The Foot Tripod; Part 2
Here we go. More stuff you can use today. Pay attention to the subtleties of this simple, yet effective exercise we use on a daily basis.
Have a great Friday
Ivo and Shawn
The Foot Tripod; Part 2
Here we go. More stuff you can use today. Pay attention to the subtleties of this simple, yet effective exercise we use on a daily basis.
Have a great Friday
Ivo and Shawn
here is the link for podcast 13
http://thegaitguys.libsyn.com/webpage
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1- Malcolm gladwells piece on drug doping (PEDs) in sports:
“Gladwell argued that we should think about cycling the same way we think about auto racing — where teams should be rewarded for using science and bending the rules to their breaking point to succeed.
"When you look at what Lance is alleged to have done. Basically he was better than everyone else at using PEDs,” Gladwell said. “He was the guy who sat down and was rigorous and focused and thoughtful and intelligent and cutting edge in how to use them, and apply them and make himself better. Like, I don’t know, so is that a bad thing?”
Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/malcolm-gladwell-lance-armstrong-2012-10#ixzz29QBKJpAJ
2- Caffeine: A PED ?
Mens health online magazine, also found in our Sunday edition Oct 14th, 2012 newspaper:
http://news.menshealth.com/chew-gum-before-races/2012/04/12/
Chew on this: Caffeinated gum can improve your athletic performance—if you start chewing it at the right moment, finds a new study from Kent State University.
NICOTINE: http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/50_hits_of_nicotine
Nicotine has been used in energy drinks in Japan for years.
stimulates the release of acetylcholine, providing a sense of increased energy. Arnold used to do commercials for them.
Nicotine can improve reaction time.
Nicotine can be addictive, much like caffeine. But addiction to nicotine gum, lozenges, or patches is rare, if not unheard of.
MAYO clinic: http://www.mayoclinic.org/medical-edge-newspaper-2009/apr-24b.html
3- DISCLAIMER:We are not your doctors so anything you hear here should not be taken as medical advice. For that you need to visit YOUR doctors and ask them the questions. We have not examined you, we do not know you, we know very little about your medical status. So, do not hold us responsible for taking our advice when we have just told you not to ! Again, we are NOT your doctors !
4: Maryland Guy Running a marathon in flip flops:
“Some of the rules: It can’t be a heal strap. There can’t be any other means to hold the flip flop on your shoe besides just the normal thing between your toes,” Levasseur said. “I don’t know what happens if I get a blowout.”
Read more: http://www.wbaltv.com/news/sports/Man-to-run-Baltimore-marathon-in-flip-flops/-/9379464/16917220/-/remeou/-/index.html#ixzz29QDIyW4d
5-Managing Ankle Sprains:
http://www.running-physio.com/anklesprain/
6- HIIT
http://www.the15minutes.info/2012/10/12/what-is-hiit-and-what-can-it-do-for-you/
http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/anatomyandphysiology/a/Deconditioning.htm
Studies have shown that you can maintain your fitness level even if you need to change or cut back on you exercise for several months. In order to do so, you need to exercise at about 70 percent of your VO2 max at least once per week.
7- EMAIL FROM A Blog follower:
middleagedathlete asked you:
I searched the site and didn’t see anything on bow-leggedness (if that’s a word) and it’s impact on gait. I have mild to moderate bow legs and never even knew it until I started running and it was pointed out to me by a PT I was seeing for knee pain. Is there an optimal (or at a minimum least bad) strategy for running with bow legs? I am 6'0" tall and have a gap of about 2" between my knees when standing with my ankles together and my legs straight. I am curious to hear your thoughts.
8- from the newspaper:
from Barefoot Running University.com
Article: Running up Hill
http://barefootrunninguniversity.com/2012/10/12/uphill-running-technique/
9- Blog post we liked recently: October 5th, Gait Running and Sound. Are you listening to your body ?
10- Random topic: Wednesday october 10th Peter larson who runs Runblogger did a review of the following article:
Minimalist Running Results in Fewer Injuries?: Survey Suggests that Traditionally Shod Runners are 3.41 Times More Likely to Get Hurt
we have not gotten through the research article yet but we will, and we will try to address out thoughts on it and pete’s in the next 1-2 podcasts. We want to make sure our thoughts are heard as well. We bet Pete did a phenomenal job but we like to see things for ourselves, just like pete does. He is a stickler to details like we are, which is why we like alot of his work. So, stay tuned !
