Foot force full presentation idea format

Foot Force Reaction: Strong take-offs, safe
landings
Presented by

Charlie Hoolihan, CSCS*D, CES, PES
©2012 IDEA Health & Fitness Association. All Rights Reserved.

Feet can be happy, helpful
and healthful


 Or unhappy, unhealthy, and unhelpful


Humility First

“Where the human body is concerned, we are dealing
with a system that is so complex with so many
interrelated variables, we can do nothing but be
humble in our beliefs and recommendations”
Chris Beardsley Strength and Conditioning Review, May 2012


Goals of this presentation
• Increase awareness of foot GRF status

• Provide effective tools and tech for client
awareness

• Help improve bottom up chain reaction response
that may reduce injury.
• Note – this discussion is a bottom up frame of reference – it is
recognized that function (and dysfunction) occurs from the top down
as well

• What is your current foot awareness.

• Static position/walking

• Start rolling – M.E.L.T – Sue Hitzmann

Quick anatomy

• 24-26 bones – that have complex mechanics

• 33 joints – facilitating and supporting complex
mechanics

• 20 muscles – 12 of which are lower leg muscles that have
distal insertions into the foot and cross into the complex
foot structures and proximal origins at the knee.

• 7000 plus nerves – some of which are major nerves that
transmit messages from foot to spine and back

• 200,000 nerve endings in the sole of the foot.

• All reacting to 2 to 7 x individual body weight in three
planes of motion.

Connected by numerous tendons and
ligaments to provide the support for
movement.


With an interlinking
system of nerves to
provide
proprioceptive
feedback to the rest
of the
neuromuscular
system with each
footstrike


Proprioceptive Reactive
signals to the kinetic chain

• What does foot strike signal?

• Afferent and efferent proprioceptive
signals have to at least make it to the
spinal cord.

How can we improve this
proprioceptive awareness
Monthly or bi-monthly foot-centric sessions.
Daily dynamic warm-up components.

• Provide effective tools and tech for client
awareness

• Help improve bottom up chain reaction response
that may reduce injury.
• Note – this discussion is a bottom up frame of reference – it is
recognized that function (and dysfunction) occurs from the top down
as well.

• Static awareness and walking awareness again.

Movement prep.

• Static assessment/walking

• Foot circles – re-assess

• Calf, Achilles myofacial release – Trigger point
therapy – Cassidy Phillips

• Calf stretch

• Ankle squats – DL and SL

• Cats and dogs with arches – medial, lateral, mid.

• Hip mobilizers with foot awareness.

Step by step
• Segment by segment walking patterns.
Heels, H-Ball, HB-Toe, HBT-calf, HBTC-hamstring, HBTCH-Glute,
small skips (notice acceleration and deceleration patterns), big
bounding skips, glute walks.

• Running patterns – springs not brakes
• Napoleon Dynamite drill (calf running)

• Butt kicks

• Forward lean from foot springs

• Foot strike moves up the foot relative to speed.


Step by step
• Overt multi-planar patterning – do a progression.

• Lateral shuffles – foot stays in frontal plane

• Carioca – pivots w hips following feet or vice versa

• Side running


Complex connectivity and movement of
all the parts


Miraculous and brilliant design to
accommodate tri-plane motion stimulous


It’s all in how they’re taught or
forced to behave.


Do the feet move symmetrically, or are there
different forces acting on each foot.


Dorsiflexion, Plantarflexion, abduction,
adduction and torque.


Heel strike initiates the chain and the Subtalor
joint rocks and rolls mechanics


In walking, lateral heel strike initiates
the process so bones and muscles can
react up the kinetic chain.


Pronation, Supination & Rotation


As the foot heads towards mid-stance, medial
movement begins to initiate metatarsal stability at
mid-foot

So propulsive forces can be initiated through the
big-toe catapult from dorsiflexion to plantarflexion


Biomechanical considerations

• Lack of foot mobility is a source of injury in lower extremity
and beyond.

• Limited dorsiflexion is one of those sources.

• Locked in eversion – calves bailing early and bi-passing the
butt, medial extensors and power
catapult .

• Torque chain reaction of winding and
unwinding starts and ends

• Sprinters medial muscles – plantar flexors and
medial knee extensors are stronger
and thicker. Tendons of extensors
are more compliant and thicker

Various running speeds moves these
diagonal mechanics further up the foot to mid
or fore foot. (left foot below)


This process stimulates complex
muscle activity
Muscle Heel Strike Mid-stance Heel off

1. Decelerates
1. Concentric
1. Concentric Dorsiflexion.
plantarflexion
Calf tibial external 2.Decelerates
and tibial
rotation. tibial internal
external rotation.
rotation.
1. Decelerates 1.Decelerates
1. Concentric hip
hip flexion. hip adduction.
extension.
Hamstrings 2.Stabilizes pelvis 2. Decelerates
2. Knee external
3.Concentric knee knee and hip
rotation
external rot. internal rotation
1. Concentric hip
1. Decelerates 1. Decelerates extension.
hip flexion. hip adduction 2. Frontal plane
Gluteals 2.Stabilizes pelvis and internal control of pelvis.
. rotation 3.Accelerates
hip abduction
1.Declerates
1.Declerates
femoral external
1. Decelerates femoral internal
rotation.
Adductors femoral external rotation and
2.Helps to
rotation external rotation.
control frontal
"Stabilization"
plane loading in

Linked systems working together in complex
movement


And muscles are all linked
systems

• Color of Text


Posterior accelerates Anterior
Decelerates


Rotation and deep support. These groups, especially
deep muscle groups, are most often under-trained;


A myriad of pathways to proper –
afferent and efferent signalling


Foot placement initiates proper or
improper chain reaction mechanics.

