Explore how the ankle and foot muscles guide pronation, propulsion, and gait efficiency.
Welcome to The Movement PhD!
This is Season 1, Episode 13: The Ankle and Foot: Muscles and Gait Mechanics.
In this episode, Dr. Dustin Hardwick explores the muscles of the ankle and foot and how it guides pronation, supination, arch stability, and efficient gait. We review dorsiflexors, plantar flexors, inverters, everters, and intrinsicsl; connecting each to their roles in shock absorption, propulsion, and postural control. We also cover gait mechanics, rocker functions, ankle moments, and deviations such as foot drop, foot slap, early heel rise, and calcaneal gait.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
• Dorsiflexors, plantar flexors, inverters, everters, and their functional roles• Tibialis anterior weakness: foot drop, foot slap, and compensations• Gastroc vs. soleus: torque production, gait roles, fiber type• Tibialis posterior: arch control, pronation mechanics, and windlass activation• Fibularis longus & brevis: lateral stability and first-ray mechanics• Intrinsic foot muscles and their role in arch support and push-off• The four rockers of gait and how the foot transitions from flexible to rigid• Closed-chain vs. open-chain ankle moments throughout stance• Gait deviations: foot drop, steppage gait, calcaneal gait, early heel rise• Causes and effects of overpronation and oversupination
Links:
Substack (Slides with transcripts available)
YouTube
Instagram
Facebook
Threads
TikTok
X
Bluesky
LinkTree