Kinetesis Sports

In April 2004 the U.S. women’s marathon trials were held in St. Louis Missouri.  At that time I was completing my chiropractic residency at Logan College, and was fortunate enough to have the unique experience of helping out at the race.  My job was to ride the course on a bicycle, looking for distressed runners who may have required medical attention or first aid services.  As I rode through the streets beside world-class marathoners such as Deena Kastor and Colleen De Reuck I was astounded at the pace of the runners. (FYI, Colleen De Reuck won the trial at 2:28:35, with Deena Kastor just a minute behind her.  Kastor went on to place third in that summer’s Olympic games in Athens).

Although the speed of these athletes was remarkable what amazed me even more was how smooth they appeared.  Despite running at a pace that most of us would have trouble maintain for more than a lap or tow around a track, let alone for 26 miles, these runners appeared calm and relaxed, gracefully gliding through the air with seemingly little effort.  This is much different than what we see with many recreational distance runners, whose stride often appear jerky and strenuous.

Of course at the time I wasn’t quite sure what was so different, or what specifically made those strides so smooth and efficient, but I knew it was there.  I think most runners have experienced this.  We often see a runner and although we can’t quite put our finger on it or cannot clearly articulate it, we know when we see a good, smooth, efficient stride when we see it.

Over the years I have continued to be fascinated by the running stride, and continued to study running biomechanics from both the perspective of running injuries as well as a performance/efficiency viewpoint.  After videotaping hundreds of runners in my clinic, reading countless books and scientific articles on running, and reviewing video footage of world class athletes, certain patterns started to emerge.  Patterns that often distinguished higher level runners from recreational, slower runners.

One of the things that I started to see was that instead of having a forceful or obvious push off, great runners seemed to simply slide forward over their stance leg.   In contrast, with many recreational runners there is an obvious forward and upward push which often appears jerky and is associated with an obvious upward movement of the head and trunk.  This upward push with its associated vertical motion is a problem as it not only wastes energy, but will also place additional stress on muscles and joints of the lower extremity.

So why do virtually all world class runners share this characteristic smooth stride pattern.  Is there something inherently different about these runners or about how their bodies move that allows them to run so smoothly.  The short answer is yes, and one of the most basic things that elite level runners have that many recreation runners don’t is basic flexibility, particularly at the foot and hip.   It is largely this flexibility that allows them to smoothly glide over their stance leg, a situation I often refer to as ‘Gliding on the Pivot’.  Of course, flexibility is not the only thing that is required to be a elite distance runner, but with respect to stride mechanics a lack lack of flexibility will be sure to limit your stride.  Furthermore, although elite runners certainly possess other characteristics that we may not be able to attain (as they say, you can’t pick your parents), flexibility problems are something we can all improve upon.  So, to understand the importance of foot and hip flexibility in more detail let’s take a closer look at what normally needs to happen during the running stride.

Stride Mechanics 101 – Gliding on your pivot

As each leg contacts the ground during the running stride it forms a pillar of support for the trunk, and the trunk must pivot over the support leg to continue its forward progression.  This pivot initially occurs at the ankle during the early stance phase.  When watching elite level runners you can see how the ankle flexes, allowing the lower leg to rotate forward to  bring the knee past the toes.  As this happens the trunk is actually translating forward over the ankle joint (see Figures A-C in the image below)

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Optimal Swing Technique: You Must Make A Full Shoulder Turn

In an optimal swing the shoulders must fully rotate back relative to the hips.

One of the most important aspects of the golf swing is the shoulder turn. This rotation of the upper back is one of the biggest sources of power generation because as the shoulders turn in the backswing the trunk and shoulder coil around the rear leg. As this happens it places a considerable amount of stretch on the muscles of the trunk – especially the powerful abdominal oblique muscles. This stretch will “load” these powerful muscles, storing a tremendous amount elastic energy which can then be returned as the stretch is released during the downswing. One of the most important things to point out is that it is not the overall amount of shoulder turn that is important, but the degree of shoulder turn in relationship to the hips. Another way of saying this is that the shoulders should rotate back much more than the hips. With an optimal swing, the hips will rotate back about approximately 30 degrees while the shoulders will rotate back a another 50 -70 degrees past the hips. This relative position between the shoulders and hips is often referred to as the “X” factor, because when viewed from above the shoulders and hips form an “X”. Click to continue »

Optimal Swing Technique: The Lead Arm Must Remain Straight

To develop power in the golf swing it is important to keep the lead arm (the left arm for the right handed golfer) remains perfectly straight during the backswing. This accomplishes 2 things: First, it keeps the hands as far away from the body as possible, creating a wider swing arc for the club to travel through. Essentially, swinging the club through a greater distance creates more acceleration and club head speed. Second, keeping the lead arm straight creates a greater stretch on the muscles of the upper back and shoulder. You should actually be able to feel this stretch in the back of your lead shoulder at the top of the backswing. Just as we saw when discussing the straight leg backswing, as the muscles are stretched energy is stored in the muscles, and that energy can be returned during the downswing to generate more power.

