Fix TURNED OUT Feet with Two Easy Exercises (duck feet)

Summary

This video script delves into the common walking pattern known as 'duck feet,' where individuals walk with one or both feet turned out. It explains the biomechanics behind this gait, including the role of tibial rotation and the foot arch's function in propulsion. The script offers corrective exercises to restore proper tibial internal rotation and genuine foot pronation, emphasizing the importance of addressing both local foot issues and the broader kinetic chain for a comprehensive solution.

Takeaways

• 🚶‍♂️ Duck feet, or walking with one or both feet turned out, is a common gait pattern seen in many individuals.
• 🔄 The gait cycle involves a propulsion strategy that transitions from internal rotation and pronation to external rotation and supination of the foot for forward movement.
• 🦴 An externally rotated tibia can prevent proper internal rotation and pronation necessary for propulsion, leading to a compensatory gait with the feet turned out.
• 👣 The degree of duck feet can vary, with one foot often more turned out than the other, indicating an issue higher in the body's kinetic chain.
• 🌐 Lateral pelvic tilt, with one hip higher than the other, can lead to compensatory strategies in the lower limbs, affecting foot positioning.
• 🔄 The human body tends to favor the right side, which is why a turned out right foot is more commonly observed than the left.
• 🏋️‍♂️ Exercises can be performed to restore tibial internal rotation, which is essential for proper foot pronation and gait.
• 🤸‍♂️ A specific exercise is described to couple genuine foot pronation with tibial internal rotation, using a band for resistance and a bench for support.
• 🦶 Attention to form is critical during exercises to avoid compensating with the hips or knees, which can lead to incorrect movement patterns.
• 👟 Common mistakes in the exercises include pressing the toes into the ground, starting with the wrong shin angle, and leaning the torso forward instead of turning the hips.
• 👣 Addressing the root cause of duck feet involves not only local foot exercises but also considering the alignment and function of the hips and upper body.

Q & A

What is the common term for walking with one or both feet turned out?

The common term for walking with one or both feet turned out is 'duck feet'.

Why do people walk with duck feet as a strategy?

People walk with duck feet as a strategy to push themselves forward in space and propel themselves forward.

What is the key phase in the gait cycle where body weight is loaded onto one side?

The key phase in the gait cycle where body weight is loaded onto one side is called the midstance phase.

What happens to the foot arch during the midstance phase of the gait cycle?

During the midstance phase, the foot arch needs to drop to create a position where the bottom side of the foot can stretch out and spring back up as we move forward.

What is the issue with people who have an externally rotated tibia?

The issue with people who have an externally rotated tibia is that it prevents proper internal rotation and necessary pronation for propulsion, leading to a compensatory strategy of duck feet.

How does the position of the tibia affect the foot during walking?

If the tibia is turned out, it can cause the foot to follow suit, resulting in a compensatory strategy to find the inside arch of the foot for propulsion.

What are the two potential reasons for one side being more turned out than the other in duck feet presentation?

The two potential reasons are that the more turned out side is either the side that the person is leaning on more (higher hip in a lateral pelvic tilt) or the side they are turned away from.

Why is it common to see more turned out right feet compared to left feet?

It is common to see more turned out right feet compared to left feet because the human body is naturally biased towards the right side.

What exercise is recommended to restore tibial internal rotation?

An exercise recommended to restore tibial internal rotation involves using a bench and a band around the tibia, starting with the whole foot flat and maintaining a 90° bend at the knees and hips.

How can one ensure proper alignment during the tibial internal rotation exercise?

To ensure proper alignment during the tibial internal rotation exercise, one should keep the hips square, maintain a straight line from the hip to the knee and ankle, and avoid twisting the hip outside of the knee.

What is the purpose of the foot pronation drill and how is it performed?

The purpose of the foot pronation drill is to couple genuine foot pronation with tibial internal rotation. It is performed with a staggered stance, starting with the shin in a plantar flexed position, and focusing on the transition of weight from the outside edge of the heel to the inside edge.

