Podcast 169: Foot muscles, core strength and more

Podcast 167: Foot muscles, core strength and more

Join us each month on the Masterclass in Gait, link below

https://www.patreon.com/thegaitguys

Join at the $40 monthly level and get the masterclass each month, bonus material and the detailed monthly content we only share on Patreon.

The Masterclass is a formal LIVE presentation of slides, videos, demos, deep dives on topics you will not hear anywhere but here ! We hit the gait, biomechanics, neurology and orthopedics of all of the gait topics we present. This is not for the weak and timid, this is the deep dive you have been waiting for. Join us while we turn our normal 50 minute presentations into 3.5 hours on a regular basis ! The 40$ Patreon level will give you the Masterclass and also get you the $20, $10, and 5$ Patreon level content. What a deal ! It will not be here forever so lock in now !

Or, you can get less for your money (why would you do that?) and just buy our Monthly $40 Masterclass at our VIMEO on demand page: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/thegaitmasterclass


Links to find the podcast:
Look for us on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Podbean, PlayerFM, RADIO and more.
Just Google "the gait guys podcast".

https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/thegaitguys/pod_169_March_12_-_32821_10.19_AM.mp3

https://thegaitguys.libsyn.com/gait-speed-hip-extension-and-a-new-dawn

https://directory.libsyn.com/episode/index/id/18496787
_______________________________________________________________________________
Our Websites:
www.thegaitguys.com
Find Exclusive content at: https://www.patreon.com/thegaitguys
doctorallen.co
summitchiroandrehab.com
shawnallen.net

Our website is all you need to remember. Everything you want, need and wish for is right there on the site.
Interested in our stuff ? Want to buy some of our lectures or our National Shoe Fit program? Click here (thegaitguys.com or thegaitguys.tumblr.com) and you will come to our websites. In the tabs, you will find tabs for STORE, SEMINARS, BOOK etc. We also lecture every 3rd Wednesday of the month on onlineCE.com. We have an extensive catalogued library of our courses there, you can take them any time for a nominal fee (~$20).

Our podcast is on iTunes and just about every other podcast harbor site, just google "the gait guys podcast", you will find us.

Where to find us, the podcast Links:
Apple podcasts:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-gait-guys-podcast/id559864138?mt=2

Google Play:
https://play.google.com/music/m/Icdfyphojzy3drj2tsxaxuadiue?t=The_Gait_Guys_Podcast

Podcast links:

https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/thegaitguys/168_feb_12.2021_-_4321.mp3

https://thegaitguys.libsyn.com/pod-foot-muscles-core-strength-and-more

https://directory.libsyn.com/episode/index/id/18589871

Irene Davis, PhD, PT

@IreneSDavis

Numerous studies demo foot muscle hypertrophy when removing support of the arch. While it seems intuitive, this is the first published study to demo that adding support results in foot muscle atrophy after only 12 weeks of orthotic use! Nice work!! #strengtheningoverbracing

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0363546520969205

Foot Core Training to Prevent Running-Related Injuries: A Survival Analysis of a Single-Blind, Randomized Controlled Trial
Ulisses T. Taddei, PhD, PT, Alessandra B. Matias, MSc, PT, Marcos Duarte, PhD,

https://twitter.com/IreneSDavis/status/1306033740020408320/photo/1

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32521283/

2020 Aug;78:105063. clinbiomech.2020.105063.
The effect of a 12-week custom foot orthotic intervention on muscle size and muscle activity of the intrinsic foot muscle of young adults during gait termination
Katrina Protopapas 1 , Stephen D Perry 2

_______

hip abduction

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02640414.2020.1820183?journalCode=rjsp2

Inter-limb strength asymmetry in adolescent distance runners: Test-retest reliability and relationships with performance and running economy
Rich Blagrove

Summary: Key finding: Larger hip abduction asymmetry associated with worse running economy in female runners (r = 0.85).

____________

Developing neurplasticity

SPlit treadmills , limping,

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23312637/

_____________

quick talk on bone density

https://twitter.com/rwilly2003/status/1303526386846461952?s=1

https://journals.physiology.org/doi/abs/10.1152/jappl.1992.73.3.1165

Relationship among running mileage, bone density, and serum testosterone in male runners: J. D. MacDougal

Podcast 167: Is symmetry important for biomechanics and energy utilization?

Podcast 167: Is symmetry important for biomechanics and energy utilization? Plus, things that mimic plantar fasciitis. Including trigger points you never thought might be implicated.

This podcast is way more interesting than the title !

join us each month on the Masterclass in Gait

https://www.patreon.com/thegaitguys

Join at the $40 monthly level and get the masterclass each month, bonus material and the detailed monthly content we only share on Patreon.

