Your big toe extension plays a crucial role in both balance and forward motion. As we push off from ground contact, our big toe extends. The extension pulls the plantar fascia to effectively stabilizing the foot through the ‘windlast mechanism’ (process by which big toe extension supinates the foot). The benefits of a stable foot at push off are huge; this rigidity at push off gives you a stiff lever in which to generate large amounts of force (think of a stiff spring as opposed to a floppy spring!). If big toe extension is lost, not only do we lose stability at push-off, but something else up the chain can start to compensate leading to further dysfunction and eventually pain. A few common things happen …
Increased Knee Flexion
Very little in the body works in isolation. The right amount of big toe extension allows for your foot to supinate (heel turning in (the opposite to pronation), this allowing your knee to externally rotate so as to achieve full knee extension, creating power in your stride and lowering stress through the knee joint. Poor big toe extension = opposite, forcing your knee to stay flexed through toe-off, leading to poor pronation control that can eventually cause foot pain, knee pain and even hip pain.
Decreased Hip Extension
A lack of big toe extension causes the body to push off of the other toes; toes not built for the job. This excess stress can cause foot and ankle pain. Poor great toe extension also forces the heel to come off too soon: again with excessive knee flexion, preventing hip extension (bringing your leg behind your hips), as the angle of the toe simply does not allow the angle required at the hip. This lack of hip extension can then tighten your hip flexors and reduce gluteal activation; both of which can lead to dusfynbction elsewhere..
Increased Back extension
A lack of hip extension can then lead to an increased arch in your back as compensatory means to keep the appropriate stride length necessary for walking and running. Repetative arching and overuse (coupled with poor gluteal strength and/or hip flexor tightness), can then lead to serious low back problems and pain!
Great toe extension is critical for preventing foot pain, knee pain, hip and back pain. So can we improve toe extension? Absolutely. Talk with a qualified physical therapists to determine the appropriate plan of care. Skilled manual therapt and a personalized home exercise program may be all you need.