Outlines

00:00

🚶‍♂️ Understanding Duck Feet: Causes and Compensations

This paragraph delves into the common phenomenon of 'duck feet,' where individuals walk with their feet turned out. It explains that this gait is a strategy to propel oneself forward, involving a shift from a pronated and internally rotated stance to a supinated and externally rotated push-off. The speaker highlights the importance of the midstance phase, where the foot arch drops to absorb body weight and then springs back for propulsion. The issue arises when individuals have an externally rotated tibia, preventing proper internal rotation and necessary pronation for propulsion, leading to a compensatory gait. The paragraph also touches on the higher chain implications, suggesting that the degree of turned-out feet can indicate issues like lateral pelvic tilt or overall body asymmetry.

05:00

🏋️‍♂️ Restoring Proper Gait: Exercises for Tibial Internal Rotation

The second paragraph focuses on exercises to restore proper tibial internal rotation, which is essential for genuine foot pronation and avoiding compensatory strategies that lead to duck feet. The exercise involves using a bench and a resistance band to create a staggered stance and maintain hip alignment while performing the movement. The goal is to transition weight from the outside heel to the inside edge of the foot, promoting internal rotation of the tibia. Common mistakes are pointed out, such as twisting the hip instead of the knee or losing the heel reference during the exercise. Variations of the exercise are suggested, including a half-kneeling position, and the importance of addressing upper body and pelvic alignment for a comprehensive approach is emphasized.

10:02

🦶 Enhancing Foot Pronation with Tibial Internal Rotation

The final paragraph presents a method to ensure the internal rotation of the tibia works in conjunction with foot pronation. It describes a setup with staggered feet and a support for balance, emphasizing the importance of starting with a flat shin and external rotation to allow for the motion into internal rotation. The exercise aims to shift weight from the outside edge of the heel to the inside edge, maintaining heel contact throughout. Common mistakes such as pressing toes into the ground, not starting with enough external rotation, and leaning the torso forward are discussed. A technique using a rolled-up sock to enhance the sensation of weight transfer is suggested. The paragraph concludes with recommendations for the number of reps for both the tibial internal rotation and pronation drills.

Keywords

💡Duck Feet

Duck feet, or walking with one or both feet turned out, is a common gait pattern discussed in the video. It's a strategy people use to propel themselves forward. The term is used to describe the physical appearance of the feet during walking, which is a key aspect of the video's exploration of gait mechanics.

💡Gait Cycle

The gait cycle refers to the sequence of movements involved in walking. In the video, it's essential for understanding how propulsion occurs and how the body moves from one position to another. The script explains the importance of the gait cycle in the context of duck feet, highlighting the phases of midstance and late stance.

💡Propulsion

Propulsion is the force that moves the body forward during the gait cycle. The video script describes how individuals with duck feet may adopt a compensatory strategy for propulsion due to the positioning of their feet and legs. It's a central concept in understanding the mechanics of walking and the video's theme.

💡Pronation

Pronation is the inward rolling of the foot, which is a natural part of the gait cycle. The script explains the necessity of proper pronation for propulsion and how an inability to pronate correctly can lead to the duck feet presentation. It's a critical component in the video's discussion of foot mechanics.

💡Tibia

The tibia is the larger, stronger, and more medial of the two bones in the lower leg, commonly known as the shinbone. The video discusses how an externally rotated tibia can affect the foot's ability to pronate and create propulsion, directly relating to the formation of duck feet.

💡Internal Rotation

Internal rotation is the movement of a body part towards the midline of the body. In the context of the video, it's important for the proper functioning of the gait cycle and for the foot to pronate correctly. The script emphasizes the need for genuine tibial internal rotation to avoid compensatory strategies in walking.

💡Midstance Phase

Midstance is a phase of the gait cycle when the body's weight is fully on one foot, and the other foot is off the ground. The video script uses this term to describe the moment when the foot arch needs to drop to create propulsion, which is disrupted in individuals with duck feet.

💡Lateral Pelvic Tilt

Lateral pelvic tilt refers to an imbalance where one hip is higher than the other, potentially leading to compensatory movements in the lower limbs. The video script suggests that this imbalance could be a contributing factor to the duck feet presentation on one side.

💡Compensatory Strategy

A compensatory strategy in the video's context refers to the body's way of adapting to limitations or imbalances, such as turning the feet out to find propulsion when the tibia cannot internally rotate properly. The script explains how these strategies can lead to the characteristic appearance of duck feet.