11- Our dvd’s and efile downloads
Are all on payloadz. Link is in the show notes.
Link: http://store.payloadz.com/results/results.asp?m=80204
Every now and then we come across something that we think the whole world should know about, kind of like GMO foods. Gluten is another. Today, more than 1 in 133 Americans suffer from gluten related health problems while an even higher percentage of the population goes undiagnosed with an emerging condition called ‘gluten sensitivity.’ From a website doctorauer.com we discovered, but have not yet fact checked this following historical mention:
“In 1843, a physician named Stanislas Tanchou spoke at the Paris Medical Society Conference. He claimed that he could predict the cancer rates in major European cities over the next 50 years. He based his predictions on the percentage of grains being consumed in each major city. What is astonishing is that, over time, his predictions turned out to be correct. In the cities that had the highest grain consumption, cancer rates were the highest. This is in stark contrast to the fact that in populations who did not consume grains, cancer did not exist." - article link
Here at The Gait Guys, being doctors who treat athletes and non-athletes, we have written about gluten in previous blog posts on "Gluten Ataxia” (Link) and Running yourself into Hormone Trouble (link) because we felt it was important to spread the wisdom. We even recently talked about gluten and how it can damage your thyroid profile and gut via one of the gluten subfractions called gliadin on podcast #12 (link).
These dialogues seemed to spur one of our brilliant and engaged readers and listeners. Jim sent us a series of emails which you will find below. We obtained his permission to reproduce the emails (thx Jim !). We will also welcome him to chime in further on Facebook when this post cross-links if he has further input.
We are building a wonderful and brilliant readership and fast growing podcast following. We have smart folks joining the brethren here at The Gait Guys ! And we are blessed to have Jim, and celebrate his homework and knowledge here.
Everyone should read this, especially if you have tested gluten insensitive but still have gut issues or immune issues. You may have your eyes opened !
PS * at the very bottom of this blog post you will find a link to a wonderful video youtube lecture by Dr Osborne. If you watch the first 4 minutes you will learn that corn, millet, oats, rice, rye, sorgum and barley all have their own types of gluten in them. You will clearly understand why a sensitive person MIGHT get away with rice but not wheat. Hence why this is a very difficult problem for the average consumer.
Thanks Jim !
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Greetings Gait Guys!
In Nora Gedgadaus’ book “Primal Body, Primal Mind”, she explains that there are actually 12 subfractions of the gliadin protein (gliadin is a biproduct of gluten metabolism). According to her, at least at the time she wrote the book (2012 or 2011) there was only one lab in existence that could test for all 12 subfractions: Cyrex Labs. Most of the other labs only test for the “alpha” subfraction. This is why there are so many false negatives. But the best way is just to go by how one reacts individually to it. For some reason, science doesn’t trump nature as some would have us believe…
“Grains are truly humanity’s double edged sword. They enabled us to leave behind our hunter gatherer lifestyle and created the foundation for the modern societies as we know them today. On the other hand, there is growing evidence that they are one of the major culprits for our health problems.
We must remember that evolutionarily speaking, we have been around for almost two million years, but we have only been eating grains for a few thousand. As such, our bodies have not had the time to adapt to this “new” food in our diet. Furthermore, modern farming, harvesting, and processing methods have stripped grains of their nutritional integrity, decreasing their digestibility, and making them highly toxic and inflammatory food to our bodies. With no doubt, today’s grains are proving to be one of the major underlying contributors to the development of degenerative diseases as we known them today.”
Byron Richards websites are http://www.wellnessresources.com/ and http://www.byronrichards.com/ .
Welcome to Friday Follies, Folks.
Amidst one of our many forays into cyberspace, we came upon this: Mr Potato-rthotic.
Have a great weekend!
Ivo and Shawn
Do you have enough Ankle Dorsiflexion to do this ? Some clues ?
Two guys pulling 40,000 pounds over one mile in just over an hour !
