Today…… “working negative splits”
These are great clips ! Our kind of humor.
Foot Edge work.
Dancer: Marquese Scott
This may be one of the most amazing displays of body movement and body awareness we have ever seen, let alone, the amazing foot work. Look at the ankle and lower limb control not to mention the inside and outside edge foot work especially at the 1:40 mark
(You will hear more about edge work in some blog posts down the road. For over 2 years now Dr. Allen has been quietly working with, studying, and taking lessons from some of the best dancers. He has been a student, learning from these professionals. The goal is to bring what he has learned about these and other kinds of foot skills and body movements, in combination with what we already know, to The Gait Guys. It has been a mentally and physically challenging, not to mention humbling, experience to say the least. A new friendship with a world champion latin dance pro brings more promise to deeper insights, these people have amazing feet and body awareness). Edgework will blow your mind. More on it soon !
Without skill and strength of edge work you will never be able to do this kind of stuff. Can you magine an NBA or NFL player with these kinds of edgework skills ! There is a reason that some of the best have dabbled in dance, and Dr. Allen is on a journey to find out why. With these foot skills, can you say “unstoppable” !?
You will not be able to watch this just once. You will be mesmerized.
Some people are truly amazing, not a drop of wasted body use, awareness or function here.
… .And there are people higher up in the fields of biomechanics who do not think the the feet are important in body movement and gait ! Gee wizz !
How many shoe companies, doctors and foot specialists can you say are going this far to understand feet and gait and the intricate biomechanics, neurology and orthopedics behind the movement ? only Shawn and Ivo.
The Gait Guys ……. two guys who understand that just stopping at gait and running is only half the story. The next dimension of The Gait Guys, coming soon.
We hope you are standing up while you read this….
A newborn’s brain is only about one-quarter the size of an adult’s. It grows to about 80 percent of adult size by three years of age and 90 percent by age five (see above). This growth is largely due to changes in individual neurons and their connections, or synapses.
The truth is, most of our brain cells are formed at birth, In fact, we actually have MORE neurons BEFORE we are born. It is the formation of synapses, or connections between neurons, that actually accounts for the size change (see 1st picture above). This is largely shaped by experience and interaction with the environment.
Do you think children’s brains are less active than adults? Think again, your 3 year old’s brain is twice as active as yours! It isn’t until later in life that you actually start dialing back on some of those connections and those pathways degenerate or fade away…a process scientists call “pruning”.
How does this apply to gait? Gait depends on proprioception, or body position awareness. Your brain needs to know where your foot is, what it is standing on and so on. Proprioception, as we have discussed in other posts, is subserved by muscle and joint receptors called mechanoreceptors (muscle spindles, golgi tendon organs and type 1-4 joint mechanoreceptors to be exact). This information is fed to 2 main areas of the brain: the cerebral cortex and the cerebellum. These 2 parts of the central nervous system are interconnected on many levels.
The cerebellum is intimately associated with learning. Try this experiment. you will need a tape recorder (guess we are showing our ages, digital recorder), a timer and a moderately difficult book.
Sit down and pick a section of the book to read. start the recorder and timer and read aloud for 2 minutes. Stop reading, stop the recorder and stop the timer.
Stand up, somewhere you won’t get hurt if you fall. Stand on 1 leg (or if available, stand on a BOSU or rocker board). Open the book to a different spot. Start the timer, the recorder and start reading again for 2 minutes.
Sit back down and grab a snack. Listen to the 2 recordings and pay attention to the way you sound when you were reading, the speed, fluency and flow of words. Now think about recall. Which passage do you remember better?
The brain works best at multitasking and balance and coordination activities intimately affect learning. Having children sit in a class room and remain stationary and listen to a lecture is not the best way to learn. We always tel our students to get up and move around…
This article looks at this relationship in a slightly different way.
The Gait Guys….Sorting it out so you don’t have to.
We hope you are still standing : )
Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2011 Oct;21(5):663-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0838.2009.01027.x. Epub 2010 Mar 11
Motor coordination as predictor of physical activity in childhood.
Lopes VP, Rodrigues LP, Maia JA, Malina RM.