💡Tibial Internal Rotation Exercise

This exercise is presented in the video as a method to restore the internal rotation of the tibia, which is crucial for correcting the duck feet gait. The script provides a detailed description of how to perform the exercise, emphasizing the importance of maintaining proper alignment and weight distribution.

💡Foot Pronation Drill

The foot pronation drill is an exercise mentioned in the video to help with genuine foot pronation in conjunction with tibial internal rotation. The script outlines the correct way to perform this drill, highlighting the importance of starting with a flat shin and shifting weight from the outside edge of the heel to the inside.

Highlights

Duck feet, or walking with one or both feet turned out, is a common strategy for propulsion in the gait cycle.

Understanding the necessary key points of the gait cycle is crucial for addressing duck feet.

Propulsion in the gait cycle involves moving from pronation and internal rotation to a push-off with a higher arch and external rotation.

Midstance phase of the gait requires the foot arch to drop to create a springing mechanism for forward movement.

Externally rotated tibia can prevent proper internal rotation and necessary pronation for propulsion.

Compensatory strategies for those with an externally rotated tibia include turning the foot out to find the inside arch of the foot.

Asymmetry in duck feet presentation can indicate issues higher in the kinetic chain, such as lateral pelvic tilt.

The more turned out side may represent the side on which an individual leans more, affecting the entire lower limb.

The human body's natural bias towards the right side often results in more turned out right feet.

Addressing the issue at the hips can help correct the foot's turned out position.

Exercises for restoring tibial internal rotation are essential for correcting duck feet.

Using a band and bench for tibial internal rotation exercise can effectively restore movement.

Maintaining proper alignment during exercises is crucial for optimal restoration of movement.

Common mistakes in tibial internal rotation exercises include twisting the hip and knee instead of the tibia.

A half-kneeling position can be an alternative for tibial internal rotation exercises.

Coupling genuine foot pronation with tibial internal rotation is key for correcting duck feet.

Starting with a planar flex shin position allows for a better range of motion in pronation drills.

Using a rolled-up sock can help individuals feel the weight shift during pronation exercises.