The Masterclass is a formal LIVE presentation of slides, videos, demos, deep dives on topics you will not hear anywhere but here ! We hit the gait, biomechanics, neurology and orthopedics of all of the gait topics we present. This is not for the weak and timid, this is the deep dive you have been waiting for. Join us while we turn our normal 50 minute presentations into 3.5 hours on a regular basis ! The 40$ Patreon level will give you the Masterclass and also get you the $20, $10, and 5$ Patreon level content. What a deal ! It will not be here forever so lock in now !

Or, you can get less for your money (why would you do that?) and just buy our Monthly $40 Masterclass at our VIMEO on demand page: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/thegaitmasterclass


Links to find the podcast:
Look for us on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Podbean, PlayerFM, RADIO and more.
Just Google "the gait guys podcast".
_______________________________________________________________________________
Our Websites:
www.thegaitguys.com
Find Exclusive content at: https://www.patreon.com/thegaitguys
doctorallen.co
summitchiroandrehab.com
shawnallen.net

Our website is all you need to remember. Everything you want, need and wish for is right there on the site.
Interested in our stuff ? Want to buy some of our lectures or our National Shoe Fit program? Click here (thegaitguys.com or thegaitguys.tumblr.com) and you will come to our websites. In the tabs, you will find tabs for STORE, SEMINARS, BOOK etc. We also lecture every 3rd Wednesday of the month on onlineCE.com. We have an extensive catalogued library of our courses there, you can take them any time for a nominal fee (~$20).

Our podcast is on iTunes and just about every other podcast harbor site, just google "the gait guys podcast", you will find us.

Where to find us, the podcast Links:
Apple podcasts:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-gait-guys-podcast/id559864138?mt=2

Google Play:

https://play.google.com/music/m/Icdfyphojzy3drj2tsxaxuadiue?t=The_Gait_Guys_Podcast

Links for today's show:

https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/thegaitguys/167_Dec_4_2020_.mp3

https://thegaitguys.libsyn.com/is-symmetry-important-for-biomechanics-and-energy-utilization

https://directory.libsyn.com/episode/index/id/17322929

Association between trigger points in hamstring, posterior leg, foot muscles and plantar fasciopathy: A cross- sectional study
J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2020 Oct;24(4):373-378. doi: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2020.07.018. Epub 2020 Aug 7. Ravindra C Thummar 1 , Sannasi Rajaseker 2 , Ranjith Anumasa 3


https://physoc.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1113/JP280509
Journal of Physiology.
The human preference for symmetric walking often disappears when one leg is constrained
Michael G. Browne, Cameron S. Smock, Ryan T. Roemmich, Nov 24, 2020

Podcast 166: Senile Degeneration of afferent mechanoreceptors.

Podcast 166: Senile Degeneration of afferent mechanoreceptors.

This podcast is way more interesting than the title !

join us each month on the Masterclass in Gait

https://www.patreon.com/thegaitguys

Join at the $40 monthly level and get the masterclass each month, bonus material and the detailed monthly content we only share on Patreon.

The Masterclass is a formal LIVE presentation of slides, videos, demos, deep dives on topics you will not hear anywhere but here ! We hit the gait, biomechanics, neurology and orthopedics of all of the gait topics we present. This is not for the weak and timid, this is the deep dive you have been waiting for. Join us while we turn our normal 50 minute presentations into 3.5 hours on a regular basis ! The 40$ Patreon level will give you the Masterclass and also get you the $20, $10, and 5$ Patreon level content. What a deal ! It will not be here forever so lock in now !

Or, you can get less for your money (why would you do that?) and just buy our Monthly $40 Masterclass at our VIMEO on demand page: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/thegaitmasterclass


Links to find the podcast:
Look for us on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Podbean, PlayerFM, RADIO and more.
Just Google "the gait guys podcast".
_______________________________________________________________________________
Our Websites:
www.thegaitguys.com
Find Exclusive content at: https://www.patreon.com/thegaitguys
doctorallen.co
summitchiroandrehab.com
shawnallen.net

Our website is all you need to remember. Everything you want, need and wish for is right there on the site.
Interested in our stuff ? Want to buy some of our lectures or our National Shoe Fit program? Click here (thegaitguys.com or thegaitguys.tumblr.com) and you will come to our websites. In the tabs, you will find tabs for STORE, SEMINARS, BOOK etc. We also lecture every 3rd Wednesday of the month on onlineCE.com. We have an extensive catalogued library of our courses there, you can take them any time for a nominal fee (~$20).

Our podcast is on iTunes and just about every other podcast harbor site, just google "the gait guys podcast", you will find us.