Source
Department of Sports Science, Research Center in Sports Sciences, Health Sciences and Human Development (CIDESD), Bragança, Portugal. vplopes@ipb.pt
Abstract
This study considers relationships among motor coordination (MC), physical fitness (PF) and physical activity (PA) in children followed longitudinally from 6 to 10 years. It is hypothesized that MC is a significant and primary predictor of PA in children. Subjects were 142 girls and 143 boys. Height, weight and skinfolds; PA (Godin-Shephard questionnaire); MC (Körperkoordination Test für Kinder); and PF (five fitness items) were measured. Hierarchical linear modeling with MC and PF as predictors of PA was used. The retained model indicated that PA at baseline differed significantly between boys (48.3 MET/week) and girls (40.0 MET/week). The interaction of MC and 1 mile run/walk had a positive influence on level of PA. The general trend for a decrease in PA level across years was attenuated or amplified depending on initial level of MC. The estimated rate of decline in PA was negligible for children with higher levels of MC at 6 years, but was augmented by 2.58 and 2.47 units each year, respectively, for children with low and average levels of initial MC. In conclusion MC is an important predictor of PA in children 6-10 years of age.
© 2009 John Wiley & Sons A/S.
Nutrition Training Tip: Glycemic index, glycemic load ? What's the difference, and as a runner why do I need to care ?
/Glycemic index, glycemic load. What’s the difference, and as a runner why do I need to care ?
Don’t be afraid of the sweet fruits !
“Carbohydrates that cause us to gain weight are typically carbohydrates with a high glycemic load. Although most of you have probably heard of the glycemic index (the ability of a food to acutely raise the blood sugar), many are unfamiliar with the glycemic load, which is simply
Glycemic load = the glycemic index of a food multiplied by the carbohydrate content in a given amount of the food
The glycemic load of a food is more closely related to the net insulin response over a 24-hr period than is the simple glycemic index. Consequently, it is the glycemic load that may predispose us to obesity and chronic disease.
Although watermelon has a high glycemic index (72) similar to white bread (70), it has a glycemic load (per 100 grams of watermelon) that is only 5.2 compared to a glycemic load in white bread of 34.7. The International Table of Glycemic Indices lists the glycemic index of 11 fruits. The glycemic loads (per 100 grams of food) of these 11 fruits are as follows: bananas 12.1, pineapple 8.2, grapes 7.7, kiwi fruit 7.4, apple 6.0, pear 5.4, watermelon 5.2, orange 5.1, cherries 3.7, peach 3.1, grapefruit 1.9. Consequently one would have to eat 6.7 times as much watermelon as white bread to achieve an equivalent glycemic load. Let’s say you ate 4 slices of white bread (or 100 grams, ~ ¼ lb). In order to get an equivalent glycemic load, you would have to eat almost 1.5 lbs of watermelon or 4 lbs of grapefruit.
One of the body’s mechanisms used to determine when to stop eating is stomach volume or fullness. Most people would stop eating watermelon after about 3.0 lbs (435 kcal) or say even 6.0 lbs (870 kcal) because their stomach volumes simply could not physically take much more food. Hence, under normal eating conditions, it is difficult or impossible for most people to overeat on fruits alone.
However, this being said there are some important exceptions. Dried fruits are not only concentrated calorie sources, they also represent high glycemic loads and have a high potential to cause weight gain, particularly when eaten in unlimited quantities. In addition, high-fat foods such as nuts, seeds, or fatty meats, if consumed in excessive quantity along with fruits, can also promote weight gain.
When I say unlimited quantities, perhaps I should say, within normal eating limits, rather than complete gluttony. If you are unsure of "normal limits” and do not know if you are hungry, then eat a piece of lean turkey breast. If you are still hungry, eat more lean protein, particularly if weight loss is a major objective.“
Wish we could give credit and take credit for this one, but we cannot remember where we got some of the material. Would the real author please contact us !
regardless……..good stuff to know !
Shawn and Ivo
The Brain is for movement (yes, that means running too). TED talk.
Today’s video is very very important.