Watch the video above and then check out this link.
http://www.powerropes.com/brtrophy.html
Look at the fellas left foot in the video compared to his right. Notice the turn out (the increased progression angle as it is referred to as) ? Now look at the photos from the article link above, again the fella in the red shirt has his left foot turned out again. Why is he doing this ?
Because he does not likely have enough ankle dorsiflexion (ankle rocker) to get into this far of a forward lean. Have you seen this in people or your students doing squats ? Lunges ? Will this present in his normal gait ? Perhaps, but if he has enough for normal gait (~15 degrees past vertical 90 degrees) he shouldn’t need to turn it out.
Turning out the foot will allow you to pronate through the midfoot to gain more dorsiflexion. It is why some people do it. Look for it.
It is also possible that he has a painful big toe or a hallux rigidus/limitus (ie. turn toe) and thus cannot toe off sagittally like on the other foot or like the other fella. This turn out will avoid loading that joint as much.
Regardless, you must examine this fella and figure out why he is using this strategy only on one side. This is just one theory, but we did not want to pollute this post with a few others. We can do that another time.
Ankle rocker dorsiflexion. It is critical for some activities.
Shawn and Ivo
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from a FAcebook reader:
Hi Gait Guys gang:
Some temporary changes as we move into Q4 of the year. The Gait Guys have some big projects on our desk. Things we want to get done for you, our loyal followers. We have some new additions and directions for the podcast which you will all likely enjoy, especially those of you who feel that the info is a bit too complex at times with too much medical and latin jargon. We will be skipping a podcast this week to ready ourselves for the change.
But being the busiest time of the year for us in our clinics, plus holidays coming soon, we will be doing only 2-3 blog posts per week now so we can get the other projects done for you by the end of the year. You will likely hardly notice the change as other things come aboard, but we wanted you to know we are not going anywhere, or losing steam in our mission. Time is just our most precious commodity and we are a bit short on it in Q4. Enjoy today’s blog post on Part 3 of the Frontal Plane Hip Biomechanics. 3 down, and 3 more parts to go !
Shawn and Ivo
here is the PODCAST link and show notes. You can also find us on iTunes:
http://thegaitguys.libsyn.com/webpage
and here on iTunes (click)
______________________________
Payloadz link for our DVD’s and efile downloads: http://store.payloadz.com/results/results.asp?m=80204
1- Email from our New Newspaper “the Gait guys daily”:
“What do to when you cannot run.” - Triathlon.Competitor.com
link: http://triathlon.competitor.com/2012/10/training/what-to-do-when-you-cant-run_63237
Research suggests that nearly half of all runners experience an injury every year. That’s a whole lot runners sentenced to time off
- so many runners want to still run……Alter G treadmill, pool running
-there are a number of workout alternatives that allow you time to heal without sending you back to square one of your training regimen.
- maintain general fitness, while also providing an important psychological boost
- rowing, nordic ski, swimming, skating (slide boards)
- lateral plane sports for glutes and ankle stability
- reduce injury
2- Winter running on ice……another article on our newspaper:
http://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-gear/gear-guy/The-Best-Running-Solution-for-Icy-Roads-DIY-Sheet-Metal-Screws.html
sheet metal screws
yaktrax
Kohtoola Microspikes,
32 North Stabilicers Sport,
http://icespike.net/ “ICESPIKE™ is like sheet metal screws on STEROIDS
3- DISCLAIMER:
We are not your doctors so anything you hear here should not be taken as medical advice. For that you need to visit YOUR doctors and ask them the questions. We have not examined you, we do not know you, we know very little about your medical status. So, do not hold us responsible for taking our advice when we have just told you not to ! Again, we are NOT your doctors !
4- Updates and Sponsor talk:
A- more lectures available on www.onlineCE.com Go there and look up our lectures
B- In January we will be taking on sponsors for our podcast. We have had some interest already but we wanted to work out the quality control issues first. Early in means savings.
Contact us if you would like to be a sponsor……If we believe your product has value to this listener community we will give you a professional and personalized company or product plug and advertisment. From our lips to our listeners ears !
We will basically expose your product to our international fan base.
The sponsors will help make our mission possible, defray costs and time to put out this podcast and blog. These things take is away from our practices a little. Each week we will have 2 center-Stage sponsors . Your sponsorship can run as long as you want.
