Premature heel rise
Draft — clinical review required1 · Observe2 · Locate3 · Explain4 · Connect
Heel contact
Heel contact
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Contact indicators: heel and forefoot · filled only during contact.
Observed deviation · Heel rises earlier after heel-first contact
The heel initially contacts the ground, but it lifts earlier than in typical walking.
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Inspect gait moment · 0.0%
Illustrative demonstration angles and event timing · 0° is the reference, not a diagnostic cutoff.
Heel rises earlier after heel-first contact
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Observed movement
- Heel rises earlier after heel-first contact
Example mechanism
- Limited ankle dorsiflexion
- A movement pattern alone does not establish its cause.
Teaching narration
- The heel initially contacts the ground, but it lifts earlier than in typical walking.
- Pause both figures at the same moment. One heel remains grounded; the other has already risen.
- One possible contributor is limited ankle dorsiflexion.
- As the body advances, the lower leg cannot progress as far over the planted foot. Earlier heel rise allows progression to continue by transferring support toward the forefoot.
- The key feature is timing.
- This differs from persistent forefoot walking, where the heel may never reach the ground during stance.
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.