Where to find us, the podcast Links:
Apple podcasts:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-gait-guys-podcast/id559864138?mt=2

Google Play:

https://play.google.com/music/m/Icdfyphojzy3drj2tsxaxuadiue?t=The_Gait_Guys_Podcast

https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/thegaitguys/pod_166final_Dec11_launch_-_121120_2.34_PM.mp3

https://thegaitguys.libsyn.com/podcast-166-senile-degeneration-of-afferent-mechanoreceptors

https://directory.libsyn.com/episode/index/id/17160167


Eight-Week Inspiratory Muscle Training Alters Electromyography Activity of the Ankle Muscles During Overhead and Single-Leg Squats: A Randomized Controlled Trial

J Appl Biomech. 2020 Oct 12;1-8. doi: 10.1123/jab.2019-0315. Online ahead of print.
Behnam Gholami-Borujeni 1 , Ali Yalfani 1 , Leila Ahmadnezhad 1

Why Don't Runners' Knees Fail More Often?

Biology suggests that decades of running should invariably blow out your knees. Scientists are trying to understand why that doesn’t happen.

-suggests that 98% of knees should fail after three decades of running. But they don't, and the big question is why not. One possibility: contrary to the usual view, cartilage adapts to repeated loading.
https://www.outsideonline.com/2417356/runners-knee-cartilage-study-2020?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=onsiteshare

Lengthening of the gastrocnemius-soleus complex: an anatomical and biomechanical study in human cadavers
Gregory B Firth 1 , Michael McMullan, Terence Chin, Francis Ma, Paulo Selber, Norman Eizenberg, Rory Wolfe, H Kerr Graham. JBJS Am.: 2013 Aug 21;95(16):1489-96

The loads are going to go somewhere.

You cannot change one thing, and not expect the other parts to change, to have to adapt, and possibly those parts to complain at some point.

The loads are going to go somewhere.

Too much pronation means the arch may be reduced in height, but it also means that the first ray complex (the 1-2 metatarsals essentially) is dorsiflexing more than normal. This means they will not likely get to their adequate plantarflexion by the time the foot is ready to heel rise and toe off at supination. In other words, if you have pronated and dorsiflexed too long and too much, you will eat up the time you needed to plantarflex and supinate.

This means that "Increased foot pronation may compromise ankle plantarflexion moment during the stance phase of gait, which may overload knee and hip."-Resende et al

If you cannot plantarflex the foot-ankle complex sufficiently, or in a timely manner, you should understand that you are carrying this fault forward while moving into heel rise during the forefoot rocker stance phase of gait, and you are doing it over a less stable, less rigid foot-ankle complex because it is still in relative pronation. This means you are placing higher propulsive loads over an unprepared ankle-foot complex. This means different/altered posterior compartment function, which can mean altered knee and hip function. Sagittal plane function, to name the most obvious, will have to create and endure compensatory loads. Sure, they may be fine for a time, but perhaps there will be a cost over time. Now, many might say, "if it is not a problem now, it is not a problem", let them build robustness on their chosen pattern; that can be very hopeful and shortsighted thinking in our opinion. Why not change things that are obviously aberrant and build robustness on a pattern and correction that is suspected to be more sound? This can be a cyclical argument that no one wins, EVER, we all see it all the time. After all, the arguments become silly after time, and we resist our own silly comments like "well, why change the oil in your car right now, nothing bad is happening at this time. Or, well that front right tire, though bald and nearly flat, is still rolling along so why bother changing it out?" But that stuff gets no one anywhere, other than pissed off, so we hold back. The debate never gets furthered along, because no one can see the future.

So, we will leave this rant with this thought, we cannot change one thing, and not expect the other parts to change, have to adapt. And adaptation can be both good OR bad. Or maybe we should say, good AND bad.

The loads are going to go somewhere. Lets leave it at that.

photo: credit pixabay.com

Gait Posture. 2018 Oct 23;68:130-135. doi: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2018.10.025. [Epub ahead of print]

Effects of foot pronation on the lower limb sagittal plane biomechanics during gait.

Resende RA1, Pinheiro LSP2, Ocarino JM3.

Fatigue matters. Why a quick treadmill analysis of someone's gait will lie to you.

This is why i think gait analysis, on a treadmill with all the sensors, the visual captures , there are so many lies and fake outs.

Driving to work today and I saw this 40 something lady running. It just might have been the most tortured running i have seen in ages. It made me wonder, when we see our clients at the office and we ask them to run, they are typically in a fresh state, they're going to give us their best running, they are naturally going to put out their best for us, even if we ask them to "just run".

