Running Gait

Running vs. Walking Running and walking gaits are not the same Walking has a greater stride width Running has a greater step and stride length

Gait Cycle Comparison IC: initial contact TO: toe off

Phases of Gait

Pronation of Right Foot

Pronation When you walk or run, pronation helps to attenuate the shock of initial contact. Without it, the full impact of each step would be transmitted up the leg and affect the normal mechanics of the lower limbs. Besides acting as a shock absorber, pronation also helps the foot 'recognise' what type of ground it is on by stabilising and adjusting the foot to the terrain type.

Occurs at the Subtalar Joint

Normal Pronation

Underpronation or Supination

Underpronation aka supination lateral side of the heel hits the ground at an increased angle results in a large transmission of shock through the lower leg lateral loading of the foot continues for the entire stance phase of gait Common in runners with high arches

Overpronation

Overpronation foot rolls in excessively or at a time when it shouldn’t causes weight transfer to the medial side of the foot load is borne by the inner edge rather than the ball of the foot destabilizes the foot compensates for the inward movement with a kind of chain reaction affecting the leg, especially the knee and hip

Shoe Wear Patterns

Muscles of the Leg

Running Gait During stance absorption energy is stored in Achilles tendon foot arch quadriceps tendon During stance generation, power is generated primarily at the ankle

The Leg Spring In humans, stiffness does not change with running speed; contact angle does.

The Running Cycle There are three phases to the running cycle: Stance—foot on ground Swing—foot coming up or down Float—not touching the ground

Foot Strike Distance running: Generally, heel-first, then toe push-off Sprinting: Generally, on ball of foot, then toe push- off

Running Form Checklist Look straight ahead…not down Run tall…don’t slouch Arms should be at a 90-degree angle Swing your legs naturally—knees should not come above their natural swing Don’t overstride (don’t reach for the next stride) RELAX! Staying relaxed means keeping your face, hands, and arms loose while you run

Overstriding Greater front leg extension Ideally the knee should be flexing directly above the ankle on initial contact Creates large heel strike Decreased load on hip extensors creating greater load of glutes and hamstrings

Single Leg Balance Drill to Prevent Overstriding

Overstriding Often Leads to Inadequate Hip Extension Inadequate hip extension can also be caused by poor posture.

Inadequate Hip Extension/ Poor Posture Should “run tall” Generally result of poor daily posture habits Causes poor hip flexor flexability Weak glutes and posterior muscles Power comes from hip extension Inadequate extension = inadequate power generation

Inadequate Hip Extension Power comes from hip extension Inadequate extension = inadequate power generation

Hip Extension Exercise http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZShAHUC6Nlg

Lack of Hip and Knee Flexion A shuffling gait which leads to a reduced step rate and a shortened stride Speed = stride length x stride frequency

Instability 1 inch of extra motion, over the course of a marathon add 1 mile to the race