Transcripts

today I'm going to talk about the root

cause as to why many people walk with

one or both feet turned out otherwise

commonly known as duck feet this is a

very common strategy and if you pay

close enough attention almost every

single person walks with one foot at

least turned out a little bit more than

the other the reason for this is that

people are trying to find a strategy to

push themselves forward in space and

Propel ourselves forward there's a

couple of necessary key points to the

gate cycle that are important to

understand so that way we can make

better sense of this duck foot

presentation now in order to move

through the world in the gate cycle we

have to create some strategy of

propulsion which means that we move from

a position of relative pronation and

internal rotation of our shin and lower

leg to a position of push off which is a

higher arched supered position of our

foot and more of an externally rotated

position of our shin and lower length

when we low it our body weight onto one

side we call this midstance phase of

gate the other leg is off of the ground

at this point now in order for us to

load our body weight onto one side

something needs to yield into the ground

which means our foot arch needs to drop

this creates a position of the foot

where stuff on the bottom side of the

foot is going to stretch out so that way

as we move over our foot it can spring

back up again and we can move forward

into late stance which is that position

where we are on our big toe and pushing

forward so essentially we move from a

position of internal rotation and

dropping of the foot arch to external

rotation and propulsion and raising of

the foot arch the issue is is that many

people are in a situation where they

have an externally rotated tibia meaning

that this tibia bone right here is

Twisted outward relative to this femur

this means that the tibia bone can't

properly internally rotate and twist

to allow for the necessary pronation to

occur for us to then create propulsion

so if you were to look at someone like

this it would look like this lower tibia

bone is pointed out here with this femur

pointed down or slightly inwards this

means that the tibia can't properly

internally rotate to allow for this foot

arch to properly drop as we load our

body weight onto this side in midstance

and if my tibia is turned out that's

going to bring my foot out with it in

many cases and that is going to give me

a strategy so that way when I strike the

ground I can find the inside arch of my

foot and create a strategy of propulsion

now this is a compensatory way to find

the Inside Edge of the foot as opposed

to getting that genuine tibial internal

rotation which will allow the th to

genuinely drop with a pointing pretty

straight ahead now you may be wondering

well what if I have this on just one

side or I have it on both sides but one

side is more significantly turned out

than the other well that one side that

is turned out more is representative of

something that's going on higher in the

chain now everyone has a symmetry it

just depends on how significant it is in

this turned out duckfoot presentation

you have one of two potential options

going on the first is that that more

turned outside is on the side that you

are leaning on more so this would be the

higher hip in a lateral pelvic tilt

presentation again almost everyone has

some degree of this the question is just

how significant is it if I have a higher

hip that hip is going to be more

internally rotated and turned in which

means that the lower limb is going to be

seeking a compensatory strategy to find

external rotation now you're going to

see a tibia that's turning out relative

to a femur that's turning so far in now

the other common reason I see it is it's

on the side that they're turned away

from so let's say I'm turn to the right

side and my left side's really far

forward relatively speaking that is

going to turn my femur out into external

rotation and now you're going to have a

hip that's so forward and turned to the

other side that the whole hip is going

to be turned out into external rotation

and the foot's going to follow it the

reason why I'm using the right side as

the example here is because it is more

common the human body is naturally

biased towards the right side meaning

that we tend to see more turned out

right feet relative to the left and this

is something you can start to notice in

your day-to-day life start looking at

people's feet when they walk you'll

never unsee it for the rest of your life

how common a turned out right foot is

relative to the left if you want to

learn more about this pattern and also

variations of it you can check out my

video on it that I'll link down below

and also my lateral pelvic tilt video

and in these types of cases it is really

helpful to address what's going on at

your hips and how that's affecting

everything down the chain so those

videos will be very helpful ful for you

in that but what we need to do locally

at the foot and can give us some really

nice results is to couple genuine foot

pronation with tibial internal rotation

we need to couple these things together

as opposed to being stuck in that

externally rotated position forcing

ourselves to use a compensatory strategy

to find that inside Arch now the first

thing we need to do is make sure we have

that tibial internal rotation here is a

great exercise for restoring that

internal rotation what we're going to do

to set up for this for this first option

is get a bench or some object we can

keep our whole foot flat and we have a

90° Bend at both our knees and our hips

right here I wouldn't go higher than

that because this is about the right

amount of height here where we can

really get a good grip of our shin and

go through this effectively through the

full range of motion we also have a band

around the upper part of the tibia bone

so that is the bottom of the knee or the

top of the bottom of the knee so if we

have our kneecap right here we have this

bone right here under it we we have the

band just around the top portion of it

right here so that way we can get a good

grip on it and the band should be tight

enough to where you can get some good

tension and friction but not so tight to

where it's cutting off any blood supply

and then what we're going to do is get

the whole foot flat on that bench right

there and we have a staggered stance and

the important thing here throughout the

duration of this entire exercise is we

keep our hips square or as Square as we

possibly can so this looks good right

here foot's flat in the back and now

we're going to grab hold of that band

and wrap our fingers around our tiia get

a good grip here now we're going to

start always the whole foot's flat but

we're going to start in this negative

Shin angle position so this angle right

here should be like so and we have our

weight mostly on our outside heel now as

we slowly come forward pushing our knee

over our second toe we're gonna twist

pretty aggressively about a six or seven

