One way to break-down the qualities of foot movement while walking is by the "rocker" concept.
As you walk, the hips move over the planted foot, and the ankle joint changes from being plantar-flexed (tibia further from top of foot) to dorsi-flexed (tibia closer to top of foot). Eventually the ankle joint reaches the its range and then the heel lifts the foot to "rock" onto the long toe bones then to the toes.
If your foot rockers are not rocking, and the foot/ankle joints does not move through their various ranges of movement, then the big toe will not be able help you push-off to move yourself forward to take a step.
You're a moving being...you're going to find a way to take that step! This stickiness in your foot/ankle complex will cause your stride (the space between steps) to shorten, and a common compensation is to hike the hip to get that "foot to leg complex" to move forward in your step.
A hip-hike can happen when any part of that "leg to foot complex" is compromised in its range of movement: limited hip extension, knee extension, ankle dorsiflexion, and foot joint movement.
A hip-hike can cause you to move more "side to side" than "front to back". You're using more muscle effort and less fascial elasticity when you do this.
So...if you feel yourself waddling instead of walking, observe if you have stiff bottoms of your feet and calves, back of the knees/ hamstrings, and hip-flexors???
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