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Shod runners tend to heel strike due to the designs of the modern shoes, which have thick heels to reduce the impact force from the ground. When running barefoot, however, some runners tend to shift to a forefoot striking pattern to avoid such impact, which is equivalent to 2–3 times the body weight. [ 22 ]
Whereas in normal gait, the heel strikes the ground before the toes (also called heel-to-toe walking), in Parkinsonian gait, motion is characterised by flat foot strike (where the entire foot is placed on the ground at the same time) [12] or less often and in the more advanced stages of the disease by toe-to-heel walking (where the toes touch the ground before the heel).
In a healthy individual walking at a normal walking speed, stance phase makes up approximately 60% of one gait cycle and swing makes up the remaining 40%. [3] The lower limbs are only in contact with the ground during the stance phase, which is typically subdivided into 5 events: heel contact, foot flat, mid-stance, heel off, and toe off.
Gait training or gait rehabilitation is the act of learning how to walk, either as a child, or, more frequently, after sustaining an injury or disability.Normal human gait is a complex process, which happens due to co-ordinated movements of the whole of the body, requiring the whole of Central Nervous System - the brain and spinal cord, to function properly.
With a heel strike, this phase may be just a continuation of momentum from the stretch reflex, gravity, and light hip extension, offering little force absorption through the ankle joint. [28] [30] [31] On the other hand, a mid/forefoot strike helps in shock absorption, supporting plantar flexion from midstance to toe-off. [31] [32]
Some researchers classify foot strike by the initial center of pressure; this is mostly applicable to shod running (running while wearing shoes). [5] In this classification: a forefoot strike has the initial center of pressure in the front one-third of shoe length; a mid-foot strike is in the middle third; a rear-foot strike (heel strike) is in ...
Initial Contact (Heel Strike): The heel of the reference foot touches the ground in front of the body. The respective knee is extended while the hip is extending from flexed position, bringing the torso to the lowest vertical position. This event marks the initiation of stance phase.
Walking barefoot results in a more natural gait. People who are used to walking barefoot tend to land less forcefully, eliminating the hard heel strike and generating much less collision force in the foot and lower leg, allowing for a rocking motion of the foot from heel to toe. [81]