A Simple Drill to Improve Your Walking Gait

Why is it important to walk properly? You might be surprised. . .

 
Walking is our most innate form of forward locomotion and our most basic form of transportation. Although often taken for granted, the complex synchronization, balance, posture, biomechanics, and coordination required to walk are on full display as a baby learns to take their first steps. A deficit in any of these abilities can result in the toddler tumbling to the ground.

Similarly, this can happen as we age resulting in a stumble or fall. More likely however, are the more subtle consequences of a faulty gait including:

• Pain anywhere from the feet to the neck due to improper force distribution and muscle shock absorption. This can occur during any activity or sport that requires an alternating stride such as walking, hiking, running, classic cross-country skiing, and more.
• Quicker fatigue due to increased energy expenditure. Summed up by the words of neurophysiologist Nikolai Bernstein. “Walking is a smooth pattern of navigation without fatigue.”

The Walk Drill (TWD) that is introduced below helps you gain better balance and muscle control with increased strength and coordination in only a couple minutes a day. Since walking is a fundamental human movement that facilitates participation in many activities and sports it deserves our appreciation and focused attention to ensure we can continue this motion throughout our lives.

The following content and instructions are provided courtesy of my friend and colleague, Dr. Michael Rothman, MD, FAAOS, FIAIME, PAS, AET, PTX, who has been deeply studying gait and is pioneering exercises to help people improve their walking technique.

Understanding the Gait Cycle

Normal walking should consist of a smooth gait pattern that both creates and conserves energy through proper biomechanics. If we are off balance due to poor posture, muscle weakness, and compensations, walking becomes labored and inefficient resulting in unnecessary fatigue and possible injury and pain.

The gait or walk cycle includes two phases: stance and swing. Just as you might expect, the stance phase refers to the support leg on the ground, and the swing phase refers to the leg moving forward through space. The stance and swing phases of gait each have four components.

The four components of the stance phase are: 

• Initial Contact (IC) = heel strike. Initiates a breaking action to slow forward momentum.
• Loading Response (LR) = weight is transferring into single-leg support on the stance foot.
• Midstance = weight is fully on and aligned over the stance foot.
• Terminal Stance (TS) = heel rise. Body weight is moving past the stance foot in preparation for push off. 

It is important to note that heel strike/IC of the front foot and heel rise/TS of the back foot occur simultaneously. This combined front and rear foot position is referred to as The Walk Drill position. And, although this position only accounts for 5% of the entire gait cycle and lasts merely a fraction of a second it is crucial for proper walking biomechanics, balance, and efficiency.

The Walk Drill Creates an Efficient, Balanced, and Strong Stride

The Walk Drill (TWD) is an exercise Dr. Rothman developed that improves muscle function, balance, alignment, and coordinated strength. Since our whole body is constantly moving in three planes of motion as we walk, intricate coordination of our entire anatomy, from head to toe, must occur to create accurate movement. This body integration is accomplished through correctly and consistently practicing TWD which trains a neutral walking pattern. TWD is both diagnostic and therapeutic, fixing any deficiencies in your gait regardless of the source and is ideally practiced in conjunction with personalized posture exercises.

The drill consists of two steps. The tricky part of the drill, that I struggled with, is stopping in TWD position with the front foot in heel strike and back foot in heel raise. Despite TWD position only accounting for 5% of the gait cycle it is a pivotal point which challenges coordination and balance. The tendency is to lift the back heel too high and transfer more weight to the front foot which is a more stable position. Dr Rothman states that if the TWD position cannot be held in balance the muscles are not working properly. However, with repetition of TWD muscle strength and coordination are gained.

Don’t be fooled! This drill is more intricate and difficult than it appears and many clients, including accomplished athletes, are surprisingly challenged by this simple exercise due to unknown muscle compensations and weaknesses. Completing TWD correctly requires total concentration. Fortunately, it will get easier as your balance, posture, and coordination improve.

