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Would strengthening the toe flexors of the members of a rugby union scrum unit improve their performance ?
The amount of force generated under the forefoot of props in particular at scrum time must be enormous .
Also , it strikes me that the lower a scrum gets ,the more the toe flexors become important in applying force to the boot studs , and hence into the ground giving traction in the sense of grip .

Might it be ,that with all other things being equal ,a prop with weaker intrinsic toe flexors is more a risk of slipping under pressure and conceding penalties ?

Any thoughts ?

Gerry

 

Further to the above , it is my understanding that plantar plate injury of the great toe is not uncommon in rugby union and American football . It seems to me that if you strengthen an athletes entire body by progressive resistance training , but with the exception of one part , one link in the chain if you like ,then that is where an injury might be more likely to occur .

Gerry

 

Very recently I was using the throwing facilities at Scotstoun Stadium in Glasgow when I noticed a fairly large sand pit at the side of the training pitch used by the Glasgow Warriors rugby club . I have no idea how long this area ,which is about twice the size of the long jump pit used in track and field , has been present , but I am told it is used for foot rehabilitation .

Training barefoot in sand is , in my opinion , likely to strengthen muscles like the transverse head of the adductor hallucis as well as structures like the deep metatarsal transverse ligament which is vital to foot stiffness , and is probably therefore a good idea . However , I feel that training barefoot in sand is unlikely to be any more effective at strengthening the intrinsic toe flexors such as the flexor hallucis brevis or the abductor hallucis ,than training with a minimal shoe , on a flat , even surface . If you want to strengthen these muscles , and perhaps give your props or offensive linemen the edge , then you should be looking to progressive resistance training of the foot intrinsics .

Gerry

 

I would have thought that the contribution to the power in a rugby scrum from the intrinsics would be minuscule compared to other factors that determine the power.

 

Its about the contribution these muscles make to traction in the sense of grip . A forwards rugby boot has a lot of studs in the forefoot area including studs immediately under the toes . What pushes these studs into the turf if not pressure from the toes and surely the intrinsic plantar flexors contribute to this . Lets not forget that in a competitive scrum the entire eight are low and pushing through their forefeet .One slip from a prop can equal three points .