6- Blog READER EMAIL:
5- EMAIL FROM A Blog follower:
Hi Gait Guys,First of all I really enjoy reading your posts and watching the Youtube clips. They have really helped me in my work.I have a small question for you if you don’t mind me asking. I’ve noticed on a number of running gait assessments that when viewing from the back the whole foot moves medially whilst the forefoot rotates outwards in some individuals. The knee also moves out to and looks like the hip is externally rotating.I presume this is not normal (i may be wrong) as the leg needs to recover in a straight line.My question is why does this happen and if it’s not normal how do you correct it?I’ve attached a small video for viewing.I look forward to hearing from you.Kind regards, DAVID
7- Our dvd’s and efile downloads
Are all on payloadz. Link is in the show notes.
Link: http://store.payloadz.com/results/results.asp?m=80204
8 - Email from a Blog Reader
9- From a blog reader:
jdawg70 asked us a questions on our tumblr blog page
I think I have external tibial torsion on the right with a dropped arch on that foot and front of hip and groin pain on the left leg. I have had standing x-rays of my pelvis from the chiropractor showing a difference in hip heights of 9mm from left to right, that is, the left being that much higher. I do have lots of pain and digestive problems. I was hoping you could help or advise me. I highly value your opinions
10- From one of our Blog readers who contacted us through the blog:
My name is Maury. Two years ago I noticed my left foot turning out all the time -walking, standing, exercising, etc. I also had hip pain. Eventually we discovered a labral tear and a torn ligamentum teres in the left hip. I had the repair done arthroscopically February 1st, 2012. It is now August and I am still experiencing the hip/foot turned out. My rotation/mobility/flexibility is fairly equal on both sides. My strength is good. I am at a loss. What can I do about this? Thank you.
11- From another blog reader:
from Sherryb1 on the blog
I think there is a correlation between adducted toes–especially adducted and flexed ip joint toes and abdominal strength/weakness. When balance is difficult, you can usually spot the adducted and flexed IP toes. When you watch someone walking with a little balance inefficiency, often you will find adducted and flexed IP toes. Do you see it as the chicken or the egg? Belly/toes, or toes/belly. And have you seen this and, might you have seen anything in the literature to substantiate it? Thank you
Hip Biomechanics
The following excerpted text is copywrited from the textbook; “Form and Function: The Scientific Basis of Movement and Movement Impairment” (Dr. S. Allen, Dr. E. Osar)
Frontal Plane Functional Biomechanics
The hip is a very complex joint. It is a ball and socket joint with great stability and potentially great mobility. One of the most critical and essential planes of motion and stability is the frontal plane of hip joint motion. This plane (coronal/frontal) of motion and stability is largely determined by the hip abductor muscle (HAM) group through an axis of oriented in the anterior-posterior direction through the head of the femur. The most obvious and simple function of the hip abductor muscles is to produce a movement or moment of abduction of the femur in the acetabulum in the frontal/coronal plane (as in a side lying leg lift). As mentioned, this is a simple way to determine open kinetic chain range and open chain strength in this range but it is neither true nor transferable in theory or practicality when the foot is on the group. When the foot engages the ground the typically usable functional range is much less and the muscular function is now to move the pelvis on the stable and somewhat static femoral head in the frontal plane. Explained in another way, in this closed chain, the insertion of many muscles remains static and the force generated through the muscle will pull at the origin and generate movement at the joint in this manner. In a nutshell, the hip abductor muscles (HAM) will produce either leg motion to the side (abduction) or it will produce a lateral bending or lateral flexing of the pelvis-torso into the same range of motion (abduction).