Correct backswing sequence: Note how the lead arm remains straight as the club is brought all the way back. This keeps the hands away from the body which produces a wide swing arc and "loads" the shoulder muscles creating more power.

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So far in this article series we have discussed the importance of proper flexibility and joint mobility in achieving a proper golf swing.  Very simply, if your body cannot flex and move properly you have no chance of swinging with power and consistency.   In the previous article we talked about the ‘Straight Leg Backswing.’  In this article we will discuss the Backswing Heel-Lift.

Optimal Swing Technique: The Lead Foot Must Remain Firmly Planted

The transition between the top of the backswing and the downswing involves a slight weight shift onto your lead leg. This weight shift gets your weight moving forward as you strike the ball, but more importantly, it loads the muscles of the lead ankle, knee, and hip, transforming the lead leg into a stable pillar of support on which the upper body will rotate forward on during the downswing and follow-thru. Although it is a subtle movement, shifting your weight form the back lead to the lead leg is a critical part of the swing.

Although you need to shift your weight from the back leg to the lead leg during the downswing, problems with this transition usually begin in the backswing. For example, as the trunk, and shoulders rotate backwards it is important to keep the lead foot in full contact with the ground. This makes the transition into the downswing, and the shifting of your weight to the lead leg much smoother.

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To swing the golf club properly you body needs to be able to move properly.  If you lack flexibility, your body will be forced to swing in an altered, less effective way to make up for the tight and restricted area.  In fact, the vast majority of swing faults can be linked to restricted muscles and joints.  This is an important concept to understand, as no amount of coaching or practice can fully correct a swing fault that is caused by a tight muscle.  At best, your body can only learn to compensate better.  To fully correct your swing, you need to correct the tight and restricted muscle or joint that is probibitign the swing in the first place.

To better illustrate this point, in this article series I will discuss some of the most common swing faults, but instead of simply outlining what is supposed to happen, I will also discuss underlying causes of these swing faults with respect to the movement capacity of the body.  The first swing fault I will discuss is the ‘Straight Leg Backswing.`

The Straight Leg Backswing

Under optimal conditions, the backswing begins with a slight weight shift onto your rear leg. This acts to stabilize the rear leg allowing it to act like a pillar that your upper body can effectively rotate around as you bring the club back. To be effective it is essential that the back leg remains flexed as this occurs (i.e. the knee and ankle remains bent). When the back leg remains flexed the muscles of the ankle, knee, and especially the hip are forced to contract harder to support the weight shift.  This serves two critical purposes.  First, it provides a strong and stable base for the upper body to rotate around, which is critical for both the backswing and downswing.  Second, as the weigh shifts onto the flexed back leg the leg muscles are also “loaded” as the trunk and shoulders turn away from the target. (Recall from the first article in this series that as the muscles are `loaded` they act like runner bands and store energy).  This stores a considerable amount of energy in the rear leg. As you transition from the top of the backswing into the downswing the energy stored in the rear leg can be released and is used to drive the lower body forward, setting off the sequential uncoiling of the lower body, trunk, arms, and finally the hands.

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A proper golf swing is one of the true splendors of the sporting world. There are few other examples in modern sport which require the complex and integrated movements of all the muscles and joints of the body in a synthesis of power and grace, all for the purpose of propelling a small white ball off into the horizon. It is this complex nature of the golf swing that makes its proper execution so beautiful – but this same complexity has also resulted in the continual frustration for many golfers who have worked tirelessly in attempting to master this greatly sought after skill. In the quest for the optimal swing, many golfers have consulted magazines, videos, and professional advice. Unfortunately this path has frequently ended in disappointment and an enduring sub-optimal swing.

In most cases it is not the advice that is incorrect, and it is certainly not from a lack of effort. Instead it is usually a matter of altered body mechanics.  Since an effective golf swing requires the integrated movement of the entire body, altered movement capability in one region can significantly alter the movement of other regions thereby sabotaging the entire swing. This article is the first in an extended series that will explore the golf swing in a new light. Within the following articles the biomechanics of the golf swing will be broken down into the key movements that need to occur at each area of the body, why these motions need to happen, and what will be the consequence if these movements are lost. Additionally, I will show you some simple ways that you can assess your swing mechanics, as well as assess key aspects of your strength and flexibility to determine why these stride faults are occurring.  The remainder of this article will introduce some key concepts that will need to be understood and will be built upon in future articles.