The truth is, they haven't been out there for 10-15 miles slogging it out in the heat and the pain and in the dysfunction. They haven't been out in the elements slowly fatiguing stabilizers, slowly layering neuro-protective tightness and strategies to offset the fatiguing structures. Even if that lady came in to see me tomorrow, i am not going to see what i saw in here on the side of the road. The clues i might see will be the muscular inhibition, the neuro-protective tightness, the compensations, the things on the hands on examination. This is why gait analysis has to have a hands on examination. And if i put her through a screening method, i am going to see her strategies in the screen to get around all that i mentioned above.

This is why i think gait analysis, on a treadmill with all the sensors, the visual captures , there are so many lies and fake outs. That process has significant limitations. Do not get me wrong, everything has value, but do we know what that value is, and what the lies are?

I think my question for my clients needs to be, be honest with me how ugly does your run get in the later miles when you're in pain? But then again, that is an impossible question isn't it !? Self awareness has its limitations. After all, we are human.

When asked to run at my doctors office, i am still gonna put on my best run for them. I will hide my flaws, my weaknesses, my tightness, my soreness, and give them the best run i have. The game is on them. Lets see how good they are.

Good luck today comrades, see what you can find and solve in all those who come begging for help, yet doing their best to hide their worst.

Leg exercise is critical to brain and nervous system health: Clues into why motorneuron diseases decline so quickly.

Leg exercise is critical to brain and nervous system health
"New research shows that using the legs, particularly in weight-bearing exercise, sends signals to the brain that are vital for the production of healthy neural cells."
This research supports what we already know, but in a new spin, that sensory input is just as important as motor output. This study gives new clues into why people with motorneuron diseases (spinalmuscular atrophy etc) decline so quickly as their movement impairment deepens.
This research might suggest that those who do not continue to weight bear load, such as bedridden or chronically ill patients and even the aging population, are at risk for faster decline. "Not only (do they) lose muscle mass, but their body chemistry is altered at the cellular level and even their nervous system is adversely impacted," says Dr. Raffaella Adami from the Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy.
"Limiting physical activity decreased the number of neural stem cells by 70 percent compared to a control group of mice, which were allowed to roam. Furthermore, both neurons and oligodendrocytes -- specialized cells that support and insulate nerve cells -- didn't fully mature when exercise was severely reduced."
"Reducing exercise also seems to impact two genes, one of which, CDK5Rap1, is very important for the health of mitochondria -- the cellular powerhouse that releases energy the body can then use. This represents another feedback loop."
Bottom line here folks, you have to move, you have to load, especially if you have a neurologic disorder and especially if you are declining in age. At the very least, throw some lunges or body weight squats into your day. Walk the stairs, don't ride the elevator. Move. Lift. Strain.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/rel.../2018/05/180523080214.htm
the gait guys, shawn & Ivo
#gait, #gaitproblems, #exercise, #legstrength, #squats, #lunges, #neuronhealth, #SMA, #neurologicdisease

How you load and off-load your forefoot bipod matters.

