Solitary externally rotated foot

Josh16

Barefooters
Jul 2, 2014
208
302
63
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Val-d'Or, Quebec, Canada
Hi Docs,
I stumbled upon the article from the Gait Guys regarding the “solitary externally rotated” : http://thegaitguys.tumblr.com/post/14262793786/gait-problem-the-solitary-externally-rotated

This article seems to describe my problem well. My right foot is turned outward. I walk and run similar to the person in the 10 seconds video. I have been trying to get it in a proper angle by paying attention to the way I walk and the way I stand for a few months now. But now I am having small issues of soreness/pain in the Post-tibial area. It can happen in both feet since it seems my left foot will turn outward when running to try to compensate I imagine. I don’t know if I should just attempt to strengthen the muscles as it seems the muscles are still weak even after a few months.

Now the article did talk about the problems it causes, but not so much about the possible solutions. My location is fairly remote so it can be difficult to have access to a proper expert to help me out on this.

The other problem is also that my issue possibly runs deeper than that. When I was about 15 years old, (10 years younger) I had X-ray done and the chiropractor noted something unusual. One of my vertebrae is bigger on one side than the other. Because of this, I have hip higher than the other, inevitably causing one leg to be a little longer than the other despite the fact both limbs are the same length. My outward rotated foot (the right one) would be the shorter leg.

I’m looking for possible solutions, but since not many people share my problem and since most practitioners around seem to see the problem in many different parts rather than the global situation; I’m at a loss for what to do.

In the end, I expect this thread will serve little purpose as you may not be able to help me without a proper clinical info, but it was still worth a shot.

Thanks for your time.
Josh
 
MTCW - If the condition has been there since your teens and not the result of drastic injury, maybe it is just the way you're built to walk/run. Barefoot walking/running may help with proprioception. My advice would be to gradually build up mileage, and listen/respect the feedback it gives you.

Did you have pain/discomfort running shod?
 
I'd say it's completely not barefoot related. In my teens I wasn't very active. When I took up running, I had pain the groin area when I ran (inside right hip). So I ended up with orthotics with a heel lift on the right side. That was Fall 2013. It didn't cure the hip/groin pain, and I got a horrible shin splint (in the right leg) in spring 2014.

So I did a bit of research and ditched the orthotics and the shoes. I spent a good amount of time walking barefoot (socks on) at the office and used a treadmill to try to get my feet used to walking longer periods of time. At the same time, I became aware the rotation in my right foot might be causing some of these issues. I then began to try to walk, stand, run with my feet properly angled. Ever since, I don't remember the last time I had hip/groin pain from running. But now I have this post-tib issue. Also, I can sort of feel a weakness in my right glute when climbing stairs with my right foot facing forward instead of outward. So I do feel there are weak muscles involved in my issue.

TL;DR : I don't think it has anything to with being barefoot or shod. I can sort of feel a weakness in my right leg (glutes mostly) when climbing stairs to go to work. So now, I take the stairs everyday instead of the elevator (5 floors).
 
Josh, sorry to hear of the difficulties. I think you should try deep squats and box jumps to strengthen your glutes. For the gait, although I don't have your issue, my first year or two I noticed that my left and right foot landed differently, with my left foot making a bit more sound on landing. I consciously tried to make the left foot more like the right foot, the latter which had more of a mid- or flat-foot landing. What really did the trick, however, was running on really rough chip seal. For some reason, that forced both feet to land optimally, so perhaps something like this might help with your issue too? Go out and find some rough surfaces to run on. Just an idea.
 
I like your idea about the squats, but I think it might be a little too tough for me at the moment. For some reason, last time I did some I ended up with pain in my left knee. I think my body tries to compensate with my left side for my right side's weakness. But it's definitely on my radar as I could definitely feel it.

I think I might be better off climbing stairs or doing the chair exercise (not sure how you call it in English) where you make a 90 degree angle with your knees and your back is against the wall and just stay there for as long as you can. And then I would progress to deep squats. Maybe I could do box jumps though....

I also forgot to add, Trigger Point Therapy along the inside of the shin bone makes pain and tension in the post-tib area go away. I haven't tried it after a run yet, I should get around to do that tonight. Maybe the solution is to use that until the muscles are fully functional... I don't really know....

Edit: I just thought I could do some "assisted" one leg squats, like have a hand on the wall to help balance. That would ensure there is no real issue of the left leg doing much of the work instead of the right one.
 
