The Toe Touch Progression (TTP) allows a clinician to break a pattern down. The forward bending pattern that cannot be performed means that the body and brain do not fully connect in the forward bending pattern. When trying to break down the forward bending pattern, try not to think anatomy. Instead, think about the lack of pattern that the patient has. Or how the inappropriate weight shifting causes a protective response that locks a patient out of a toe touch.
After FMS screening a patient look over the ASLR score that the patient recieved. If their score was below 3 or there was an asymmetry noted, then do things to target that. But if it is not working try doing the TTP with the patient.
How to Perform the TTP:
1) First start with heels down and toes up on a board. This will put the patient in a position similar to performing a calf stretch. Place a rolled towel or foam roll between the patients legs, and ask the patient to touch their heels and toes together. The towel between the legs and the feet touching will put the patient in a knee varus position or bow-legged position. This position renders the patient to not be able to hyperextend the knee. Lastly, the knees should be slightly flexed.
2) Once in position the patient should reach for the toes. While reaching for the toes, when the patient feels the first barrier/tightness they should squeeze the towel between the knees. The squeeze fires the patients adductors, and anything that fires the adductors fires your core. Reciprocal inhibition of the extensors of the hip, extensors of the back, and the external rotators of the hip are achieved.
When the extensors of the hip, extensors of the back, and the external rotators of the hip are relaxed, the patient's body quits fighting that movement. Since the patient has their toes up and heels down they have shifted their weight behind the foot position. You have forced the patient into a posterior weight shift as if their standing uphill without them even knowing it.
The squeeze overrides the patient's protective mechanism because the patient does not need it anymore to perform weight shift. Some patients are able to touch their toes and others remain limited. If the patient is limited, then they can cheat and bend their knees some more.
5-10 reps should be performed to break the pattern. Then after corrections are made, move the athlete to lift the heel on the board and place toes on ground. The feet switching causes weight shifting, reciprocal inhibition, and patterning. It makes the patient less dependent on legs to hold you up and more dependent on core, and weight shifting to keep you balanced.
Some reasons that the patient cannot perform appropriate weight shift is because the patient may have inappropriate firing, poor stabilization, poor mobility, and poor central nervous system pattern. After screening the patient the screen will also show that there is compensation that may also be adding to the reasons that the patient is struggling with the toe touch pattern.
What to do once the patient is able to touch their toes?
After FMS screening a patient look over the ASLR score that the patient recieved. If their score was below 3 or there was an asymmetry noted, then do things to target that. But if it is not working try doing the TTP with the patient.
How to Perform the TTP:
1) First start with heels down and toes up on a board. This will put the patient in a position similar to performing a calf stretch. Place a rolled towel or foam roll between the patients legs, and ask the patient to touch their heels and toes together. The towel between the legs and the feet touching will put the patient in a knee varus position or bow-legged position. This position renders the patient to not be able to hyperextend the knee. Lastly, the knees should be slightly flexed.
2) Once in position the patient should reach for the toes. While reaching for the toes, when the patient feels the first barrier/tightness they should squeeze the towel between the knees. The squeeze fires the patients adductors, and anything that fires the adductors fires your core. Reciprocal inhibition of the extensors of the hip, extensors of the back, and the external rotators of the hip are achieved.
When the extensors of the hip, extensors of the back, and the external rotators of the hip are relaxed, the patient's body quits fighting that movement. Since the patient has their toes up and heels down they have shifted their weight behind the foot position. You have forced the patient into a posterior weight shift as if their standing uphill without them even knowing it.
The squeeze overrides the patient's protective mechanism because the patient does not need it anymore to perform weight shift. Some patients are able to touch their toes and others remain limited. If the patient is limited, then they can cheat and bend their knees some more.
5-10 reps should be performed to break the pattern. Then after corrections are made, move the athlete to lift the heel on the board and place toes on ground. The feet switching causes weight shifting, reciprocal inhibition, and patterning. It makes the patient less dependent on legs to hold you up and more dependent on core, and weight shifting to keep you balanced.
Some reasons that the patient cannot perform appropriate weight shift is because the patient may have inappropriate firing, poor stabilization, poor mobility, and poor central nervous system pattern. After screening the patient the screen will also show that there is compensation that may also be adding to the reasons that the patient is struggling with the toe touch pattern.
What to do once the patient is able to touch their toes?