If you are a sprinter, how you load the forefoot bipod might be a variable for speed or injury. Tendons can change their cross sectional area, if you load them, but they don't change, if you don't.
Of course this article is not exclusive for sprinters, it pertains to any running sport, even endurance.
Maximum isometric force had increased by 49% and tendon CSA by 17% !
Tendons can change their cross sectional area, if you load them.
Here I show lateral forefoot loading in a heel raise, and a medial forefoot loading in heel raise. This has to be part of the discovery process outlined below. Forefoot types will play into the loading choice, and unequal strength of the medial or lateral calf compartment will also play into the loading choice made. Where do you need to put your strength ? And is the forefoot competent to take that loading challenge ? Meaning, do they have a forefoot valgus? A forefoot supinatus ? These things matter. If you are a sprinter, how you load the forefoot bipod might be a variable of foot type, asymmetrical posterior compartment strength, or foot strike pattern in the frontal plane (search our blog for cross over gait and glute medius targeting strategies for step width) ,or a combination of several or all of the above. These things matter, and why and where you put your strength matters, if you are even aware of where and how you are putting the loads, and why of course. Of course, then there are people like the recent Outside online article that says how you foot strike doesn’t matter, but it does matter. But of course, if you do not know the things we have just mentioned, it is easy to write such an article.
Isometrics are useful, they have their place. In a recent podcast we discussed the place and time to use isometrics, isotonics, eccentrics and concentrics.
One of the goals in a tendinopathy is to restore the tendon stiffness. Isometrics are a safe way to load the muscle tendon complex without engaging a movement that might have to go through a painful arc of movement. With isometrics here is neurologic overspill into the painful arc without having to actually go there.
The key seems to be load. More load seems to get most people further along. Remember, the tendon is often problematic because it is inflammed and cannot provide a stiffness across its expanse. Heavy isometric loading seems to be a huge key for most cases. But, we have to say it here, not everyone fits this mold. Some tendons, in some people, will respond better to eccentrics, and strangely enough, some cases like stretching (perhaps because this is a subset of an eccentric it seems or because there is a range of motion issue in the joint that is a subset of the problem). Now the literature suggests that stretching is foolish, but each case is unique all in its own way, and finding what works for a client is their medicine, regardless of what the literature and research says.
Finding the right load for a given tendon and a right frequency of loading and duraction of loading is also case by case specific. Part of finding the right loading position is a discovery process as well, as noted in the photos above. Finding the fascicles you want to load, and the ones you do not want to load (painful) can be a challenging discovery process for you and your client. Finding the right slice of the pie to load, and the ones not to load takes experimentation. When it is the achilles complex, finding the safe However, if one is looking for a rough template to build from, brief, often, heavy painfree loads is a good template recipe to start with.
Here, in this Geremia et al article, "ultrasound was used to determine Achilles tendon cross-sectional area (CSA), length and elongation as a function of plantar flexion torque during voluntary plantar flexion."
They discovered that, "At the end of the training program, maximum isometric force had increased by 49% and tendon CSA by 17%, but tendon length, maximal tendon elongation and maximal strain were unchanged. Hence, tendon stiffness had increased by 82%, and so had Young’s modulus, by 86%.
Effects of high loading by eccentric triceps surae training on Achilles tendon properties in humans. Jeam Marcel Geremia, Bruno Manfredini Baroni, Maarten Frank Bobbert, Rodrigo Rico Bini, Fabio Juner Lanferdini, Marco Aurélio Vaz
European Journal of Applied Physiology
August 2018, Volume 118, Issue 8, pp 1725–1736

Flip flops

Flip-flop mechanics are different…

Wearing flip-flops, or open back footwear, changes how we walk. There is increased long flexor tone, often an increased ankle dorsiflexion angle during swing phase, often times increased knee flexion among many other things. The biggest problem is the loss of ankle rocker…

Want to know more? Join us on our monthly “third Wednesdays“ online seminar: biomechanics 329 on onlineCE.com, Tomorrow, September 16 at six mountain time

#flipflops #openbackfootwear #anklerocker #flexortone #gait #gaitanalysis ##thegaitguys 

Can you say Forefoot Adductus?

-Take a look at these tootsies. Draw an imaginary lines for the center of the hill: this should normally pass up through the foot either through the second metatarsal or between the second and third. Can you see how the foot is somewhat banana shaped?

– This is also called metatarsus adductus. The deformity is at the apex of the tarsal/metatarsal joint, also known as Lisfranc joint. The fifth metatarsal base is often prominent in the foot is convex in shape with a higher arch.

-This is usually caused by intrauterine positioning and if caught early will usually spontaneously resolve. Since this gal is over 34, that’s probably not her reality. It is interesting to note that along with this congenital deformity, hip dysplasia and internal tibial torsion (which she has) are extremely common.

– Gait abnormalities seen with this include a decreased progression angle, and a propulsive gait often secondary to poor intrinsic function of the foot musculature

#forefoot #forefootadductus #adductus #foot #footproblem #gait #clinicalexam #thegaitguys 

Podcast 164: Foot placement challenges, vestibular issues & spatial orientation.

Podcast 164:  Foot placement challenges, vestibular issues & spatial orientation.

This podcast is way more interesting than the title !

join us each month on the Masterclass in Gait

https://www.patreon.com/thegaitguys

Join at the $40 monthly level and get the masterclass each month, bonus material and the detailed monthly content we only share on Patreon.

The Masterclass is a formal LIVE presentation of slides, videos, demos, deep dives on topics you will not hear anywhere but here ! We hit the gait, biomechanics, neurology and orthopedics of all of the gait topics we present. This is not for the weak and timid, this is the deep dive you have been waiting for. Join us while we turn our normal 50 minute presentations into 3.5 hours on a regular basis ! The 40$ Patreon level will give you the Masterclass and also get you the $20, $10, and 5$ Patreon level content. What a deal ! It will not be here forever so lock in now !

