## 4 Discussion  
This study investigated the efficacy of toe exercises in relieving muscle tension and improving lower limb imbalance among Air Force cadets undergoing 4 weeks of military training while wearing heavy combat boots. The toe exercises significantly contributed to the local stabilization of the foot owing to their anatomical and biomechanical contributions [18]. The MLA, a key structure in the foot, plays a critical role in shock absorption and proper lower-extremity function during the gait cycle [2]. Both extrinsic and intrinsic \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c c c} \hline \hline
**Variable** & **Group** & **PRE** & **POST** & **Group and Time** & **F** & **\(p\)** \\ \hline \multirow{2}{*}{Deep Squat} & EX (n = 20) & 1.80 \(\pm\) 0.83 & 2.10 \(\pm\) 0.64 & G & 1.201 & 0.277 \\  & CON (n = 20) & 1.95 \(\pm\) 0.75 & 1.60 \(\pm\) 0.59 & G \(\times\) T & 0.025 & 0.876 \\ \hline \multirow{2}{*}{Hurdle Step} & EX (n = 20) & 1.00 \(\pm\) 0.001 & 1.60 \(\pm\) 0.59 & G \(\times\) * & 6.946 & 0.010 \\  & CON (n = 20) & 1.55 \(\pm\) 0.51 & 1.60 \(\pm\) 0.50 & G \(\times\) T ** & 9.701 & 0.003 \\ \hline \multirow{2}{*}{Inline Lunge} & EX (n = 20) & 1.50 \(\pm\) 0.83 & 1.50 \(\pm\) 0.51 & G & 1.652 & 0.203 \\  & CON (n = 20) & 1.45 \(\pm\) 0.60 & 1.45 \(\pm\) 0.60 & T & 2.937 & 0.091 \\ \hline \multirow{2}{*}{Shoulder Mobility} & EX (n = 20) & 1.80 \(\pm\) 0.69 & 1.95 \(\pm\) 0.60 & G & 11.700 & 0.001 \\  & CON (n = 20) & 2.30 \(\pm\) 0.86 & 2.55 \(\pm\) 0.68 & T & 1.547 & 0.217 \\ \hline \multirow{2}{*}{Active Straight Leg Raise} & EX (n = 20) & 1.50 \(\pm\) 0.83 & 2.15 \(\pm\) 0.67 & G \(\times\) T & 5.592 & 0.021 \\  & CON (n = 20) & 1.40 \(\pm\) 0.50 & 1.55 \(\pm\) 0.60 & G \(\times\) T & 2.853 & 0.008 \\ \hline \multirow{2}{*}{Trunk Stability Push-Up} & EX (n = 20) & 1.40 \(\pm\) 0.50 & 1.65 \(\pm\) 0.58 & G & 16.334 & 0.001 \\  & CON (n = 20) & 2.10 \(\pm\) 0.79 & 2.20 \(\pm\) 0.83 & G \(\times\) T & 0.235 & 0.629 \\ \hline \multirow{2}{*}{Rotary Stability} & EX (n = 20) & 1.15 \(\pm\) 0.48 & 1.90 \(\pm\) 0.59 & G & 1.361 & 0.247 \\  & CON (n = 20) & 1.65 \(\pm\) 0.48 & 1.65 \(\pm\) 0.48 & T \(\pm\) T & 12.249 & 0.001 \\ \hline \multirow{2}{*}{Total Score} & EX (n = 20) & 9.75 \(\pm\) 1.61 & 12.85 \(\pm\) 1.75 & G \(\times\) * & 7.756 & 0.007 \\  & CON (n = 20) & 12.05 \(\pm\) 2.52 & 12.95 \(\pm\) 1.66 & T \(\times\) T \(\#\) & 21.545 & 0.001 \\ \hline \multirow{2}{*}{Functional Leg Length (Left)} & EX (n = 20) & 98.85 \(\pm\) 2.53 & 98.22 \(\pm\) 1.96 & G & 0.580 & 0.449 \\  & CON (n = 20) & 98.27 \(\pm\) 2.89 & 98.07 \(\pm\) 2.17 & G \(\times\) T & 0.448 & 0.505 \\ \hline \multirow{2}{*}{Functional Leg Length (Right)} & EX (n = 20) & 99.02 \(\pm\) 2.41 & 98.10 \(\pm\) 2.27 & G & 0.455 & 0.502 \\  & CON (n = 20) & 98.22 \(\pm\) 2.80 & 98.42 \(\pm\) 2.06 & T & 1.095 & 0.299 \\ \hline \multirow{2}{*}{Structural Leg Length (Left)} & EX (n = 20) & 93.65 \(\pm\) 2.87 & 92.72 \(\pm\) 2.30 & G & 0.932 & 0.338 \\  & CON (n = 20) & 93.40 \(\pm\) 3.05 & 93.15 \(\pm\) 2.59 & T & 0.021 & 0.886 \\ \hline \multirow{2}{*}{Structural Leg Length (Right)} & EX (n = 20) & 93.55 \(\pm\) 3.13 & 92.80 \(\pm\) 2.50 & G & 0.681 & 0.412 \\  & CON (n = 20) & 93.87 \(\pm\) 3.30 & 93.55 \(\pm\) 2.62 & G \(\times\) T & 0.106 & 0.745 \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular} Values are means \(\pm\) SDs; * \(p\) < 0.05, ** \(p\)<0.01, by groups; *\(p\) < 0.05, ** \(p\) < 0.01, ** \(p\) < 0.01 by time; * \(p\) < 0.05, ** \(p\) < 0.01, ** \(p\) < 0.01 by time; EX, exercise group; CON, control group; G, group; T, time; G \(\times\) T, group and time.  
\end{table} 
Table 4: Functional Movement Screen (FMS) and leg length: FMS scores and leg length results for the exercise and control groups pre- and post-intervention, highlighting significant changes between groups and over time. foot muscles (IFMs) support the MLA within the active subsystem [19]. Specifically, IFMs such as the abductor hallucis, flexor digitorum brevis, and quadratus plantae play essential roles in directly stabilizing the arch by maintaining its height and flexibility [20].