Some of you have been asking questions about Dr. Waerlop’s videos. “Why so much neurology on The Gait Guys ?"
Our answer, "Because that is where it all starts !" It is where movement begins and where it ends; from areas 4, 4s and 6 in the precentral gyrus of the brain’s frontal lobe, down the spinal cord and out to the muscle through the peripheral nerve. It is also where the information from the body’s receptors feed back, to give updates on where the body parts are in space (proprioception) and how they are doing functionally (comparing information about length, tension, etc). It is about sensory and motor function. Motor function is based on sensory input. Good motor function is based on good sensory information. It is a subtle, beautiful, intricate symphony. And when one part goes wrong, the whole system can be thrown off.
Here is an example Dr. Allen gives in his lectures and to his patients to make this point clear goes like this. Imagine an orchestra playing Beethoven’s beautiful Ode to Joy, one of Dr. Allen’s favorite pieces. (btw: The ode is best known for its musical setting in D major in the final movement of his Ninth Symphony (completed in 1824), a choral symphony for orchestra, four solo voices and choir.) Now imagine one of the musicians begins to play off key. In time, the whole orchestra could be corrupted and being to take that lead as well, leaving Dr. Allen weeping uncontrollably. Hard to believe, but it makes the point that all it takes is one piece not playing well to change the outcome. Similar analogy, all it takes is one weak muscle or one painful joint and the outcome is skewed away from the optimal outcome. The body’s function and operation, when proper, is an orchestra with each piece doing a job and and function to create a symphony of flawless, effortless movement. Point made.
This is why The Gait Guys throws so much neurology out here on the blog. Because in the most basic way, this is what movement is all about.
In today’s blog post, we finish up with a brilliant TED educational videocast of Neuroscientist Daniel Wolpert who starts from a surprising premise: the brain evolved, not to think or feel, but to control movement. In this entertaining, data-rich talk he gives us a glimpse into how the brain creates the grace and agility of human motion. Whether you are a runner, a football player, a dancer or just someone who wants to stay painfree and active and understand the brilliance of this body of ours, this is a video you do not want to miss.
Bottom line …….. the brain is not for thinking so much as it is for producing complex and adaptable movements. Movement is the only way of affecting and interacting with the environment around us. Once you no longer need to move, you do not need the luxury of a brain, hence what happens to the brain in coma patients, neurosupression. And so The Gait Guys talk alot about neurology … . because we need to.
The Gait Guys …… we take aim, and are right on target……..
We are the Robin Hood’s of all things Gait.
Running barefoot: Saving money or spending it on the doctor ? & How to Cycle shoes !→
/If you are running ~50 miles a week, and you change your shoes every 400-500 miles, you are likely to buy around 6 pairs of shoes a year. At 100$ a pop that is 600$ a year. Sure, it is much cheaper than many sports but when you figure in a few race entry fees, socks, some apparel etc it does add up somewhat. Sure, you can spend that on a good pair of bike rims, so all things are relative.
But if you want to go overboard, and dive into the barefoot revolution you could save all that money for other stuff. In the article link above, McDougall tells DailyFinance he has saved “thousands of dollars” going shoeless. “It’s not so much about running barefoot,” says McDougall, who has a feature about shoeless running in this Sunday’s New York Times. “It’s about not buying something you don’t need." Arch enemies of the movement say it’s dangerous. Aficionados swear that the ball-first ground strike promoted by barefoot running allows the cushiest part of your foot to naturally absorb shock, whereas the traditional shod heel-first impact jars the entire body. The American Podiatric Medical Association explains in a statement that the evidence on both sides is inconclusive. ”
See full article from DailyFinance: http://srph.it/saCSEy
What do The Gait Guys have to say about all of this ?
If you are going to go for pure barefoot to save a buck, you better have the proper anatomy and technique to do it properly. Two doctors visits for an unnecessary injury will blow that saved cash in a big hurry.
Here is a tip we give our runners to help the foot out a little bit. It requires buying 2 pairs of shoes at the same time but there is some logic to it to help avoid doctors visits.
