The correct way of walking

[jaja]

I've recently purchased my first pair of Vibram's FiveFingers and because of that I've done some reading about how to correctly run barefoot — which would be, of course, the way humans are supposed to run. Lots of folks usually run by striking their heels first, but with minimalistic shoes this would injure the body: the correct technique requires to land on the forefoot. Luckily I've always run this way, so I don't have to change my habits, but this made me thinking about the correct walking technique.

Back in the days of my childhood I used to walk on my forefoot all the time, at times I didn't even touch the ground with my heels — this is probably why my dorsiflexion is so shitty (I wonder if I'll ever be able to deep squat with proper form). Anyway, my parents, instructed by my doctor, tried to “force” me to walk correctly, that is to say by hitting the ground heel-first — something I now have the habit of doing. All the reading and watching about barefoot/minimalistic running made me realize human heels don't have a system to absorb the shock: that “system” is our arch and it works in conjunction with the ball of the foot. Empirically this makes sense because when I walk barefoot around the house at a decent speed, the standard way of walking hurts my heels.

Does this mean the correct way of walking is to land the ball of the foot, without much reliance on the heel?

[Pat (pogo69)]

This has come up in prior discussion here.  I can't remember where or when, but a quick search should reveal.

I have rarely worn "normal" shoes for ages.  I run in Vibrams and spend almost every other moment in bare feet.  I've noticed as I expose those bare soles to increasingly rough ground that I am spending more time off my heals, even at a sedate walking pace.  In fact, it has become so while walking on concrete paths, also.  If I let my body decide for me, it is far more comfortable.

I don't know what is "correct", but I challenge anyone to walk or run comfortably over rough terrain while unshod, while heal striking.  Better targeting, proprioception, and "springiness" (for want of a better term), make a forefoot strike an intuitively obvious choice.

That said, because I run (almost exclusively) in Vibrams and am otherwise unshod, my feet, ankles, calves etc are used to accommodating unweighted heals.  The biggest mistake most people make is trying to do too much, too quickly, when learning any new movement patterns.

[Jim Pickles]

I havent read all the many threads related to this - and apologise if this video has been linked to previously - but I came across this video and thought it might be of interest, in light of the discussions here (the medieval way of walking).

(He goes on a bit though.)

However there is an amusing demonstration of a modern "heel walker" with poor posture at around 5:00. Overall, interesting and educational, with an interesting take on how medieval walking naturally led to good posture (and how modern walking is compatible with poor posture). Not sure about his stretch lycra pants though.