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Iliotibial Band (IT Band) Syndrome is an extremely common cause of knee pain, especially in runners, characterized by a gradual onset of pain on the outside of the knee.  In the early stages the pain may be mild and not stop you from training, however, as the condition progresses the pain usually becomes sharp and more intense, sidelining the athlete until the condition is resolved.  Fortunately, Iliotibial Band Syndrome can be treated quickly and effectively with proper manual therapy, and in most cases the injured athlete can be back in action in a few weeks.  However, when the condition is not addressed properly it can often become chronic, keeping the athlete out of training and racing for months (if not longer).  This article will provide a basic understanding of the anatomy and biomechanics of IT Band Syndrome, including the best treatment options to get you back in action as fast as possible.

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Click here to view our full report on Foot Pain

Plantar fasciitis can be amongst the most frustrating of soft tissue injuries.  Not only can this problem becomeextremely painful and completely stop you from running, walking, and other activities, but it can also be slow to respond to traditional methods of treatment.  This is partly due to the fact that the true cause of the injury is often overlooked.  For example, in many cases treatment is directed only at the foot – primarily to the plantar fascia itself.  Although treating the foot usually necessary, it is also important to determine why the plantar fascia has become strained  in the first place.  For example, in many cases the plantar fascia becomes over-stressed due to poor running biomechanics a tight or weak calf, or a problem in the hip.  If this is the case, in addition to treating the plantar fascia itself the biomechanics and other problems must also be corrected.  (By the way, this is why self-treatment is difficult for this injury. It is also why many people will get some initial relief with treatment, only to have the injury re-occur down the road).

Slow resolution of plantar fasciitis can also be a result of misdiagnosis.  You see, plantar fasciitis is often used as a ‘waste bucket diagnosis’, meaning that many practitioners automatically diagnosis any type of pain in the bottom of the foot or heel as plantar fasciitis.  This is far from the case.  In fact, there are several anatomical structures on the heel and bottom of the foot that can become painful in addition to the plantar fascia.  Obviously, the wrong diagnosis will limit the effectiveness of treatment so it is critical to check all the joints and soft tissues of the foot, ankle, and lower leg to arrive at the correct diagnosis.

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Elite and professional athletes understand the importance of keeping their muscles and joints healthy and moving efficiently; however, the same cannot always be said of recreational athletes. This is a huge problem as tight, weak, or imbalanced muscles not only increase your risk of injury, but can also significantly limit your ability to train and perform at your highest level.  This is unfortunate, as many athletes spend countless hours training only to experience  slow, often absent athletic improvement because of unhealthy tissues that simply cannot perform and adapt the way the athletes needs them to.

Perhaps the biggest barrier to efficient movement and performance are fibrous scar tissue adhesions that form in and around the soft tissues of the body.  These adhesions, which are a consequence of physical stress and overload acting on the body (see below), make the muscles and other soft tissues both tight and weak, which in turn will compromise the body’s ability to move properly.  For example, when a muscle becomes tight and fibrotic not only will it not stretch and move as well, but because scar tissue adhesions interfere with a muscle’s ability to contract properly it can also limit strength and force production.  Obviously compromised strength and flexibility are problems in their own right as they can directly lead to reduced performance, but since you are still asking your body to perform the same tasks day after day your body is forced to move differently to compensate for the problematic areas.  These altered movement patterns – known as movement faults or movement compensations – can be very problematic as they can 1) waste energy and make you  much less efficient, and 2) create excessive stress at other areas of the body as they have to work harder to compensate for the weak areas.

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Click here to view our full report on resolving running injuries

Studies of both competitive and recreational runners have estimated that between 45% and 72% of runners will sustainan injury over the course of a year (1-4).   Among those training for marathons, the injury rate can be as high as 92% (5).   Now here is the really interesting thing…the vast majority of these injures can be prevented! If this is the case, why are there so many injuries?  Well, in my experience it comes down to two things: first, the majority of runners get caught up in what they need to do to improve their running, but they forget that a big part of run training is keeping their body healthy.  This is a huge mistake considering that more than half of the running population will become injured in any single year.  Second, most runners don’t really understand how running injuries develop.  They think that most running injuries occur simply as a result of over-training.  As a result, they think all they need to do to prevent injury is avoid increasing mileage and intensity too quickly.  However, this is an extremely oversimplified view of running injuries.  Recent research has shown that there is much more to running injuries than just over-training.

So, the purpose of this is to 1) lay the foundation for how running injuries develop, including tissue degeneration and the link between running biomechanics and injury; and 2)  introduce the modern sports medicine approach to injury treatment and prevention. Click to continue »