Or, you can get less for your money (why would you do that?) and just buy our Monthly $40 Masterclass at our VIMEO on demand page: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/thegaitmasterclass


Links to find the podcast:
Look for us on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Podbean, PlayerFM, RADIO and more.
Just Google "the gait guys podcast".
_______________________________________________________________________________
Our Websites:
www.thegaitguys.com
Find Exclusive content at: https://www.patreon.com/thegaitguys
doctorallen.co
summitchiroandrehab.com
shawnallen.net

Our website is all you need to remember. Everything you want, need and wish for is right there on the site.
Interested in our stuff ? Want to buy some of our lectures or our National Shoe Fit program? Click here (thegaitguys.com or thegaitguys.tumblr.com) and you will come to our websites. In the tabs, you will find tabs for STORE, SEMINARS, BOOK etc. We also lecture every 3rd Wednesday of the month on onlineCE.com. We have an extensive catalogued library of our courses there, you can take them any time for a nominal fee (~$20).

Our podcast is on iTunes and just about every other podcast harbor site, just google "the gait guys podcast", you will find us.

Where to find us, the podcast Links:
Apple podcasts:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-gait-guys-podcast/id559864138?mt=2

Google Play:

https://play.google.com/music/m/Icdfyphojzy3drj2tsxaxuadiue?t=The_Gait_Guys_Podcast

https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/thegaitguys/Pod_164_was_pod_162_May_25_-_81520_6.20_PM.mp3

https://thegaitguys.libsyn.com/foot-placement-challenges-vestibular-issues-spatial-orientation

https://directory.libsyn.com/episode/index/id/15625700

Podcast 163: The hip and foot talk to each other. A research paper.

You cannot miss this mini-podcast. It is an excerpt from our Masterclass program. Come join us monthly on the Masterclass at for the monthly Masterclass installment hour.

https://www.patreon.com/thegaitguys

Formal presentations, slides, videos, demos, deep dives on topics you will not hear anywhere but here ! We hit the gait, biomechanics, neurology and orthopedics of all of the gait topics we present. This is not for the weak and timid, this is the deep dive you have been waiting for. Join us while we turn our normal 50 minute presentations into 3.5 hours on a regular basis ! The 40$ Patreon level will give you 50% off the Masterclass and also get you the $20, $10, and 5$ Patreon level content. What a deal ! It will not be here forever so lock in now !

Or, you can get less for your money (why would you do that?) and just buy our Monthly Masterclass at our VIMEO page: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/thegaitmasterclass


Links to find the podcast:
Look for us on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Podbean, PlayerFM, RADIO and more.
Just Google "the gait guys podcast".
_______________________________________________________________________________
Our Websites:
www.thegaitguys.com
Find Exclusive content at: https://www.patreon.com/thegaitguys
doctorallen.co
summitchiroandrehab.com
shawnallen.net

Our website is all you need to remember. Everything you want, need and wish for is right there on the site.
Interested in our stuff ? Want to buy some of our lectures or our National Shoe Fit program? Click here (thegaitguys.com or thegaitguys.tumblr.com) and you will come to our websites. In the tabs, you will find tabs for STORE, SEMINARS, BOOK etc. We also lecture every 3rd Wednesday of the month on onlineCE.com. We have an extensive catalogued library of our courses there, you can take them any time for a nominal fee (~$20).

Our podcast is on iTunes and just about every other podcast harbor site, just google "the gait guys podcast", you will find us.

Where to find us, the podcast Links:
Apple podcasts:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-gait-guys-podcast/id559864138?mt=2

Google Play:

https://play.google.com/music/m/Icdfyphojzy3drj2tsxaxuadiue?t=The_Gait_Guys_Podcast

Other locations:

https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/thegaitguys/163_mini_pod_peronei_-_8120_12.01_PM.mp3

https://thegaitguys.libsyn.com/the-hip-and-foot-talk-to-eachother-really-a-research-paper

https://directory.libsyn.com/episode/index/id/15439292

Today's article link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32717719/

Podcast 162: Climbing and gait

Podcast Guest today: Dr. Nick Hedges from Summit Chiropractic and Rehab summitchiroandrehab.com

*The Masterclass in Gait, with the Gait Guys

join us monthly at: https://www.patreon.com/thegaitguys for the monthly Masterclass installment hour. Formal presentations, slides, videos, demos, deep dives on topics you will not hear anywhere but here ! We hit the gait, biomechanics, neurology and orthopedics of all of the gait topics we present. This is not for the weak and timid, this is the deep dive you have been waiting for. Join us while we turn our normal 50 minute presentations into 3.5 hours on a regular basis ! The 40$ Patreon level will give you 50% off the Masterclass and also get you the $20, $10, and 5$ Patreon level content. What a deal ! It will not be here forever so lock in now !

