Why can't you pull your heels firmly against a wall and then bend over without falling?

Answer 1

You lose your balance when you try this maneuver. What happens is that your heels are stuck in a position where they cannot flex to maintain the action that you want to do.

Try this experiment. Stand in the middle of the floor and bend over. Notice that your heels, even if they don't LOOK like they have moved...have! They lift ever so slightly to maintain your balance. The ligaments in your calves contract and lift the heel so that it is in a different position from the upright stance you started in.

When your heels are in the position against the wall, the ligaments in your calves cannot pull the heels up to keep your balance. The heels have no room to flex, so you fall over.

Looking at your foot, you'll see that the ball of your foot is wider than your heel, and your toes are able to spread apart to be wider than the ball of the foot. This is the mechanism that keeps your balance even when you are barefooted. The ball and toes are the plain that the fulcrum of the heel works on. This is how ladies can walk in high heels! They use the balancing of the heel to walk on the balls and toes of their feet. Men don't usually learn the trick of balancing on their toes.

So when you take away the up and down flexing of the heel, you lose your balance, just like this experiment.

Answer 2

When you pull your heels against a wall, it restricts the movement of your ankles, making it difficult to maintain balance and stability when bending over. This position changes the center of gravity, making it challenging to maintain proper alignment and coordination. As a result, you are likely to lose balance and fall when trying to bend over with your heels firmly against a wall.