EVA (Ethyl Vinyl Acetate) foam deforms. The midsole of your shoe is made of EVA foam. After thousands of compressions of your body weight into your shoe/EVA your biomechanics (and problems) become reflected into the foam. And if your biomechanics are not pristine you will begin to deform the shoe’s foam. This shortens the life of the shoe, the healthy life of the shoe.
For example, put a heavy pronator into a neutral shoe, in time the shoe begins to collapse medially. The medial foam suffers more compression, the lateral suffers less. The shoe now begins to subtly slope inwards reflecting the pronators biomechanical flaw into the foam. As the runner continues into the higher miles on the shoe (200+) the deformed slope of the last now acts as a guide promoting the foot to pronate even further and more abruptly. What sort of proprioceptive informational message are you sending to your brain and central nervous system?
Now the shoe is part of the problem, possibly driving injury and pathology. We could argue that this is the time for a new shoe, not waiting until the odometer on the shoe reaches 400 or 500 miles. We do not care what shoe you are wearing, even companies that swear that their shoe will take 1000 miles. Sure the outsole might take it, but if the wrong foot is in the wrong shoe for that foot, the foam (if there is foam) will follow this compressive path of what the foot is making it do. The foot is usually the guy with the bigger steering wheel, not the shoe.
So, back to our point and purpose. Here is what we recommend for our runners who use shoes. Buy two pairs. Once you hit 200 miles, begin alternating the new shoe for the one that already had the 200. Yes, this is going to take some log work in your diary. This way, you are never in the aging and slowly deforming shoe more than one day in a row. You are only one day away from a new(er) shoe that does not reflect any EVA foam deformation. By the time the first shoe is dead and needs replaced, you are at the 200-250 mark on the other shoe. Replace the old and the process begins again. This way you reduce the degree of compromise that a deforming EVA foam shoe will be placing on your biomechanics, and lets face it, it is a rare person that has pristine biomechanics.
So, use our recommendation and you will likely reduce your injuries and save some money on the doctor. And while you are at it, see someone like us for a running evaluation and clinic or go see our friends at Newton Running Clinics or Natural Running Centers. Changing the way you run can take many of the variables out of the picture. Yes, your running style is part of the game, but you can only do what your anatomy will allow. For example, if you are unlucky enough to have rearfoot valgus you need some help regaining rearfoot inversion control. But some folks are born with this tendency from a structural aspect, and they should consider what we have talked about above………. that or find a pool (If you catch our drift) .
Shawn and Ivo, …….. the nerds you tried to beat up at recess in elementary school (but quickly found out we had superpowers so you befriended us (or paid us to do your homework)).
The 200 yard rule for running.→
/We wrote an article called The Naked Foot a few years back, it is on our Facebook page, and it discussed all of the critical components of gait and running from a neuromechanical perspective, many of which were eluded to here in this article “the 200 yard rule” found on the natural running center website by Steven Sashen.
We agree with this article. It is about building minimalist running in small doses, 200 yards…..rest, recouperate, repeat. But doing it mindfully and with awareness. Practice “100 upps” (see our post here on Nov 7th) and be aware of your posture form, and how your foot is striking the ground. If you feel you are overpronating, shorten your steps, do some “Shuffle walks” to up the tolerance and skill of the anterior compartment of the lower leg…..and then repeat the challenge.
Skill, endurance, strength, remember? It doesn’t take 2-3 years to get to barefoot. You just have to use the most important muscle you have, your brain !
Well done gang. Love the work on the site Mark (www.thenaturalrunningcenter.com) ! Thumbs up !
Shawn and Ivo….. the Gait Guys
Gait ataxia and gluten. Yup, what you eat can affect your running and gait.→
/Ok, lets exaggerate things a bit to make our point. But keep this in mind, this is some people, and they do not know it.
Think about how many people didn’t PR at the New York Marathon last week because they carb loaded on pasta and bread (and beer). How many might have a subtle gluten sensitivity and gluten ataxia ? Read on … .
