Your feet are the first point of contact with the ground, & have to deal with huge amounts of force, so having strong feet is crucial for every runner. 🦶✨
Here is a test you can do at home to test your foot strength, called the Modified Calf Raise test.
This strength test comes from Romain Tourillon & his article on Sportsmithhq. It's a handy variation of the calf raise-to-fatigue test! 📚
To perform this test, all you need is a slant board, just like the one from Fasciitisfighter seen here. Recent studies by Chiu & Williams have shown that performing this test with your toes in dorsiflexion (on the inclined plate), results in higher activation of your midfoot region 📖📈
Here's how it works: Set a metronome to a 1-second up, 1-second down beat. Make sure you reach maximum height on each rep and push through your big toe. Keep going until you can't perform any more. 🎶💥
The goal? We'd like to see our runners achieve 25 reps on each leg, just like in the original test. If you find it more challenging with this modified version versus the original, it can indicate a need to improve your foot strength. 💯💪
Give it a go and share your results with us! We can't wait to hear how you do! 🏆💪😊
#StrongFeet #FootStrength #RunnersFoundation #CalfRaiseTest #FitnessMotivation #plantarheelpain #running #runninginjuries #chiro #sportschiro #physio #sportsphysio #physicaltherapy #osteopathy #podiatry #sportspodiatry
📚 References
Williams LR, Ridge ST, Johnson AW, Arch ES, Bruening DA. The influence of the windlass mechanism on kinematic and kinetic foot joint coupling. J Foot Ankle Res. 2022;15(1):16. doi:10.1186/s13047-022-00520-z
Chiu LZF, Dæhlin TE. Midfoot and Ankle Mechanics in Block and Incline Heel Raise Exercises. J Strength Cond Res. 2021;35(12):3308-3314. doi:10.1519/JSC.0000000000004145