Supination or lateral foot dominance creates
external rotation. Over-pronation or medial
dominance, internal rotation.

Loss of neutral foot cascades up the chain and
eliminates movement and muscle activity.


Knee and foot

• Color of Text
alignment are critical
to long term health.

Squats/lunges with
proper alignment
develop strength and
joint health. Squats
that are performed for
pure strength may
develop a need for
knee/hip
replacements. Lunges
and step-ups without
alignment can create
a host of joint issues.

More issues
Wrong kind up
of torque
the chain


All this is bad news
But preventable with return to
neutral foot.


We have to teach athletes and clients to
initiate biomechanics with feet that react
diagonally down the whole foot.


Even when society influences otherwise.

Flat feet/overpronation are influenced by
seated posture and vice versa.
Forward lean crashes into the arch.

Let’s not get started on high heels…But.


This knee and ankle are
not collapsing into a
massive explosion of
tendons and ligaments
because of foot
awareness. The
movement actually
follows the rules of foot
force chain reaction.


We create foot awareness with training to undo
years of improper biomechanics with –

• Tissue release

• Stretching – post exercise dorsiflexion

• Corrective and Reactive exercise

• Kinesthetic awareness drills

• Stabilizing and strengthening exercises

• Foot proprioception – use those 200,000 nerve
endings.


Tissue release – fascia
• Foot rolls – bouncy ball/yamuna foot wakers
• Calf and ankle rolls
Stretching
• Plantar and Dorsiflexion – most feet do not achieve
optimal ROMs in either.
• Calf stretch, heel drops and plantar stretching.
• Frontal plane mobility
Corrective Dynamic warm-up exercise
• Foot circles & internal/external rotators of the whole leg.
• Bands for plantar/dorsiflexion and abduction/adduction.
• Series of lunges that mimic the forces driving the foot.


Kinesthetic awareness drills
• Movement prep with isolated foot movements all in
neutral – shin, Achilles and plantar fasica therapy
• Heel walk, heel-foot walk, heel-foot-toe walk
• Heel-foot-toe-calf walk, toe-calf walk. Skips.
• Frontal plane and transverse plane motions
• Slow deliberate movements to gain kinesthetic feel for the medial
to lateral movement of each foot.

Stabilizing and strengthening
• Springs, and spring strides.
• Eccentric loading with strength and light plyo
• TRX or suspension jumps

. Proprioception training: how does
foot affect other muscles and vice versa

• Single leg exercises w awareness of neutral foot
squat, deadlift, frontal plane taps.
• Single leg exercises with external demand w foot
awareness.
• Single arm oblique movements on single leg

• Waist tether movements

• Frontal plane movements w stabilization.
Balance exercises – stress react and return to neutral
feet Stress this especially on unstable surfaces like
Bosu, wobble board or airex.
Barefoot/Natural/Pose/Chi running style

Natural running on front of foot


Learn to take advantage of gravity,
eccentric loading’s,elasticity, energy
storage and release


At any speed

Sprinters and the best
endurance runners are mid to
forefoot strikers.
But its because they’re fast!
Comfortable fast running

Different speeds, similar
strides


Barefoot running


In theory and research it is
good

But there are too many variables –
Research example on right is a child used to running barefoot
who put on shoes not vice versa.
Lot of promising early research but more advocates than
academics at this point.

Depends on the surface.


Depends on the foot
alignment and force reactions


Depends on the foot

• Age – as we get older, restrictions increase shod or
unshod. Mostly because of sedentary society.

• Size. Kenyans and Tarahumara Indians 5-3/130 lbs

• Foot mechanics and previous injury history.

• Occupation and environment.

• Any others?


Practical guidelines

• Most everyone should do some barefoot training on soft
surfaces because it does help increase proprioception
and increase foot strength.

• Sand running – shod and unshod – torque awareness

• Individual biomechanics and history of injury dictate the
goal amount.

• It should be periodized w 10% per week rule.

• And limited or reduced with any early warning signals

• It can reduce and produce injury.


Jumping


Aligned Athletic Landings


Use the foot to stimulate the the
whole body to absorb force of landing


Appropriate training goals and
techniques
• What are the goals of the jumps
• Fitness – do it right – there are no risks/all rewards

• Athletes have risks for reward but land in sand pit or
soft surface. Once! And have daily/weekly jump
counts.


Jump landing training
• Take off is concentric strength which is good.

• Landing is eccentric loading which can be good if
decelerated properly. Bad if decelerated improperly

• Feet help alert the rest of the body to decelerate.

• Train the Pre activation potentiation with soft
landing and quiet drills

• Progressive heights w key check points for joint
alignment.


Not a science but its out there


The end is the beginning


Primary resources
• Gray Institute Functional video digest
• Foot, Foot FMR, Calf, Walking, Running, jumping

• Pose Running – Nicholas Romanov.

• Anthony Carey/Justin Price/Egoscue method

• Triggerpoint Therapy – Cassidy Phillips

• M.E.L.T. – Sue Hitzmann

• Strength and Conditioning reviews – Bret Conteras/
Chris Beardsly

• Track and Field observations - Olympics

• Slideshare.com

Foot force full presentation idea format

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot (19)

Viewers also liked

Viewers also liked (7)

Similar to Foot force full presentation idea format

Similar to Foot force full presentation idea format (20)

More from Charlie Hoolihan

More from Charlie Hoolihan (16)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Foot force full presentation idea format