Ataxia is a pathological lack of muscle motor coordination. Gait ataxia would be an impairment of the muscles necessary for normal gait. Here at The Gait Guys we are well aware that there are many other causes of gait disorders other than biomechanical. We have decided to start to add a few of these other metabolic causes of gait problems, just so you are aware. We will start off here with Gluten ataxia. And with the plethora of gluten infused foods these days this is one you at least need to be aware of. Both of The Gait Guys are gluten free in our diets, and because of what we know about gluten and its effects on the body, we encourage our patients to avoid it (yup, beer, pizza, bread, pasta…. anything that seems to satisfy the soul. That doesn’t mean we are soul less……. just at times sole-less…….. oh, that was bad !)
So, if you are concerned you have gluten sensitivity issues, either get tested or just cut it out of your diet. The University of Maryland study and Annals of Medicine last year stated that since 1974 the rate of autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and multiple sclerosis has doubled every 15 years and gluten is suspect.
the researchers found that the number of people with blood markers for celiac disease increased steadily from one in 501 in 1974 to one in 219 in 1989. In 2003, a widely cited study conducted by the celiac research center placed the number of people with celiac disease in the U.S. at one in 133.
“You’re not necessarily born with celiac disease,” says Carlo Catassi, M.D., of the Universita Politecnica delle Marche in Italy. Dr. Catassi is the lead author of the paper and co-director of the Center for Celiac Research. “Our findings show that some people develop celiac disease quite late in life.” The trend is supported by clinical data from the center, notes Dr. Catassi, who urges physicians to consider screening their elderly patients.
“Our study shows that environmental factors cause an individual’s immune system to lose tolerance to gluten, given the fact that genetics was not a factor in our study since we followed the same individuals over time."
The recent findings challenge the common speculation that the loss of gluten tolerance resulting in the disease usually develops in childhood and in fact shows that some people develop celiac disease quite late in life. The gluten related disorders are being seen to increase in those in their 50s and above. The finding contradicts the common wisdom that nothing can be done to prevent autoimmune disease unless the triggers that cause autoimmunity are identified and subtracted. Gluten is one of the triggers for celiac disease. But if individuals can tolerate gluten for many decades before developing celiac disease, some environmental factor or factors other than gluten must be in play, notes Dr. Fasano. What do they say ? your genes load the gun, your environment pulls the trigger ? Something like that.
Defining gluten: That mixture of proteins, including gliadins and glutelins, found in wheat grains, which are not soluble in water and which give wheat dough its elastic texture. Any of the prolamins found in cereal grains, especially the prolamins in wheat, rye, barley, and possibly oats, that cause digestive disorders such as celiac disease.
Sporadic ataxia could be from gluten ataxia. Sporadic ataxia is ataxia that does not have a genetic or other known cause. More often than not, sporadic ataxia turns out to have a link to gluten intolerance and celiac disease.
What is Gluten Ataxia?
Gluten ataxia is an autoimmune disease that is brought on by ingestion of gluten in people who are genetically predisposed. The most common symptoms of gluten ataxia, which is most closely associated with cerebellar ataxia, are:
- Poor coordination in physical movements and poor control of muscle movement
- Inability to control the speed or the power of a physical movement
- Headaches
- Inability to speak or form words correctly; speech impediments
There are also three general areas of ataxia: cerebellar, sensory and vestibular. The ataxia discussed in this article is essentially caused by damage to the cerebellum. Dr. Ivo has done videos on our youtube channel that discusses the cerebellum as the portion of the brain responsible for motor pattern coordination and balance . Of course there are other causes for ataxia other than gluten sensitivity and are generally ruled out before gluten sensitivity or celiac disease is identified as the origin. So do not go rushing over to your doctors office and start a pilgrimage for gluten testing. Gluten ataxia is a progressive disease and can cause permanent damage to the cerebellum if not treated promptly.
Ataxia is the least easily identifiable version of gluten intolerance. Many people with gluten ataxia do not realize they have a sensitivity at all to gluten before diagnosis as they do not have any of the typical symptoms. Generally this form of ataxia is diagnosed after all other types of ataxia are ruled out and then other tests are run to determine whether gluten could be at the foundational problem.
