The Study
External rotation of the foot position during plantarflexion increases non-uniform motions of the Achilles tendon.
This study checks how moving your foot in different ways changes how your Achilles tendon stretches and slides. It shows that foot position and tendon movement are connected, but it can't prove that changing your foot position directly causes the tendon to move that way. We can only say they happen together in this specific test.
Analysis score
Maximum 44 for a cross-sectional study.
Where the score came from
This study looked at how pointing your toes in or out changes the way your Achilles tendon stretches and moves when you push off the ground.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 527 / 100
Quality score
Snapshots of a population at a single point in time, or descriptions of small groups. Can identify correlations and prevalence, but cannot determine cause and effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes, this matters for daily movement and injury prevention, as changing foot angle shifts stress to different parts of the tendon, which could help explain or treat Achilles pain.
- 2With toes out, the inner part of the tendon stretched more and was shorter at rest.
- 3With toes in, the tendon moved more evenly, especially when pushing hard.
- 4All differences were statistically significant.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Journal of biomechanics
Year
2022
Authors
Marion Crouzier, F. Dandois, A. Sarcher, S. Bogaerts, L. Scheys, B. Vanwanseele
Related Content
Claims (5)
Changing the direction your toes point while doing a calf exercise changes how much different parts of your calf tendon stretch. Pointing your toes outward stretches the inner part of the tendon more, while pointing them inward stretches the outer part more.
Turning your toes outward while doing calf exercises makes the Achilles tendon sit at a shorter resting length compared to turning them inward. This means the way you position your feet horizontally can change the tendon's natural shape before you even start moving, which might affect how weight is distributed when you walk or run.
When you push off with your feet during exercise, turning your toes inward instead of outward changes how your Achilles tendon stretches and slides inside your leg. This shift in foot position might change the internal pressure and sliding forces on the tendon during hard movements.
How you point your feet when pushing off the ground changes how your calf muscles work together and affects how your Achilles tendon stretches. This shows that your foot angle directly influences the connection between your muscles and tendons.
Changing the direction you point your toes while doing calf raises changes which part of your calf muscle gets the most work. Pointing your toes out targets the inner calf, while pointing them in targets the outer calf.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.