Untwisting the Lower Leg

Ever notice that your foot turns out, but when you point it straight ahead, your knee is then turning or collapsing in? This spin can be magnified further when you go to stand on that leg or when squatting. It is commonly associated with knee pain, and can affect the entire lower extremity.

This “twist” in the leg is often due to a femur that is internally rotated, which can be due to one or more of the following:

1. Weak external rotators
2. Weak glute med, especially if you notice the opposite hip drops
3. Limited inlet IR (so drive femoral IR instead)
4. Short adductors
5. Poor foot mechanics

With the femur spinning in, your body might respond by turning your lower leg out, positioning the tibia into external rotation and a collapsed-looking arch. The body may possibly add another twist by inverting the foot or scrunching the toes.

To correct it, you’re working to internally rotate the tibia on an externally rotating femur. Maintaining this during a split squat will help not only address the twist at the knee, but also improve posterior hip and foot mechanics.

If this is hard to set up or doesn’t feel quite right, you can experiment with a towel or rolled up band placed:

1. Under your arch to focus on smooshing→particularly if you notice that you tend to roll to the outside of your foot
2. Under the base of your first met head→particularly if you notice that you tend to have a more collapsed-in foot or you can no longer maintain connection of your first met head on the ground once you push your knee out
3. As a ramp under your entire big toe to drop your first met head down to the ground→another way to help improve ground contact while you push your knee out

This should not create any knee pain. If it does, further assessment is needed.

This is a different approach than if your entire leg turns out.

Did you know I teach online:
Online Continuing Education for Fitness and Health Professionals
PCES - Pregnancy & Postpartum Corrective Exercise Specialist
www.coreexercisesolutions.com/postpartum-corrective-exercise-specialist/


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