# Gait and other 'issues'? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 15, 2014, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gait-and-other-issues/686155 "2014-04-15T06:53:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2014, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gait-and-other-issues/686155/1 "2014-04-15T06:53:25Z")
Being a people-watcher, I often find myself being absorbed by the way people walk. While most of the population tend to walk along by putting their foot pretty flat on the ground, then lifting it in stride, a minority of folk seem to have a slightly different gait whereby they put their foot flat, then seem to spring slightly from the ball of the foot as they then put that foot forward. I have a vague recollection (that may be totally mistaken of course) that this particular gait is a symptom of (or at least associated with) some sorts of neurological disorders, or perhaps even a characteristic of those on the Autism spectrum. Oh, and I’m not talking about walking exclusively on tip-toes. Can anybody help me out here? ---
**Author:** ![gracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8e7dd6/32.png) [@gracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gracer)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2014, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gait-and-other-issues/686155/2 "2014-04-15T08:03:05Z")
I’m not sure I understand you correctly: what you are describing is normal gait. The way we are supposed to walk is not by putting our foot flat on the ground and we _should_ lift off from the ball of the foot. Here is an [illustration](http://www.docpods.com/images/FootPain/gait-cycle-contact-midstanc.gif). In drama school we worked on gait a lot, and observed people walking in public places. From observing people so much I can conclusively say that most people walk terribly and it’s a miracle we managed to survive as a species with the way most people walk! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2014, 8:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gait-and-other-issues/686155/3 "2014-04-15T08:25:48Z")
Yeah, I think you’re misunderstanding me! That’s OK! I’m hopeless at describing things. 🙂 The gait I’m interested in is quite springy, and _almost- but-not-quite_ like the person is walking on their toes. It’s really quite pronounced as a different gait, but I guess you have to actually see it to appreciate what I’m on about. If you’ve got a few spare minutes in your day tomorrow…go foot watching! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![gracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8e7dd6/32.png) [@gracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gracer)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2014, 9:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gait-and-other-issues/686155/4 "2014-04-15T09:15:43Z")
I do love watching people walk! I do it when I’m waiting for the train. 😛 So do you mean that they _ **land** _ on the ball of their foot? In running it’s called a forefoot strike, it looks like [this](http://www.crossfitsurfcityusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/FootStrikePattern.png). People on the autism spectrum do sometimes have motor function or movement disorders and sometimes a different gait, but I’m not really sure about that gait being specific? IOW I don’t know if that gait is always the same, or if due to motor function problems they just walk differently. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2014, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gait-and-other-issues/686155/5 "2014-04-15T11:03:42Z")
> [@kambuckta](#): > > Yeah, I think you’re misunderstanding me! That’s OK! I’m hopeless at describing things. 🙂 > > The gait I’m interested in is quite springy, and _almost- but-not-quite_ like the person is walking on their toes. It’s really quite pronounced as a different gait, but I guess you have to actually see it to appreciate what I’m on about. No-no, [I know exactly what you mean](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QitgZ5gnK-o)! Sorry. Had to do it. Couldn’t resist. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2014, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gait-and-other-issues/686155/6 "2014-04-15T15:24:29Z")
I used to have this sort of gait – I pretty much walked on my toes, and my heels rarely, if ever, hit the ground. According to one of my college roommates, it was distinctive enough that he could spot me walking from a block away. 🙂 (And, no, I am not autistic.) I always figured that it was, at least in part, genetic – my mother has a similar gait, as does my niece. However, when I decided to start running about 4 years ago, I immediately began to have knee pain. I went to see a sports-medicine doctor, and she did a thorough examination of my legs. She asked me if I had a family history of muscular dystrophy (I don’t), as the “walking on toes” thing was apparently an indicator of a particular condition that’s related to muscular dystrophy. In the end, what she concluded is that I just have incredibly tight muscles and tendons – when I’d run, I would give myself tendinitis in my knees. In order to run, I needed to really work at stretching my legs out. I started to work on daily stretching exercises, which let me run without knee pain – and also, over the course of a year or so, changed my gait. While I still am somewhat of a toe-striker when I walk, it’s not nearly as pronounced as it used to be. ---
**Author:** ![Blaster\_Master](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/cab0a1/32.png) [@Blaster\_Master](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blaster_Master)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2014, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gait-and-other-issues/686155/7 "2014-04-15T15:38:10Z")
Not my personal area of research, but two other students I was working on my PhD closely with were studying human gait. Interesting point is that, it didn’t take all that much information to not only identify the various stages of gait, but with just a little more, one could reasonably even identify people whose gaits were known by the system. In short, our gaits are more or less unique to each of us. That all said, sure the “typical” gait is heel-to-toe. As I understand, though, this is not a natural gait and is mostly learned due to how modern footwear is designed. This is why walking or running with that gait without shoes can be quite painful. Speaking for myself, I’ve somewhat worked into that, but my natural gait is much closer to what the OP describes, where I mid-strike or even just walk essentially on the balls of my feet, and any heel-strike is more or less incidental or simultaneous rather than first. A lot of my propulsion comes from my ankle flexion as well. For me, I just think it’s largely that I have always had freakishly strong calves, I’m not sure if it’s causal or reverse-causal, but it is just more comfortable and easier. I have made some adjustments, though, because shoes aren’t designed for this and they wear unevenly, and it has a tendency to cause tightness in my hamstrings and IT band, so I’ve made a point of getting more of a knee-bend and propulsion from other muscles into it. ---