Gluten Ataxia and Celiac Disease
Gluten ataxia is essentially a sister of celiac disease. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that impacts the intestines, specifically the villi or microvilli. When an individual who is predisposed ingests gluten, the autoimmune reaction occurs and causes swelling to the lining of the intestines. Over time this swelling damages the intestines, causing villous atrophy, and makes it difficult for the small intestine to absorb any nutrients. With individuals suffering from gluten ataxia, the cause of the problem is the same: gluten. The difference is that the cerebellum is impacted instead of, or in addition to, the intestines. Both of these differ from a wheat allergy where symptoms would instead be of the histamine reaction variety: sneezing, hives, lip or face swelling.
Bottom line……..why are you taking the chance ? Even if you do not seem to have a problem with gluten, it does not mean you are safe. The alarming increase in the incidence of the problem in the last decade ( > 1 in 133 and increasing) suggest that far more people are at risk and unknowingly sensitive to gluten than we previously thought. It seems to be telling us that perhaps humans just do not process it well. So, what do we say ? We say dump gluten…….. so that you do not have to put yourself at risk, and more so (joking) that you won’t have to worry about falling over with Gluten Ataxia before your race, which will let you run faster because you won’t have symptoms 1 &2,
- Poor coordination in physical movements and poor control of muscle movement
- Inability to control the speed or the power of a physical movement
and as an added benefit, you won’t have symptoms 3 & 4
- Headaches
- Inability to speak or form words correctly; speech impediments
which you might otherwise confuse with having too many beer. And you will be aware and clear headed enough to ask for a gluten free beer the next time !
Plus, you might just PR your next race because symptoms 1&2 will be absent.
Think about how many people didn’t PR at the New York Marathon last week because they carb loaded on pasta and bread (and beer). How many might have a subtle gluten sensitivity and gluten ataxia ? We know we may be pushing this issue to the limits of reasonable here, but with the numbers climbing each decade, and the incidence climbing in our private practices, we have to ask the question "are we really pushing the limits of reasonable here ? Or are we just ahead of the inevitable tipping point ?" You have to decide what is best for you. A gluten free diet is healthy, probably healthier. We make our own bread, there is great gluten free beer out there, great gluten free pizza, pasta and bread available everywhere. It is merely a lifestyle change. Our patients make it work, so can you. The first few weeks are the hardest, until you get into the swing of things. And then, like many of our athletes, you begin to notice the subtle difference in how you feel and then the thinking begins…….. "hey, the odds are decent that the gun is already loaded, I am not going to risk pulling the trigger”.
Thanks for reading our long post today. Forward it to your running friends, or at least those friends who seem to fall over after a pasta dinner.
Shawn and Ivo…….The Gait Guys, …….. kind of like the two physicists Dr. Sheldon Cooper & Leonard Hofstadtler from the very funny TV show “The Big Bang Theory”. Ivo is Sheldon, he is way smarter…….. Shawn is more like Leonard, almost as smart (but at least he had a shot at winning the heart of the pretty blonde, Penny !! )………. so, who then is really smarter ? :-)
The Gait Guys speak. Jan 14th, 2012 →
/49th Annual Track and Field Clinic
January 14th, 2012
ITCCCA: The Illinois Track and Cross Country Coaches Association have asked Coach Chris Korfist and Dr. Shawn Allen to present their newest training techniques and philosophies at this years event. Video cases, research materials and insights into the “how and why” of what they do and what has made them an unstoppable team in speed training. If you are an Illinois coach, we hope to see you there. If you thought their work last year was good, wait til you see what they have in store this year !
Register for the 49th January Clinic
Saturday January 14th, 2012
Oak Park-River Forest High School
Our most recent article “Making Great Strides” is on the rack as of yesterday in the December issue of Tri Magazine. They have asked for more submissions so get a subscription ! Thx Jene Shaw !!!!! (editor)
Your stride length is the distance covered from the time your foot hits the ground to the time it hits again on the same side, encompassing one complete gait cycle. some variables can compli- cate the stride, such as terrain, power output, stride frequency, footwear and type of workout, and everyone’s indi- vidual anatomy affects stride length.