How to do The Walk Drill (TWD)

1. Stand 6”-10” from the wall with your hand on the wall and feet parallel to each other about hip width. Keep your elbow slightly bent (flexed).
2. Step forward with your outside leg from the wall. As you step, slide your hand along the wall aligned with your shoulder. You will step forward 3 steps which finishes on the outside leg. For the first 2 steps make sure the heel strikes first, the foot rolls off the front of the foot and then pushes through.
3. Stop on the heel with the front foot and ankle cocked up (dorsiflexed) on the third step (outside leg). The knee is straight. The hip is flexed. This front leg position is known as heel strike or initial contact. When you stop the inside leg (nearest the wall) is back (hip extended), knee is only slightly bent (flexed), and the heel is raised slightly (1”-2” at the most). (This rear leg position is called heel rise or terminal stance). Hint: In terminal stance the knee is never totally straight but stop with the knee as straight as possible.
4. Hold this combined front and rear foot position (aka: The Walk Drill Position) for 1-2 seconds.
5. Then, step back 3 steps. When stepping back roll your feet backward by rolling off your heels instead of pushing the front or toes of your feet. (Roll feet, not flat footed or on your toes).
6. Complete the Drill 3 times going forward in the same direction. On the last repetition of three steps forward turn around and repeat the Drill 3 times in the other direction. Always start with the outside leg from the wall.
7. Maintain and control nice upright posture throughout TWD. Do not lean forward.
8. Do The Walk Drill with or without shoes.
9. After mastering the TWD with your hand on the wall, do the exact same routine without your hand on the wall. This will be more challenging. Swing your arms as you walk forward. Remember the opposite hand and leg moves and stops at the same time.
10. For best results, Dr Rothman recommends doing TWD with and without your hand on wall. Each technique only takes a minute after you learn how to do it properly.

Benefits of the Drill

There are numerous biomechanical factors simultaneously happening in the gait cycle. Some of the most important are proper posture and motion of the center of gravity, ground reaction forces, control of momentum by acceleration and deceleration, precise muscle firing sequences, shock absorption, and protective torque (rotational) forces around joints. TWD improves these biomechanics as follows: 

1. Levels the body’s center of gravity (COG). Proper position and motion of the body’s COG for efficient energy production and expenditure.
2. Promotes and coordinates precise muscle firing sequences for the entire body.
3. Prepares the front leg for the stance phase and rear leg for the swing phase.
4. Coordinates timing for acceleration and deceleration of each leg in the gait cycle.
5. Modulates the ground reaction force for proper muscle shock absorption around the ankles, knees, and hips that translates to less force vectors throughout the entire spine.
6.  Aids in proper energy production and energy expenditure.
7. Strengthens and controls neuromuscular function.
8. Controls momentum.

All these factors contribute to excellent balance and a smooth and efficient walking pattern with less unnecessary energy expenditure.

Practice The Walk Drill Daily

The Walk Drill only takes a minute to do. Three steps forward and back, that’s it! Dr. Rothman does not recommend doing the Drill while out walking or hiking. Instead, he has found that the biomechanics learned and strengthened in the Drill will automatically filter into your normal gait and sports movements which is the ultimate goal of TWD. Through the Drill you will gain an acute awareness of how to walk properly. With this gait eventually becoming a natural motion without fatigue and very free flowing.

In the words of Dr Rothman on The Walk Drill

It’s Simple

It’s Practical

It Works!

I agree. On a personal note, Dr. Rothman shared his research on gait and reminded me to do The Walk Drill after reading my blog about foot pain with classic cross-country skiing nearly a year ago. I have been doing TWD since and am Nordic skiing pain free this season. In my personal experience, and through my observation of clients, I have realized that much pain and many injuries are the result of poor gait mechanics. Don’t be sidelined, start doing TWD today!

For More Information

Dr Rothman is on a quest to promote efficient, pain-free walking and is available to help you. He practices in Albuquerque, NM and can be reached by phone 505-988-9783 or email rothman.mike@gmail.com.