@matthewlagerlow7130 4 ай бұрын

Barefoot shoes and heel strike is most likely going to lead to heel pain in enough time as it’s not designed for all that impact! A podiatrist told me be careful of barefoot shoes as fat pad on heel wears out in old age.. I told her I don’t heel strike so that shouldn’t be a issue and they were a lil confused lol 😂

@ToddMartinMD 4 ай бұрын

@matthewlagerlow7130 Sure thing. I have loads of 80-100 year old patient and heel pad atrophy is not something I have seen except if someone got poorly done cortisone injection. We can just agree to disagree.

@matthewlagerlow7130 4 ай бұрын

@@ToddMartinMD heel strike might use less energy but you are lifting swinging your energy out of the much smaller muscles hip flexors a lot vs pushing pulling through the ground out the largest muscles in the body to full contraction behind the body having them reach there end range and retracting them selfs up as you move forward the leg lands where it should underneath the body mass centre of gravity all by itself

@edwardmeisse4361 4 ай бұрын

I'm not having any problems at this time. I'm not really feeling a big impact. It's more like I'm putting my heel down and then shifting my weight into it.@@ToddMartinMD

@johninvirginia7779 2 жыл бұрын

Thx Doc

@ToddMartinMD 2 жыл бұрын

My pleasure, John

@manumonkrkr7085 2 жыл бұрын

Perfect thank u

@ToddMartinMD 2 жыл бұрын

My pleasure. I am glad you enjoyed it.

@mrjackolanterns 2 жыл бұрын

I always noticed that the back of my shoulder starts hurting after I walk longer distances. It gets worse if I'm consistently doing those distances day after day or wearing a backpack. I stare toward the horizon. I don't slouch my head. I think my posture is ok when I walk. I think it might have to do with my slightly rounded shoulders but I'm not sure. It's only one shoulder. Any thoughts?

@ToddMartinMD 2 жыл бұрын

The easiest way to know if your shoulders are rounded is to see which way your palms face when you walk. They should face the outside of your thighs. If they face backward then you have a posture or walking technique issue that needs correction. If you find that is the case, my videos should be helpful for correction.

@mrjackolanterns 2 жыл бұрын

@@ToddMartinMD Thanks for the response. My palms face my outer thighs for the most part. Could it be trapezious muscle related?

@biosparkles9442 9 ай бұрын

Maybe I just don't understand what foot strike really is, but that video from Australia looks like most of the barefoot people have more of a midfoot strike than a heel strike

@ToddMartinMD 9 ай бұрын

They are clearly walking with a heel strike. You can just look at the upward angle of the foot right before it comes down. The only way to actually walk with a midfoot strike if you have vertical posture is to walk with a very bent knee, which is very unnatural. What the forefoot advocates are suggesting is that people should be landing on the outside of the forefoot, not even the midfoot. This is clearly not what is being done by these barefoot walkers. I haven't seen a video of people walking anywhere in the world with a forefoot strike outside of people promoting it on KZfaq. Heel strike doesn't mean jamming the heel into the ground. It simply means the bottom of the heel is the first part of the foot that contacts the ground. Forefoot components always exaggerate the appearance of this as they describe it.

@biosparkles9442 9 ай бұрын

@@ToddMartinMD Thanks for explaining! I've gotten so confused about what the different strikes actually are because of people constantly saying that human beings don't naturally walk with a heel strike. I grew up in Australia and go barefoot a lot, I've always worn very minimalist shoes, mostly very thin sandals (and I recently realised that the heels on my work boots are what's causing my calf cramps), but I still naturally heel strike. I thought maybe I was actually midfoot striking, because all of the online content about it tells me I can't possibly have a natural heel strike. Glad to know that's all just nonsense and I *am* heel striking, just the correct way. My family always jokes about how quietly I move around, and I tell them it's because I don't "throw my foot at the ground" like they all do, which I guess is the difference between a proper and an improper heel strike.

