How can strength, mobility and awareness can improve performance?
Let your Feet do the talking
In this episode I reflect on the feet. I had the privilege this week of hosting an in-service training session within the clinic I work, on my passion - the feet.
The opportunity allowed me to reflect on the learning that has transformed my approach to the clients and runners I meet in the clinic.
I wish to share with you some of the key learnings I have picked up along the way.
Here are 3 of the gems I shared on the day.
Kindest
James @physiorun
1. Foot Strength is important
40% of over 70 year olds will fall at least once
35% less strength in elderly than younger peers
Non-falling elders had 20% more toe strength than fallers
Sarcopenia starts aged 30 years , effecting under utilised muscles, mainly in the feet
The majority of below knee injuries can be attributed to the use/strength of the foot
2. The Foot is made up of triangles, your triangle speaks volumes of how you use your foot.
The Red is how we wish the foot to be and how the foot has been created to be used. We should have contact through these three main points the Heel (calcaneus) and also equal weight on the 5th toe and the 1st toe a wide strong foot.
The Blue variation is a stiff foot where there is a narrowing of the contact points. This oftens results in reduced supination ( powerful lever to push from) and reduced pronation ( a natural movement that helps absorb the ground / impact).
The Green variation is a "flatter foot". This is where the foot is in a high level of pronation and struggles to achieve the supination required to propel forwards. The issues here can lead to overuse of various structures around the foot.
When we look at the foot in general, I have been looking at the injury presented with the ability of the foot to contact the ground when still and when moving.
Image from Gary Ward - Anatomy in Motion -
A rigid foot is unhelpful, the strongest hips need mobile feet
A flaccid foot is unhelpful - it needs to react to the ground and create tension distally.
The best foot is the foot that can adapt to the ground and also become rigid to create a spring to push from. Sacrificing one for the other can alleviate an issue temporarily but inevitably leads to a leak somewhere else in the body.
"A fishing rod is only as good as the hook, and the hook needs to be part of the line and the rod to be effective"
I could speak all day about the role of the foot in the chain. I do in-fact through the Foot Fundamental series. If your feet is stopping you in your tracks - let's have a look.
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