Forefoot initial contact
Draft — clinical review required1 · Observe2 · Locate3 · Explain4 · Connect
Heel contact
Forefoot contact
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Contact indicators: heel and forefoot · filled only during contact.
Observed deviation · Forefoot first; heel lowers afterward
Here, the forefoot reaches the ground before the heel.
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Inspect gait moment · 0.0%
Illustrative demonstration angles and event timing · 0° is the reference, not a diagnostic cutoff.
Initial contact is at the forefoot, not heel strike; the heel lowers afterward.
Forefoot first; heel lowers afterward
Go deeper
Open each part when you are ready.
Observed movement
- Forefoot first; heel lowers afterward
Example mechanism
- Insufficient dorsiflexion before contact
- A movement pattern alone does not establish its cause.
Teaching narration
- Here, the forefoot reaches the ground before the heel.
- The ankle is more plantarflexed at contact than in the typical walking example.
- Watch the sequence: forefoot first, then the heel lowers.
- This can occur when dorsiflexion is insufficient to position the foot before contact. Restricted dorsiflexion, plantarflexor overactivity or heel-pain avoidance can also contribute.
- The heel’s later behavior matters.
- In this example, it reaches the ground. In another pattern, it may remain elevated throughout stance.
- Forefoot contact alone does not establish the cause, and it does not automatically mean equinovarus.
Connect — related deviations
Apply it
What can this animation establish?
Sources and review status
Draft — clinical review required
Starting points for verification. Validated protocols are linked where available; clinical content has not yet been reviewed.
Learning objectives
- Identify the observed movement and its timing.
- Distinguish the observation from a possible contributor.
- Compare this feature with related deviations.