We wrote this orginally after our Paralysis Project in 1980. The percepts have really remained the same which is remarkable considering this was written 30 years ago. Editor
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The Foot as a Functional Unit
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| © Eraxion Image from BigStockPhoto.com. |
Man's stride in walking sets him off from other creatures on earth. The role of the feet is to provide an upright, stable pedestal to support the body in a stationary position. And the feet provide the leverage necessary to propel us forward in the act of locomotion, or walking. The latter act requires a structure that is flexible and has the capacity for absorbing shock loads and dispersing them evenly throughout the body.
The contact the foot initially makes with the ground is called a heel strike. This pressure indicates to the muscles used in this phase of the stride mechanism that it is time to use their specific roles in the stride. The foot rolls forward along the outside edge of the longitudinal arch and then to the Metatarsal which form the ball of the foot. Pressure here signifies another segment of the stride mechanism and thus triggers another set of specific muscles.
The contact the foot initially makes with the ground is called a heel strike. This pressure indicates to the muscles used in this phase of the stride mechanism that it is time to use their specific roles in the stride. The foot rolls forward along the outside edge of the longitudinal arch and then to the Metatarsal which form the ball of the foot. Pressure here signifies another segment of the stride mechanism and thus triggers another set of specific muscles.
The push-off for forward propulsion begins here and ends with the final thrust of the big toe. This “rockinghorse” motion is normally smooth and sliding with uninterrupted motion from each part of the foot.
“It is this functional communication which links the areas of the feet and hands to the body rather than any one single nerve or bit of magic.”
The flexibility needed to carry out the stride mechanism efficiently is determined by the sensory demands made on the feet and the on-going educational process provided by these demands. Any interruption in the efficiency of the stride mechanism takes energy from another of the body's functions.
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Barbara and Kevin Kunz
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Barbara and Kevin Kunz
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