This is how my right foot lands. This is a dead leg.
I’ve groused and groused for the last year about what’s wrong with my right leg.
I decided to jump on a treadmill and record my goober gait with my trusty iPhone (video below). I captured about 12 second intervals with me walking fast, and running at paces of 10-, 8:30-, 7:30-, and 6:40 minutes per mile.
This had to be what they meant when they talked about dead leg. My right leg just limps along. I can’t turn my foot inward. My quad is just useless.
Whatever it is that is bothering me is worse when I run slow, and I’ve mentioned that in the past. Seeing this video for the first time shows me it’s worse than what I thought it was. My right leg is just dragging. Running faster helps me control it more, but who wants to run 6:40 pace every run?
I still don’t know what the problem is, despite all of the therapists I’ve seen, though I did some Google searching and I came up with heel whip and abductory twist as preliminary culprits. The non-scientific definition of a runner with heal whip is when a a runner’s foot rotates while it is still on the ground causing it to go from straight or slightly rotated in, to pointing out.
So, without dragging this post on further, here is my cave-man video recording of my right foot while running on a treadmill (the extended version is here if you wanna see more.) I am going to continue working with my therapist, but if you think you’ve seen this kind of leg issue, feel free to drop me a line.
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Is it really better when you run faster or the foot is just on the ground less time? I didn’t think your foot changed landing changed with the different paces
@Myriam – it is not necessarily better when I go faster, but the momentum created when I run faster helps carry that bad leg through toe-off.
Kevin, sorry you are having issues with the right leg. I just wanted to share that for a time when I was doing triathlons that my right foot and leg did something very close to this. It seemed to always happen when I was running right after getting off the bike. My right foot just wanted to flair out to the side and I couldn’t seem to get it to go straight back and through like the left. Now that I’ve stopped riding it has improved quite a bit, but still not 100% like it was. Not sure the reason, but I thought I’d share.
Thanks Derek.. I just wanna get back healthy so I can get all that marathon bling that you have.
Hi, I’m actually watching your right quad … it’s really snapping pretty hard through every speed you recorded (including your fast one).
Its snapping, but there is absolutely no power in it… I cant run up hills effectively and when I do it’s all on one (left) leg.
(darthVader voice) “Kevin, this is your therapist”……when you run faster, you are performing more of a midfoot or forefoot strike rather than the heavy heel strike you demonstrate at slower speeds. You look like you have more control of the leg when you strike with your midfoot. Achieving proper body, leg and foot positioning and the strength those positions require will be key. You are lacking both passive and active internal rotation of the hip, so you have learned to compensate. Also weak hip flexors and glute medius play a role. I think this was a great idea……it will be interesting to see what other eyes see.
Ashley…. thanks for stopping by (folks, she really is my PT) – hate to admit you right, but you are right. I dont have passive or active or inactive internal rotation of anything. But I’m doing all the stuff you told me to do.
hmm. i’m wondering if my right foot flops out like that! i’ll try to watch it when i walk. i owe you my papers – i tried scanning them here at home yesterday but the quality wasn’t that great. i’m going to try at the work scanner tomorrow. i promise i’m working on it!
if i see my guy this week i’ll try to remember to show him this video and see if he has any suggestions.
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Kevin… after between 20-30 mins on the treadmill (7:40 pace) my right leg seems to lag and flop as well (hits the treadmill kinda hard). This causes my left leg to work harder I think because my left knee starts straining as a result. Prior to this my stride in both legs seems in sync but then all the sudden this changes. This doesn’t happen when I run off the treadmill. It is as if my right leg is wanting to go faster because when when I speed up it helps me as well. I find that I have to concentrate really hard on how my right foot lands… I literally move my foot around in my shoe along with my foot strike until it feels comfortable, feels kinda funny adjusting my toes. But after a time I seem to be able to find the right rythm
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