Hey all,
For a very long time, my feet have pointed outward at 30 degree angles. Like \ / if you were viewing from above. I walk like a duck and I cannot do a lunge for the life of me. I also have flat feet. I went to an ART guy and he was unable to do anything about it (he said he has never seen someone with hips so outwardly rotated).
Does anyone know how to resolve this issue and make my feet point straight ahead?
Advice is greatly appreciated. Thank you for your help.
This is not an easy beast to tame. I found that Pilates did a lot to help strengthen internal rotation of the hips and that it loosened up the external rotators considerably. I noticed walking became more comfortable and efficient. In addition, strengthening the abdominals improved a slight pelvic tilt that affected my posture.
Stretching the external rotators will help as well. Do you find when you squat - if you squat - you use a fairly wide stance. That may contribute as well.
Another approach is the ever famous foam rolling. Work the glutes and external rotators.
Also do you have lower back troubles? Improved abdominals may counter some of those issues as well.
Again, not an easy beast to tame. I’m sure others will chime in. Other contributing factors: Do you sit all day at school or work, or do you stand? What kind of work out program are you following? Is the program balanced for body parts and body movements? How often do you work out?
A chiropractor may be beneficial but may not be the solution unless they get to the core issue whether it’s a soft tissue problem (strength imbalances, shortened/stretched muscles, scar tissue) or a bony one (growths limiting range of motion, an undiagnosed but painless arthritic issue)…
What say you?
I have exactly the same thing. I’ve never really worried about it - I played soccer for 13+ years and just figured it was my body’s adaptation to playing soccer and dribbling (the rotation=more agility/quicker movement side to side). I’ve never felt pain/been injured from it. What makes you want to change it?
I was following the starting strength workout program for a few months (squatting 3x a week) and I was using a wide stance. But I’ve had this problem long before beginning that program, and I find it very awkward to squat with a narrower stance.
I was having low back pain when learning to squat, probably because I was rounding my back. But my low back pain has gone away.
I believe my lower abdominals are weak. I find leg raises to be extremely difficult(lying on my back lifting my legs straight in the air) and my low back actually hurts when doing them.
I do sit a lot, and I’m just getting back into weight lifting. I’m not sure what leg exercises to do (I have long legs, and short torso and I feel as if the squat is working mostly my lower back), and I would rather have this addressed so I can have more functional and normal leg development.
As I said, I went to an active release therapy guy (who is also a chiropractor) and he worked on my glutes/other things in my leg, so he probably would have noticed if it was a soft tissue problem/bony one, or maybe not.
I own a foam roller, but I am not sure what parts of my leg are the external rotators. Are they the muscles above my adductors and near my groin? I’m having trouble distinguishing.
Schism: it looks weird, and I find it difficult/awkward to do normal exercises: squats, lunges.
Edge up above me had a couple of good points, so read that again.
There’s quite a bit of health professionals and gurus here but I’ll give you my take.
Have your feet evaluated. If the arches in your feet fall when you stand on them (google “foot pronation”), this can be a problem down the road. It causes your leg to rotate inwards, your knee to rotate, and can cause hip and low back pain as your body compensates.
There’s a couple more factors in play, but lets keep this simple.
So I would get your feet looked at by a chiropractor or health professional, and get orthotics. I have a problem just like yours, and between that, appropriate stretches, foam rolling, and chiropractic, I personally am injury free. Always make sure your hip rotators are mobile and stretch them out. While you might not ever have your feet point straight ahead, you can at least make sure you’re pain free.
Note: I do not experience any pain, except in my feet after long walks if wearing hard soled shoes (Converse Chuck Taylors), but some Dr. Scholls padding has helped with that.
Some good advice so far though, thanks.
[quote]Schism: it looks weird, and I find it difficult/awkward to do normal exercises: squats, lunges.[/quote] Fair enough. FWIW, squats are by far my best exercise. Good luck.
forge,
For the foam rolling… your IT band is the outside of your legs (google images if you need to). For external rotators, find a lacrosse/tennis ball and basically sit/roll on your piriformis area (google image again) part of your glute.
Video: - YouTube
Except do it more deliberately/slower, and really concentrate on the painful spots.
For hip internal rotation exercises: see my posts towards the end of this thread - Forums - T Nation - The World's Trusted Community for Elite Fitness
Lastly, try to consciously walk/sit in a neutral feet position whenever possible.
Yes, hit the piriformis. Tennis ball, stretching, etc… My feet point out a lot too, tight piriformis. I went to a PT for back issues and in the process of doing the stretches she gave me, my wife noticed that my feet don’t turn outwards as much anymore.
I’m less of a duck walker than I used to be. 
[quote]PB Andy wrote:
Lastly, try to consciously walk/sit in a neutral feet position whenever possible.[/quote]
I am heavy duck walker i tried consciously doing that but i gave up on it, I haven’t notice any adverse affects of being a duck walker. I feel sorry for those pigeon walkers that must SUCK
I was pigeon-toed my whole life until recently. A few ART sessions took care of it.