We talk about lack of ankle rocker, lack of abdominals, lack of hip extension and other good stuff. It was a short article, but short can be also be sweet.
Ivo and Shawn
Just when you thought it was safe to watch a Neuromechanics Weekly episode, Dr Ivo throws a curveball. Check out the interesting clinical asides about myelopathy (pressure on the spinal cord causing ataxic gait) and the importance of which modality to check 1st, when doing an exam.
Keep these things in mind the next time you are evaluating someone’s gait.
Robotic Exoskeleton: New device helps people with spinal cord injury walk upright
… Now, a robotic exoskeleton has allowed her to take her first independent steps in years. In March, Fejerdy, 36, began participating in a clinical trial of the device — called the ReWalk — in Philadelphia, where she and her husband moved three years ago. The device allows her to move independently in reality and in her dreams.
Population Insights on Hallux Valgus: “When the big toe heads West”.
(thanks to Emily Delzell and LER for their ongoing great work.)
Handicapping Hallux Valgus: Predictive variables include race, age By Emily Delzell
here are some of the study findings right from the article…….
- “In nonobese individuals, African Americans were almost two times more likely than whites to have hallux valgus. But in obese participants, prevalence was just as high in whites as in African Americans. This difference seen in the non-obese suggests a real racial difference,” said Golightly, the study’s lead author.
- Past high heel use increased HV risk by 22%. Investigators defined past use as participants’ self-reported primary shoe type during 10-year periods beginning when individuals were aged 20 years.“We found what we expected, that past—but not current—high heel use was predictive of hallux valgus. Women reported wearing high heels the most when they were aged 20 to 29, and high heel use diminished each decade until people reached 60, when wear really plummeted. It makes sense that people with hallux valgus and foot pain are uncomfortable in heels and are less likely to be current wearers,” Hannan said.
-
The study showed that HV heritability overall was 39% for women and 38% for men (mean age 66 years, age range 39-99 years), but was significantly increased in the subset of participants younger than 60 years (HV heritability, 89%).
“We know that genes for obesity are also highly heritable and it could be that the gene for hallux valgus is linked to obesity genes,” Hannan said.
Our new friend, Dr. Mark Cucuzzella. An inspiring story.→
/OK, now you have read the article in the NYTimes. Here was Dr Cucuzella’s blog post following the article.
Mark Cucuzzella MD
Shepherdstown, WV
November 5th, 2011
9:58 pm
NYT Readers,
I’ve been flattered by the emails from around the globe of runners sharing their stories of recovery and discovery. Here is my story.
“A man’s errors are his portals of discovery” – James Joyce
Twice in the past two years, my running shoe store, Two Rivers Treads, which is in the small town of Shepherdstown, West Virginia, was honored to host and gain wisdom from best-selling author and force of nature Christopher McDougall. Locals came to hear from Chris aka “Mr. Born to Run.”
Chris and I both share a similar pathway in the discovery of better fitness and health through natural running. He is now a world-famous author, and in addition to owning a minimalist shoe store, I am a family physician in a town of 3,000. We both are in our mid 40s, and have trashed our feet and legs along the way, the result of a lifelong addiction to running.
Chris’s bestseller “Born to Run” follows several narrative threads, but it is also his own personal story of “why does my foot hurt?” He discussed the regular trips to the doctors, shoe stores, and orthotic makers. With each escalation in care there was more pain, that is, until he found a different route in the remote Copper Canyon of Mexico where the Tarahumara Indians run in flat-sole tire-tread sandals happily into their 80’s. He also met barefoot runners during his research for the book. He eventually arrived at the conclusion that most conventional running shoes are the cause of running injuries.
I began running barefoot on the beach as a pre-teen and easily covered distances of 10 or more miles. My personal path of pain began in high school and then into a college and post-collegiate running career. I had successes that were often tempered by injury, setbacks, surgery. I had acquired a closet full of arch supports, orthotics, various shoe types. This was always in search of the holy grail of pain- free running.
I pushed through the pain in pursuit of the Olympic Marathon Trials 2:22 standard and came within two minutes on two occasions. When I hit 34 years of age, my first toe joints were fused with arthritis, and I was forced to have surgical procedures to reduce the pain. The prognosis looked bleak for a future in running.