**Author:** ![phouka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c5a1d2/32.png) [@phouka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phouka)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2014, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gait-and-other-issues/686155/8 "2014-04-15T16:10:59Z")
My gait was changed by four years in marching band, and I’ve had friends tell me they can spot me from afar. Because of the “glide step” training, I tend to walk with my toes pointing up and a firm heel strike. If I focus, I can walk with a very even, gliding step - no wobble at all. It’s good for carrying a full bowl of soup or a sleeping kitty. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2014, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gait-and-other-issues/686155/9 "2014-04-15T17:50:31Z")
I have the bouncy up-on-toes gait described in the OP, at least for the first 10-15 miles that I walk when I’m out walking. After that, the calf muscles are stretched enough that I walk more like the OP’s description of “normal” people’s gait. I’ve been told at various time by various doctors that either my achilles’ tendon is a bit shorter than average or that, like **Blaster Master** , my calf muscles are unusually taut and strong. Either way, I think that I can probably walk you into the ground and keep on going. I walked 50 miles in one day a couple months ago. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2014, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gait-and-other-issues/686155/10 "2014-04-15T19:31:32Z")
> [@Blaster\_Master](#): > > That all said, sure the “typical” gait is heel-to-toe. As I understand, though, this is not a natural gait and is mostly learned due to how modern footwear is designed. This is why walking or running with that gait without shoes can be quite painful. That’s certainly what proponents of minimalist / barefoot running argue. They believe that cushioning in the heels of running shoes promotes heel-striking, which leads to injury, as you’re not taking advantage of the “suspension system” in your feet, and sending the shock of each stride straight up your leg. They believe that wearing a minimalist shoe (or no shoe at all) forces you to strike with more of the ball of your foot, and that it’s closer to how our unshod ancestors would have been running. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2014, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gait-and-other-issues/686155/11 "2014-04-15T19:49:40Z")
That’s interesting. I can spot a beautiful woman a block away. If she has a beautiful walk, she is beautiful, and if she doesn’t she’s not. I watch French movies, just to see the actresses walk. Once in the supermarket, there was a young lady walking in front me. I said “Hello, Dancer” and she immediately turned around. I knew by her walk that she had studied ballet. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2014, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gait-and-other-issues/686155/12 "2014-04-15T19:51:41Z")
This might be a bit off topic. Years ago, the Nike shoe folks did slo-mo computer analysis of top-notch runners running. They found that every joint flex but one returned the energy to the next stride. The joints between the toes and the metatarsals did not store and return energy. They built a shoe with a springy carbon fiber plate in it, and the toe flex energy was returned, and the runners got a little more speed from it. Not much, but a little. Another shoe tale didn’t work out so well. You might remember the flurry of rocker-sole shoes, which promised to make the wearer more fit. That turned out to be an empty promise. ETA: I have no financial interest in Nike. I don’t even wear 'em. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2014, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gait-and-other-issues/686155/13 "2014-04-15T22:33:04Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > No-no, [I know exactly what you mean](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QitgZ5gnK-o)! > Sorry. Had to do it. Couldn’t resist. 😛 Oh lordie! It’s true…you _can_ find anything on the internet. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2014, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gait-and-other-issues/686155/14 "2014-04-15T22:54:15Z")
> [@kambuckta](#): > > I have a vague recollection (that may be totally mistaken of course) that this particular gait is a symptom of (or at least associated with) some sorts of neurological disorders, or perhaps even a characteristic of those on the Autism spectrum. Oh, and I’m not talking about walking exclusively on tip-toes. I have an awkard gait. Don’t know if it’s related to any diagnosis in particular, but I am a bit neurologically weird. People will often ask me why I’m limping when I don’t think I’m limping. A doctor told me that my wide stance compensates for my balance issues, yet I don’t _feel_ like my stance is unusually wide. Most times my gait seems fine. Though, sometimes I do notice that my right arm doesn’t swing and that I tend to brace it against my body in a bizarre way. When I notice it I “fix” it, but I probably don’t notice it all the time. Like **AHunter3** , none of this keeps me from walking all over creation and being physically active. I try to remember this fact whenever I’m tempted to feel sad about how ugly I walk. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2014, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gait-and-other-issues/686155/15 "2014-04-16T01:32:08Z")
> [@kambuckta](#): > > I have a vague recollection (that may be totally mistaken of course) that this particular gait is a symptom of (or at least associated with) some sorts of neurological disorders, or perhaps even a characteristic of those on the Autism spectrum. Oh, and I’m not talking about walking exclusively on tip-toes. Tiptoe walking is fairly common for kids on the Aspergers/autism spectrum. ---
**Author:** ![phouka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c5a1d2/32.png) [@phouka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phouka)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2014, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gait-and-other-issues/686155/16 "2014-04-16T01:39:58Z")
> [@AskNott](#): > > This might be a bit off topic. Years ago, the Nike shoe folks did slo-mo computer analysis of top-notch runners running. They found that every joint flex but one returned the energy to the next stride. The joints between the toes and the metatarsals did not store and return energy. > > They built a shoe with a springy carbon fiber plate in it, and the toe flex energy was returned, and the runners got a little more speed from it. Not much, but a little. > > Another shoe tale didn’t work out so well. You might remember the flurry of rocker-sole shoes, which promised to make the wearer more fit. That turned out to be an empty promise. > > ETA: I have no financial interest in Nike. I don’t even wear 'em. And yet, the rocker soles are the only athletic shoes I feel comfortable running heel-to-toe in. Anything else, and I have to run tippy-toe to be comfortable.