Or, you can get less for your money and just buy our Monthly Masterclass at our VIMEO page: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/thegaitmasterclass


Links to find the podcast:
Look for us on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Podbean, PlayerFM, RADIO and more.
Just Google "the gait guys podcast".
_______________________________________________________________________________
Our Websites:
www.thegaitguys.com
Find Exclusive content at: https://www.patreon.com/thegaitguys
doctorallen.co
summitchiroandrehab.com
shawnallen.net

Our website is all you need to remember. Everything you want, need and wish for is right there on the site.
Interested in our stuff ? Want to buy some of our lectures or our National Shoe Fit program? Click here (thegaitguys.com or thegaitguys.tumblr.com) and you will come to our websites. In the tabs, you will find tabs for STORE, SEMINARS, BOOK etc. We also lecture every 3rd Wednesday of the month on onlineCE.com. We have an extensive catalogued library of our courses there, you can take them any time for a nominal fee (~$20).

Our podcast is on iTunes and just about every other podcast harbor site, just google "the gait guys podcast", you will find us.

Where to find us, the podcast Links:
Apple podcasts:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-gait-guys-podcast/id559864138?mt=2

Google Play:
https://play.google.com/music/m/Icdfyphojzy3drj2tsxaxuadiue?t=The_Gait_Guys_Podcast

Links to find today's show:
https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/thegaitguys/pod_161_Climbing_final_-_72620_5.40_PM.mp3

https://thegaitguys.libsyn.com/gait-and-rock-climbing

https://directory.libsyn.com/episode/index/id/15367754

Podcast 160. Masterclass in Gait #2: VIMEO Q & A Podcast

Patreon and Masterclass:  https://www.patreon.com/thegaitguys

join us at the 40$ level,

VIMEO on demand (pssst, the 40$ patreon level is a better deal  !)

https://vimeo.com/ondemand/thegaitmasterclass

*The Masterclass in Gait, with the Gait Guys join us monthly at: https://www.patreon.com/thegaitguys for the monthly Masterclass installment hour. Formal presentations, slides, videos, demos, deep dives on topics you will not hear anywhere but here ! We hit gait, biomechanics, neurology and orthopedics of all of the gait topics we present. This is not for the weak and timid, this is the deep dive you have been waiting for. Join us while we turn our normal 50 minute presentations into 3.5 hours on a regular basis !

The 40$ Patreon level will give you the best deal on the Masterclass and also get you the $20, $10, and 5$ Patreon level content. What a deal ! It will not be here forever so lock in now ! Note, the 40$ Patreon level gets you more Masterclass content than the $40 VIMEO purchases.
Links to find the podcast:
Look for us on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Podbean, PlayerFM, RADIO and more.
Just Google "the gait guys podcast".
_______________________________________________________________________________
Our Websites:
www.thegaitguys.com
Find Exclusive content at: https://www.patreon.com/thegaitguys
doctorallen.co
summitchiroandrehab.com
shawnallen.net

Our website is all you need to remember. Everything you want, need and wish for is right there on the site.
Interested in our stuff ? Want to buy some of our lectures or our National Shoe Fit program? Click here (thegaitguys.com or thegaitguys.tumblr.com) and you will come to our websites. In the tabs, you will find tabs for STORE, SEMINARS, BOOK etc. We also lecture every 3rd Wednesday of the month on onlineCE.com. We have an extensive catalogued library of our courses there, you can take them any time for a nominal fee (~$20).

Our podcast is on iTunes and just about every other podcast harbor site, just google "the gait guys podcast", you will find us.

Where to find us, the podcast Links:
Apple podcasts:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-gait-guys-podcast/id559864138?mt=2
Google Play:
https://play.google.com/music/m/Icdfyphojzy3drj2tsxaxuadiue?t=The_Gait_Guys_Podcast

Links to today's show:

http://traffic.libsyn.com/thegaitguys/pod_160_april._14_-_42620.mp3

http://thegaitguys.libsyn.com/masterclass-in-gait-vimeo-q-a-podcast

http://directory.libsyn.com/episode/index/id/14157119

Podcast 159: Accelerating body mass, foot intrinsic thickness, ADHD gait and more !

Patreon and Masterclass:  https://www.patreon.com/thegaitguys

join us at the 40$ level,

VIMEO on demand (pssst, the 40$ patreon level is a better deal  !)

https://vimeo.com/ondemand/thegaitmasterclass

*The Masterclass in Gait, with the Gait Guys join us monthly at: https://www.patreon.com/thegaitguys for the monthly Masterclass installment hour. Formal presentations, slides, videos, demos, deep dives on topics you will not hear anywhere but here ! We hit gait, biomechanics, neurology and orthopedics of all of the gait topics we present. This is not for the weak and timid, this is the deep dive you have been waiting for. Join us while we turn our normal 50 minute presentations into 3.5 hours on a regular basis !

