by William Cobbs

Created on: April 20, 2008

The biomechanics of walking are in particular important to very old people. But certainly the knowledge of such biomechanics should NOT be limited to the very old, as they are equally important for babies, young children, teenagers, young adults, and middle-agers.

The physiology of the foot, ankle, knee and hip is very simple. You may imagine a simple machine in which there are five major flex-points, that is, places where up-and down lever-like motion takes place.

The LOWEST point of flex is TOES. As the foot is flexed the toes flex, doing about a 10 degree to 18 degree movement, depending upon the size of the person, the fatness of the foot, and the condition of the health of the individual. Pretty much, the toes movement will be a third of the space you can do flexing your forefingers.

The arch of the foot also flexes, a muscular flex, and not of course a movement of the bone.

Next comes the ankle, more complex and more vulnerable. Its arc of flex on the average would be 15 degrees.

Think now of the whole foot movement.

You have put the toes down, arched the foot, and simultaneously the ankle flexes. The OTHER leg and its toes, foot, and ankle is in the air, and preparing to do a like function.

The degree of swiftness we undergo these movements we call running or walking. Faster movement may be termed sprinting.

We now describe the or pavement or grass, it smoothly picks up and moves its forward and backward arc.

Lastly, the leg bone is fixed in ANOTHER socket at the hip.

If you think of the three points as foot, knee and hip, then you have a perfect idea of the living machine.

Coordination of the right and left legs, knees, and feet is a brain action.

Knowing that and the above physics, we can concentrate on what we desire in walking or running or sprinting.

Most of us will settle for plain locomotion, getting easily from place to place by easy movement, and without thinking about it at all. This is common walking.

Nominal persons who are amateur athletes will learn more about how their walk takes place and focus on perfecting it.

Next, the professional athlete or RUNNER will pay attention not only to the physics of walking an running, but will devise diets, preparations, systems of control and much much practice to attain his or her goals.

Obesity and Locomotion

Extreme fatness may rule out locomotion almost altogether. The solution there is to get a good weight reduction program, and when you have successfully completed it, THEN worry about your toes,

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