I like your idea about the squats, but I think it might be a little too tough for me at the moment. For some reason, last time I did some I ended up with pain in my left knee. I think my body tries to compensate with my left side for my right side's weakness. But it's definitely on my radar as I could definitely feel it.

I think I might be better off climbing stairs or doing the chair exercise (not sure how you call it in English) where you make a 90 degree angle with your knees and your back is against the wall and just stay there for as long as you can. And then I would progress to deep squats. Maybe I could do box jumps though....

I also forgot to add, Trigger Point Therapy along the inside of the shin bone makes pain and tension in the post-tib area go away. I haven't tried it after a run yet, I should get around to do that tonight. Maybe the solution is to use that until the muscles are fully functional... I don't really know....
Yah, if you do squats, make sure they're deep squats. The knee problems tend to come from partials. The human body was made to do full squats, and many people around the world squat their entire lives.

I use a stick (http://smile.amazon.com/The-Stick-M..._sim_sg_4?ie=UTF8&refRID=098MWHQKRV47P61ERYK9) to roll my shin and calf muscles. This is crucial for me. I also need to stretch and sometimes roll the hammies, piri formis, and ITB or bad things happen. Sitting on a baseball or equivalent and rolling it around under each butt cheek is a great way to massage the piri formis and glutes.

It's also good to get a wooden foot roller for the arch muscles. It's all connected, from your toes to the nape of your neck. Tightness in one area can cause problems somewhere else along the chain.

Good luck!
 
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One of the docs should be by soon to answer your question.
 
I am familiar with the gait guys. A while back I commented on some of their observations but never heard back from them, wondering if perhaps they are no longer posting. I read their description but to be honest, it is way too complicated and even I got lost in it (they are not wrong however).

Keeping things simple, you have an inherited trait, causing one foot to turn out more than the other. Usually the side that flares and/or falls in tends to short stride and shows up as the functional short leg (chiropractic doc's notice these things usually). The net effect is that you will under and over stride, the understriding side is the side of the short leg and foot flare or foot that falls in, the opposite side will over stride. This eventually torques the pelvis and then the asymmetric loading will shorten the myofascia in your core and lock your pelvis up, with the effect being constant stiffness or a feeling of being tight in the legs and kinked up in the morning. The condition is called tortipelvis or pelvic torsion. To understand this better, read my book Cheating Mother Nature, what you need to know to beat chronic pain which is available on amazon as either paperback or kindle.

One of the members mentioned the stick, however, foam rolling is a better way to get at most things and I recommend the trigger point company small foam roller which is easy to use and travel with and will never warp. You can see some videos on our youtube site to get a taste of how we recommend you use the roller http://www.youtube.com/user/ChiropracticNJ

The foot flare can get worse if the gluts tighten along with the piraformis muscle, which will further cause worsening of over and under striding. While many of the folks on this list are very pro barefoot running, in my experience, we are all built differently and all have different gait styles and needs. Some of us may do better minimalist with perhaps an off the shelf insert giving us some correction to help prevent the foot from turning out during gait. The net effect is that you will level the pelvis out, improve the stability of the core, and be able to open your stride better while decreasing the intensity of ground impact, a common reason for stress fractures and many running complaints.

If you want, you can post a video of yourself on a treadmill on this forum and I will be happy to give you are more specific eval. Take a short 30 sec to 45 sec video from the side and back with your phone.

I hope that helps.
 
One of the members mentioned the stick, however, foam rolling is a better way to get at most things and I recommend the trigger point company small foam roller which is easy to use and travel with and will never warp.
I agree. I only use the stick on the lower leg, where body weight is insufficient to get good effect with a foam roller. Bent over from a sitting position, with the lower leg muscles relaxed, I can really roll all sides of the lower leg hard with a stick. I actually get a little winded doing so. For everywhere else, it's either a foam roller, a small ball, an electric massager, or my fingers. The stick is pretty much useless everywhere else unless you're a contortionist.

Just writing this to clarify.
 
If you want, you can post a video of yourself on a treadmill on this forum and I will be happy to give you are more specific eval. Take a short 30 sec to 45 sec video from the side and back with your phone.

I hope that helps.
First of all, thanks for the replay! :) I can arrange for the video in a few days (probably thursday night). As I said, I currently run/walk/stand trying to get both feet facing forward. Would you rather have me run like this, or run more naturally? I could probably do both videos too.... If you haven't replied by then that's what I'll do! :)
 

The quality isn't so great and the angles aren't amazing. If you can work with that, great! If not, I'll see what I can do.