out of 10 and progressively twist more

and more the more this knee goes over

the second toe what we're going to feel

is our weight transition from this point

right here that negative Shin angle

outside of the heel as we go forward

we're going to transition our weight

more onto the inner heel and first metat

tarsal head right here so that's

basically on my foot right here and

right here we're not rolling onto the

Inside Edge and losing the outside edge

we're just focus on that transition

right there from the outside side to the

inside and then we're just going to

untwist as we come out so untwist go on

the outside heel twist forward

progressively as you go more and more

into dorsal flexion and pronation of

your foot okay so from a side view we've

got this negative tibia angle to start

he's going to grab the band start on the

outside heel then as he comes forward

he's going to twist and he's going to go

transition more into the inside edge of

his foot the most common mistake on this

exercise is people are going to twist

their hip hip outside of their knee and

the knee is going to dive inside the

foot so for optimal restoration of

movement of the tibia and the femur and

the foot we need to make sure that

everything stays in line so we should

have a perfectly straight line here as

much as we can so if Trevor you grab and

then you try to keep everything in line

as you come forward beautiful just like

that if your hip ever starts to dip

outside then you're probably moving too

much through your hip and you're

probably also going to put too much

stress on the inside of your knee right

there as you progress through this you

can do a couple more sets but roll the

band down a little bit further on your

tibia right there so maybe a couple

inches further down you can do the same

exact thing for some people this is very

helpful and then you could progressively

work it down to the point where you are

even lower than that maybe right about

here but different people have different

bone structur so it will depend on what

works best for you ideally at least do

up here and maybe a little further down

if you if you want you can go even lower

if that position on the bench isn't

comfortable for you what you could do is

get in this half kneeling position with

your back knee directly underneath your

back hip and you also have right here

this foot out in front a little bit more

than a 90° angle so that way you can

start in again that negative tibia angle

grab it and then just do the same exact

thing again making sure that everything

stays in line the knees going over the

second toe outside heel to Inside Edge

now we're working locally at the foot

here but as this video is suggested it's

massively important we don't forget

about what's happening up top within the

pelvis and even potentially the upper

body as well because these things are

ultimately connected and your foot being

turned out is representative of what's

Happening yes at the foot but also the

hip so if you want a comprehensive

approach to this that addresses many

common movement limitations including

this you can check out my lower limb

foundations program but also in my

beginner body restoration program I will

link those down below in the description

now we need to couple that with Gen

genuine foot pronation and there is a

specific way I like to do this to make

sure you're getting that internal

rotation of the tibia working with it

and here's how you can do that to set up

for this activity you're going to have

your feet staggered apart and something

to hold on to if you need that rack

support the Stagger is going to be about

1 foot length between his rear toe and

his heel to start out we want Connor

Shin to be planner Flex where he has

this greater angle between his foot and

his tibia that's going to allow him to

move from a place of external rotation

into a place of internal rotation as he

goes through this pronation drill what

we want to focus on feeling starting out

is the outside edge of that heel his

knuckle the big toe and knuckle the

pinky toe we don't want his toes to be

changing color like he's gripping the

ground or he has a lot of weight in that

4 foot to start out we want to be really

be back on that heel so to initiate this

what Conor is going to do is he's going

to turn his hip of the leg that is

forward forward with him and what that's

going to do is it's going to drive the

knee forward it's going to move his his

weight from the outside edge of this

foot towards the Inside Edge of that

heel or his calcaneus and onto the

inside ball of that forfoot and we still

want to make sure you can sense his heel

throughout this motion the goal isn't to

lose that heel reference or have that

heel pop off the ground if this is my

heel right here we want to see pronation

of the foot coming down the chain from

initiating with that hip the most common

mistake on this drill is people are

going to want to press their toes into

the ground not that knuckle of the big

toe but the toes themselves so something

I might do is when Connor's in this

starting position I might Cee him to

lift all his toes off the ground feel

those Knuckles of the toes with weight

and then gently put his toes back down

to feel what it's like to have them

unweighted for reference the other most

common mistake is people aren't going to

start with this planner Flex shin and

with their weight more on the outside

edge of that heel which is more symbolic

of what we're going to see in something

like heel strike so that way they're

going to start with this Shin that is

more forward if you go forward for me

Connor they going to start already

indoors of flection with that more

negative angle and it's going to

give them less space to be able to move

through for this motion and I would say

the last most common mistake is they're

going to lean their whole torso forward

and what that's going to do is it's

going to shift most of his weight onto

that midfoot for foot which isn't what

we want we want that to happen as a

result of him turning his hips when he's

going through this motion fluidly if

someone's having trouble being able to

feel that transition of their weight

from their rear foot midfoot onto their

midfoot for foot and that Inside Edge of

their heel what we can use is a sock

that is rolled up to the thickness of a

couple fingers underneath their medial

Arch so that's going to be underneath

and behind the knuckle of the big toe

and right in front of that Inside Edge

of the heel and what this is going to

let Connor do is as he goes down into

this pronation drill it's going to let

him feel his weight shift from that

outside edge of his heel or his calanus

onto the Inside Edge as he compresses

that sock into the ground and then as he

goes back out of this motion he should

feel that sock decompress kind of rise

up and his arch move away from it I

would recommend doing about 15 to 25

very slow and controlled reps on the

tibial internal rotation drill and as

for the pronation drill I'd recommend

sets of about 25 slow controlled

[Music]

reps