toeheel

Toeheel is a term encountered in some biomechanics and rehabilitation contexts to describe foot-ground contact that involves the coordinated action of the toes and heel during gait or foot placement. The word is not part of formal medical nomenclature, and there is no single agreed-upon definition. In gait analysis, researchers typically describe phases such as heel strike, foot flat, midstance, and push-off. Toeheel is used informally to indicate patterns or cues emphasizing the transition between forefoot and hindfoot contact, or to refer to a movement where propulsion and stability rely on both the toe region and the heel region of the foot.

Applications include footwear design, orthotics, and physical therapy, where therapists may coach toe-to-heel transitions to improve balance, plantarflexor strength, or ankle control, or to simulate certain running styles. In sports training, some programs highlight controlled toe-heel sequencing to optimize loading mechanics, though the approach is not universally adopted and individual gait patterns vary widely. Etymology: a compound of toe and heel.