Friday, February 10, 2012

Running Faster and more efficient

What athlete doesn't want to run faster.  Google Speed, Agility and Quickness and you will come across literally millions of programs to become a faster runner.  Along with becoming a faster runner, one of your goals should to be a more efficient runner.  Why is running efficiency so important?  Many injuries occur when the athlete becomes fatigued.  Anterior Cruciate Ligament injuries in the female athlete is a good example of this.  It is well documented in research that ACL tears often occur at the end of a half or at the end of a game when the athlete is fatigued.

By working on your running form to improve efficiency you will be also working on your fatigue.  An efficient runner fatigues less than a non-efficient runner (result = less injuries).  And guess what else?  An efficient runner, is a FASTER runner.

Check out this video on using vertical displacement and cadence to improve your running mechanics.



Laura Ramus, PT,ATC

Friday, February 3, 2012

Foot Types

It's amazing how many people have NO idea what type of foot they have, but at the same time go out and spend $100 or MORE on a pair of tennis shoes because they are the "latest and the greatest."

Here is a novel idea.... learn what type of foot you have and try to match the shoe to your foot type, instead of what happens everyday in sport shoe stores - people pick the shoe and just put it on their foot wether it is correct or not.

The video below demonstrates the 3 foot types.  The anatomy and biomechanics that are applied to running shoes can and should also be applied to choosing a basketball, volleyball, soccer shoe, etc.


Feet