And a lot like Chris’s own trip to Copper Canyon, my journey of discovery began afar: while watching Kenyan runners go barefoot. I applied this natural way of running to my own jogging. I learned how to run softly. Seven months after surgery and with a new efficient and painless running stride, I ran a 2:28 for third place in the 2001 Marine Corps Marathon, only four minutes shy of my best time ever for the distance.
A decade has passed and the learning I gained about natural running only became deeper and broader. You might say that I was being “home-schooled” on all aspects of movement and how the foot interacts with the ground. For example, the Tarahumara Indians run in a style reflective of how we all ran as children; they land lightly on their mid-foot (not the heel), have a slight forward lean, and are completely relaxed and happy. Also, the best shoe was less shoe.
My self-enlightenment about footwear and running was not as immediate as Chris, who experienced it by cultural immersion. Chris and I both agree that it is not about the shoes (or lack thereof), but more about understanding how your body stands and moves, improving strength and function, and then figure out what shoe (if any) to wear. Ten years after the foot surgery and being told not to run, I feel that I’m finally putting all the pieces of the puzzle together. I finished the Boston marathon in 2011 in 2:37:00, practically smiling the whole way. Several months later, I won the Air Force Marathon outright; and back running the day after the race. I love light and flat shoes for road races, trails, casual, and at work to get me secretly close to barefoot at my day job as a physician.
We all have to follow our own path of what works or doesn’t work. Our bodies and past running histories are different. View the resources Natural Running Center, you will have a practical way to make injury-free running a permanent fixture in your own life.
I especially want to thank colleagues for sharing knowledge: Danny Dreyer, Jay Dicharry, Lee Saxby, Danny Abshire, Dr. Ray McClanahan, Dr. Daniel Lieberman, Ian Adamson, Dr. Phil Maffetone, Blaise Dubois, Pete Larson, Dr. Irene Davis, Lorraine Moller, and Nobby Hashizume. And especially Bill Katovsky and Nicholas Pang for helping me create the Natural Running Center.
–Mark Cucuzzella, M.D. mark@freedomsrun.org
http://naturalrunningcenter.com/
https://www.tworiverstreads.com/
For our movie on Barefoot Running Style - enjoy
http://youtu.be/kpnhKcvbsMM
Here is a decent video on how to do the “100 up” and age old running practice technique developed as discussed in a three-page essay from 1908 titled “W. G. George’s Own Account From the 100-Up Exercise.” According to legend, this single drill turned a 16-year-old with almost no running experience into the foremost racer of his day.
In George’s words: “By its constant practice and regular use alone, I have myself established many records on the running path and won more amateur track-championships than any other individual.” And it was safe, George said: the 100-Up is “incapable of harm when practiced discreetly.”
comments from a follower of the gait guys.
/From a reader …..
“From what I’ve gathered from your posts/videos, I have some major issues with my foot function… ie weak Tib Anterior and Extensors. You have one video up where you demonstrate that a competent foot should be able to keep a solid arch and lower your big toe without losing arch integrity. I come no where close to this. In fact, I think it’s pretty amazing at what the foot is supposed to do which is demonstrated by you. When looking at what Dr. Allen’s foot does and looks like compared to most everyone else’s his seems much more muscular and solid unlike the case studies you put up. I almost liken most peoples feet to looking like a skeleton with very little muscle mass and function.”
Dr. Allen’s response…….
It has taken me quite a bit of time to get my foot to function this well. I am lucky in that i know what it is supposed to do and what exercises to implement to get it there. We have some exercises that we do which we are compiling and will eventually put in DVD format. We are completing our 3 part shoe fit and foot function DVD for the December Austin Texas IRRA program launch and the completed package should be available end of January 2012. Yes, finally they will be done ! There is another reason my foot functions as well as it does……. and we will be sharing some thoughts on this in several weeks once we can compile the information. Hint, awareness and encouraging skill is a big key. It all starts with Skill……. then build Endurance, and then Strength. S. E. S. as we say.
