Normal running mechanics
As an athletic trainer and physical therapist, as well as a former national team swimmer, Mauricio Elizondo understands injured athletes. At 18 years old, he suffered a shoulder injury and had his appendix removed (yes, both happened at the same time!) that forced him to withdraw from his swimming national championship... more
Running is a great workout, readily available to all, and inexpensive. The more people that begin to run, though, the more inexperienced runners there are. And with a lack of knowledge comes injury. This can include knee pain, low back pain, hamstring strains, just to name a few. Whether these stem from trauma or personal overuse, these pains are sure to put a damper on someone’s ability to run or train. Overuse injuries can often be avoided, so it’s important that you are familiar with proper running mechanics, especially related to your running stride. Sometimes, issues with your stride, such as overstriding, can result in increased fatigue and potentially pain.
Most movement specialists and researchers focus on the stance phase of gait. This is because in this phase the body is bearing weight and additional forces are involved. Typically, there are four stages of a stride: initial contact, braking and absorption, midstance, and propulsion. Each are important in contributing to a balanced and pain-free stride.
INITIAL CONTACT:
Initial contact is the first stage in a running stride. As the name suggests, initial contact refers to the point when the foot first hits the ground. However, runners may strike the ground with different initial contact points of the foot.
BRAKING / ABSORPTION:
The next step in the runner’s stride equation is braking and absorption. As your body begins to advance throughout your stride, you start placing more weight on a single part of your foot at a time. The foot then has to absorb, and essentially break the impact, of the contact.
MIDSTANCE:
Midstance is the first step before propulsion and involves supporting your body’s weight on a single leg. This leg is often known as the stance leg. When you run, this phase represents the point when the total weight of your body is on just one leg as you’re swinging your other leg through.
PROPULSION:
The final phase of running is propulsion which ends in toe-off. When you think of a propeller, you may picture a helicopter soaring through the sky. These propellers are the reason helicopters can move so quickly and efficiently. In the same way that helicopters move, runners must be able to propel themselves.
All of the above steps are part of a runner’s stride. Each runner may have their own unique stride features, but typically, the four phases are present. If they’re not, it’s possible you are overstriding, which can cause serious issues for the body.
If you think you may have poor running mechanics or may overstride, a running analysis is a must! Call our office today at 727-826-7142 to schedule that free consultation with one of our highly qualified PT’s!
Happy Running!!!