The most critical and commonly considered hip abductor muscles (HAM) are the gluteus medius, gluteus minimus and tensor fascia lata-iliotibial band complex. These muscles have the most favorable line of pull and all have a femur and pelvis attachment. We will call these muscles collectively the HAM group. In the stance phase of gait the body’s center of gravity (COG) is medial to the hip joint axis of motion. Thus, in this single leg support phase of gait the tendency will be for the body mass above the hip to rotate or drop towards the swing leg side. This gravitational movement should be offset by the concentric, isometric and eccentric muscular activation of the HAM group through the anterior-posterior oriented axis through the head of the femur. Any functional strength deficits (concentric, isometric or eccentric) of the HAM group and/or neighboring synergistic stabilizers will result in an altered joint stability challenge because not only do the HAM and surrounding muscles product movement but they also generated joint compression and thus stability. The possible undesirable outcome may be an altered movement patterning characterized by inappropriate muscle or muscle group activation in either timing, force, speed or coordination with typically coupled muscles. These challenges to the joint and its normally expected movement patterns will result in the body’s search for more stable positions in the frontal, sagittal or oblique planes. These newly established, yet less efficient, positions and patterns of movement are initially welcomed compensations but in time as the new accommodations become rooted in pattern the synergists and other recruitments become overburdened and further demand compensations from other neighboring muscles eventually resulting in pain, joint derangement and dysfunction. These compensations in recruitment and movement eventually will lead to non-contractile soft tissue changes such as hip capsule pattern changes in tension and length. These non-contractile soft tissue changes can not only dictate or perpetuate the newly established aberrant joint movements but help engrain the abnormal movement patterns and their new neurologic patterns.
The Almighty Foot Tripod
You have heard us talk time and time again about the importance of the foot tripod. To review, it consists of the center of the calcaneus, the base of the 1st metatarsal and the base of the 5th metatarsal. To see some of our other posts on the foot tripod, including other exercises, click here
Join Dr Ivo in this brief and informative video demonstrating an exercise that most people with an inadequate foot tripod will benefit from.
Remember Skill, Endurance and Strength. There are many nuances to this simple exercise, don’t take it lightly!
The Gait Guys: Hammering it out, daily, to give you the goods!
A few months ago we tried something new. We tested your gait auditory skills while listening to a video of a runner on a treadmill. We queued you to listen to the foot falls listening for the one foot to slap or impact harder than the other at foot strike. Most of you got it right, we got plenty of positive feedback on that piece. Here is that piece (link).
This is something we do during the initial evaluation for each and every patient that comes to see us, no matter what their issue. We ask them to walk. We ask them do they notice anything. The answer is almost always, “no”. This is because they are accustomed to their walking habit. The first queue we notice much of the time is that there is either a bilateral heavy heel strike (because heel strike is normal in walking) or it is heavier on one side. We ask them to hear and feel that heavier strike once we point it out to them. Not only can they feel it, they can hear it. It is something they have rarely been aware of until that moment. We then do the same for forefoot loading. If the anterior compartment is a little weaker on one side or if they departed abruptly off the opposite leg for some reason (decreased hip extension, tight calf, loss of ankle rocker etc), a heavier forefoot loading response will be felt and heard as well (opposite side of the mentioned issues). These are great initial gait queues that anyone can use to gain diagnostic information. It also draws the client into greater body awareness of their habitual patterns of movement. We then draw out the numbers and forces for them so they understand what several thousand cycles of this event can cause into their body and their clinical problems they are presenting with. This is typically a new skill they will develop and always be aware of and be able to report to you as they progress through their care with you. Sound and feeling are key biofeedback tools.
Just remember, they are feeling and hearing what they are doing, not what is wrong ! It is your job to take this information and figure out the “Why” it is happening, and the “how” to fix it. This is the hard part.
Hey Folks
You know we are big Altra Fans. Check out their new commercial!
We are sure your keen eyes have picked up on the midfoot pronation at :17 and forefoot pronation at :28. This brings to mind a question we often get asked: How much pronation is too much pronation?
Some pronation is necessary, as it is one of the 4 shock normal absorbing mechanisms
We do not believe there is a perfect answer, but rather the ideal is: How much pronation can your (neuro and bio) mechanics control? Too much in one individual may be not enough in another. It has to do with foot structure, muscle competency, neuromuscular control, and a host of other things.
Remember the mantra: Skill, endurance, strength… in that order! Work to control the pronation you have and expand on that range.
The Bald Headed, Good Looking, Bringing you the facts Gait Guys.
all material copyright 2012 The Homunculus Group/The Gait Guys (except the commercial of course, which is property of Altra). If you want to use our stuff, ask nicely : )
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