Romain Tourillon
Romain Tourillon combines his work as a sports physiotherapist with a strong focus on scientific research and education. He works at Hôpital de La Tour in Geneva, where he leads the foot and ankle team within the Swiss Olympic Medical Center. His extensive clinical experience is supported by a solid academic background: he earned his PhD from Université Jean Monnet Saint-Étienne with a dissertation titled “The role of metatarsophalangeal joints flexion strength in propulsion kinetics and sport physical performance.”
Romain is active internationally, including as a member of the International Ankle Consortium. He has delivered lectures both nationally and internationally, including at the International Ankle Symposium and the European Congress of Sports Science. He holds two master’s degrees from France—one in physiotherapy and another in training and performance optimization in sports. Since 2021, he is also a Certified Mulligan Practitioner (CMP).
His scientific work and presentations focus primarily on the importance of foot muscle strength in relation to sports performance. Thanks to his unique combination of clinical expertise, scientific knowledge, and teaching experience, Romain is considered a leading expert in sports physiotherapy and the biomechanics of the foot and ankle. His courses offer physiotherapists valuable tools to help athletes optimize their foot and ankle performance.
Articles by Romain Tourillon
Training the foot to improve performance in sprinting, jumping and change of direction
Training the foot is often an overlooked but essential component of enhancing athletic performance—especially in activities such as sprinting, jumping, and rapid changes of direction. Foot strength plays a key role in generating force and maintaining stability, both of which are critical for athletic movements. Traditional methods of strengthening the foot are often insufficient, as they focus on low-load exercises that do not replicate the high forces experienced during sports. Instead, a progressive approach is recommended—one that specifically targets the foot muscles to improve both strength and endurance for optimal performance.
Improving foot-ankle complex biomechanics for force production, transmission and distribution
This article examines the biomechanics of the foot-ankle complex with a focus on enhancing force production, transfer, and distribution during explosive movements. The foot-ankle complex plays a crucial role in absorbing and transmitting forces, thereby contributing to more efficient movement in activities such as sprinting, jumping, and rapid changes of direction. The article emphasizes the importance of maintaining both mobility and strength in the foot and ankle muscles to optimize performance and prevent injuries. Additionally, it discusses exercises and techniques aimed at improving the biomechanical efficiency of the foot-ankle complex in sport-specific contexts.
THE ROLE OF FOOT-ANKLE COMPLEX IN REHABILITATION AFTER ACL RECONSTRUCTION
The article highlights the importance of the foot-ankle region in rehabilitation following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. Strengthening and stabilizing the foot and ankle enhances neuromuscular control, balance, and overall lower limb function. Knee stability is influenced by how the foot manages forces, making it essential to include this region in the rehabilitation process. Foot-ankle–focused exercises can reduce the risk of re-injury and improve functional outcomes.
Podcasts
Testing and training the foot for rehabilitation and improving sports performance part 1
Romain provides a clear overview of what the literature says about the relationship between foot strength and athletic performance. He then explains why current approaches to foot strengthening are becoming less effective and increasingly outdated. Next, he discusses the methods used to measure forefoot strength and why this is so important. Finally, he offers a detailed explanation of the exercises he uses to develop forefoot strength.
Testing and training the foot for rehabilitation and improving sports performance part 2
Romain delves deeper into the function of the midfoot and the first ray, explaining how these structures can be assessed and trained. The session concludes with an engaging discussion on common misconceptions surrounding foot and ankle training. In this segment, Romain addresses topics such as barefoot training, the myth of a one-size-fits-all approach, and how plyometric exercises can contribute to effective foot training.
Episode 162
In this episode of the Inform Performance Podcast, Andy McDonald interviews Romain Tourillon. Andy and Romain discuss how to assess and train foot and ankle function in athletes.
Publications by Romain Tourillon
Here are a few of his publications listed below. For a complete overview of his work, you can visit his ResearchGate profile via this link.
- Tourillon R, Gojanovic B, Fourchet F. How to Evaluate and Improve Foot Strength in Athletes: An Update. Front Sports Act Living. 2019 Oct 11;1:46. doi: 10.3389/fspor.2019.00046. PMID: 33344969; PMCID: PMC7739583.
- Tourillon R, Bothorel H, McKeon PO, Gojanovic B, Fourchet F. Effects of a Single Electrical Stimulation Session on Foot Force Production, Foot Dome Stability, and Dynamic Postural Control. J Athl Train. 2023 Jan 1;58(1):51-59. doi: 10.4085/1062-6050-0561.21. PMID: 35142810; PMCID: PMC9913059.
- Tourillon R, Six A, Bothorel H, Fourchet F. Are foot posture and morphological deformation associated with ankle plantar flexion isokinetic strength and vertical drop jump kinetics? A principal component analysis. Sports Biomech. 2023 Mar 24:1-15. doi: 10.1080/14763141.2023.2191868. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36961087.
- Tourillon R, Delahunt E, Fourchet F, Picot B, M’Baye M. Ankle scientific knowledge is not translated into physiotherapy practice: a thematic analysis of French-speaking physiotherapists clinical behaviors. J Athl Train. 2024 Mar 13. doi: 10.4085/1062-6050-0575.23. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38477122.
- Tourillon R, Michel A, Fourchet F, Edouard P, Morin JB. Human foot muscle strength and its association with sprint acceleration, cutting and jumping performance, and kinetics in high-level athletes. J Sports Sci. 2024 May;42(9):814-824. doi: 10.1080/02640414.2024.2367365. Epub 2024 Jun 14. PMID: 38874271.
- Roma E, Michel A, Tourillon R, Millet GY, Morin JB. Reliability and measurement error of a maximal voluntary toe plantarflexion measurement process. Foot (Edinb). 2024 Jun;59:102095. doi: 10.1016/j.foot.2024.102095. Epub 2024 Apr 3. PMID: 38614012.
- Tourillon R, Fourchet F, Edouard P, Morin JB. Test-Retest Reliability and Usefulness of a Foot-Ankle Rebound-Jump Test for Measuring Foot-Ankle Reactive Strength in Athletes. Int J Sports Physiol Perform. 2024 Jul 17;19(9):949-952. doi: 10.1123/ijspp.2024-0062. PMID: 39019445.