@ToddMartinMD 9 ай бұрын

@@biosparkles9442 You are spot on. There is a lot of incorrect heel striking out there, which is why I try and teach people how to walk correctly. I am curious to know where you have been hearing that heel strike is unnatural. On KZfaq it all seems to be from Grown and Healthy and Bob and Brad. I see no other source. And they are just making it up. There is no medical literature or teaching that even considers this to be an issue at all. And even Bob and Brad don't really believe it. I finally saw Bob walk in one of his recent videos (they almost never show it) but not only is he a heel striker, he is profoundly duck footed. I have no idea why they are teaching something they don't even do, other than it gets them clicks.

@divad968 2 жыл бұрын

Clear and simple. You want to know more? Check the related videos. I like this format. 👍

@ToddMartinMD 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks. So far these are starting out well.

@Blenzo480 Жыл бұрын

That looks like san Diego. I swear I've been where you are standing but I cant recall were that is

@ToddMartinMD Жыл бұрын

That is San Diego, in front of the Casa de Prado in Balboa Park. Good catch.

@Blenzo480 Жыл бұрын

@@ToddMartinMD So I have been there! Where is the other shot? In that in the lower trail area by the Rose Gardens in balboa park?

@ToddMartinMD Жыл бұрын

@@Blenzo480 Yes. It's called the Desert Garden which is next to the Rose Garden

@Seanonyoutube 2 жыл бұрын

I think the whole forefoot is better argument was originally argued in regards to running, not walking. In the context of running I think there is some merit to that argument.

@ToddMartinMD 2 жыл бұрын

Correct. I make that point in the first fact check video on leaning forward and midfoot strike. I didn't repeat the same argument in this video. It definitely comes from runners, where there is not much controversy about running with forefoot or midfoot strike. Most competitive runners already do that.

@Stew-rl9qk 9 ай бұрын

The heel wear on shoes would disagree with you.

@ToddMartinMD 9 ай бұрын

I have no heel wear on my shoes. That comes from incorrect walking technique, not from heel strike. But maybe you are right and everyone in the world from now back through all history has it wrong. And every study of proper walking technique by doctors and scientists is wrong. Was your source just your personal experience and a couple of KZfaq videos? Even Bob of Bob and Brad doesn't walk forefoot first even though they put it in their videos.

@Stew-rl9qk 9 ай бұрын

@@ToddMartinMD "Every" study through "all" of history, also "everyone in the world"? You are possible appealing to authority and making a lot of very polar claims. I don't think I'm on your level to go any further with this. Especially if you have the high ground to attempt to belittle me or my assumed sources. You win Todd, your methods are very constructive.

@ToddMartinMD 9 ай бұрын

@@Stew-rl9qk I have gone through innumerable polite debates on the subject, including debating Mark from Grown and Healthy in a video on KZfaq. This new movement to promote the idea that forefoot walking is normal is actually dangerous and confusing many people who are looking for correct information about movement. I gave you a response that usually I save for reply number nine or ten to people who keep claiming that I am the one misinforming people. They generally post multiple comments, ignoring the polite responses I give trying to inform them. I generally ask them to produce one single source outside of KZfaq or their personal experience, or one video of any group of people anywhere in the world walking normally with a forefoot strike. I sincerely apologize for coming out of the gate with my hyperbolic response, but it just gets a bit fatiguing.

@Stew-rl9qk 9 ай бұрын

@@ToddMartinMD Apology not accepted or needed, take care.

@matthewlagerlow7130 4 ай бұрын

Haha most the Australians looked forefoot mid foot! The odd one wasn’t but that’s normal as once you pick up the gait then the brain is wired .. your forefoot walk needs work! And your leg is landing in front of your body lol You use less energy and less muscles to get it right so long term that forefoot builds much stronger muscles that will do the energy for you in time

@ToddMartinMD 4 ай бұрын

Sorry, that is all heel strike. Once you see the foot dorsiflex, you know it is a heel strike. In a forefoot strike, the foot plantarflexes, which never happens in that Australian video. The ones on the clear lateral view you can see obviously. Everyone's leg lands in front of the body when walking. That is how walking works. lol

@matthewlagerlow7130 4 ай бұрын

@@ToddMartinMD haha no it doesn’t in a proper forefoot walk it lands directly underneath that’s the point! Take out the swing stage and just push pull through all that large posterior chain and let the feet land under the body automatically! Keep working on it make I’m box jumping 4 foot high now and can run barefoot long distances it just keeps getting better and better