Gait Effects

Balance is an important component of normal movement, or normal gait. When balance is disturbed due to improper shoes, muscle imbalance and irregular gait can follow. At best, the body will compensate for muscle imbalance with significantly more muscle activity. This can cause the body to use much more energy than normal to accomplish the same movement. In other words, an irregular gait wastes energy.

An irregular gait can also lead to an injury not only in the foot, but the knee, pelvis, low back, or some other areas. Even the shoulders, neck, and head can be affected. Because of the importance of the hip joint during movement, the hips are particularly vulnerable to injury when there is a gait problem.

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Abnormal changes in gait are common in master’s athletes. These are sometimes attributed to the so-called natural aging process in the feet—the loss of elasticity and arch function resulting in reduced foot function. However, for older athletes who spend sufficient time barefoot, reduction in foot function is not seen to the extent it is in people who spend too much time in shoes.

Runners who wear popular running shoes must contract their tibialis anterior—the muscle on the front of the lower leg—more than normal during each step in order to land on their heels. During natural running, with a very flat shoe or when barefoot, this constant high level of tibialis anterior contraction does not have to take place. This excessive muscle contraction could trigger weakness of the tibialis posterior muscle or other patterns of imbalance. In addition, gastrocnemius and soleus muscle tightness can be a secondary problem, with tightness in the Achilles tendon. In any of these situations, the resulting muscle imbalance can lead to common injuries. The exact area of injury can vary from person to person.