The 40$ Patreon level will give you the best deal on the Masterclass and also get you the $20, $10, and 5$ Patreon level content. What a deal ! It will not be here forever so lock in now ! Note, the 40$ Patreon level gets you more Masterclass content than the $40 VIMEO purchases.
Links to find the podcast:
Look for us on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Podbean, PlayerFM, RADIO and more.
Just Google "the gait guys podcast".
_______________________________________________________________________________
Our Websites:
www.thegaitguys.com
Find Exclusive content at: https://www.patreon.com/thegaitguys
doctorallen.co
summitchiroandrehab.com
shawnallen.net

Our website is all you need to remember. Everything you want, need and wish for is right there on the site.
Interested in our stuff ? Want to buy some of our lectures or our National Shoe Fit program? Click here (thegaitguys.com or thegaitguys.tumblr.com) and you will come to our websites. In the tabs, you will find tabs for STORE, SEMINARS, BOOK etc. We also lecture every 3rd Wednesday of the month on onlineCE.com. We have an extensive catalogued library of our courses there, you can take them any time for a nominal fee (~$20).

Our podcast is on iTunes and just about every other podcast harbor site, just google "the gait guys podcast", you will find us.

Where to find us, the podcast Links:
Apple podcasts:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-gait-guys-podcast/id559864138?mt=2
Google Play:
https://play.google.com/music/m/Icdfyphojzy3drj2tsxaxuadiue?t=The_Gait_Guys_Podcast

Links to today's show:

http://traffic.libsyn.com/thegaitguys/pod_159_april_5_-_42620.mp3

http://thegaitguys.libsyn.com/accelerating-body-mass-foot-intrinsic-thickness-adhd-gait-and-more

http://directory.libsyn.com/episode/index/id/14155346

Show notes:

Gait Posture. 2020 Feb 20;78:54-59. doi: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2020.02.014. [Epub ahead of print]

Muscle capacity to accelerate the body during gait varies with foot position in cerebral palsy.
Hegarty AK1, Kurz MJ2, Stuberg W2, Silverman AK3.

J Sport Rehabil. 2020 Mar 31:1-9. doi: 10.1123/jsr.2019-0211. [Epub ahead of print]
Effects of a 4-Week Short-Foot Exercise Program on Gait Characteristics in Patients With Stage II Posterior Tibial Tendon Dysfunction.
Kim J, Lee SC, Chun Y, Jun HP, Seegmiller JG, Kim KM, Lee SY.

Hum Mov Sci. 2020 Apr;70:102584. doi: 10.1016/j.humov.2020.102584. Epub 2020 Feb 8.
Gait control in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.
Simmons RW1, Taggart TC2, Thomas JD3, Mattson SN3, Riley EP3.

Gait Posture. 2020 Mar 17;78:30-34. doi: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2020.03.009. [Epub ahead of print]
Navicular drop is negatively associated with flexor hallucis brevis thickness in community-dwelling older adults.
Fukumoto Y1, Asai T2, Ichikawa M3, Kusumi H3, Kubo H4, Oka T5, Kasuya A6.

Front Pediatr. 2020 Feb 28;8:75. doi: 10.3389/fped.2020.00075. eCollection 2020.
Effects of Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy on Ankle Joint Function in Patients With Cerebral Palsy.
Ates F1, Brandenburg JE2,3,4, Kaufman KR1.

Gait Posture. 2020 Mar 4;78:26-29. doi: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2020.03.003. [Epub ahead of print]
Higher visual reliance during single-leg balance bilaterally occurring following acute lateral ankle sprain: A potential central mechanism of bilateral sensorimotor deficits.
Kim KM1.

Pod #158: Gait and COVID-19, Motor Learning, Shoes and Injuries

People Suddenly falling down who have COVID-19? We got to thinking, that more neurologic, isn't it?

*The Masterclass in Gait, with the Gait Guys join us monthly at: https://www.patreon.com/thegaitguys for the monthly Masterclass installment hour. Formal presentations, slides, videos, demos, deep dives on topics you will not hear anywhere but here ! We hit the gait, biomechanics, neurology and orthopedics of all of the gait topics we present. This is not for the weak and timid, this is the deep dive you have been waiting for. Join us while we turn our normal 50 minute presentations into 3.5 hours on a regular basis !

The 40$ Patreon level will give you 50% off the Masterclass and also get you the $20, $10, and 5$ Patreon level content. What a deal ! It will not be here forever so lock in now !
Links to find the podcast:
Look for us on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Podbean, PlayerFM, RADIO and more.
Just Google "the gait guys podcast".
_______________________________________________________________________________
Our Websites:
www.thegaitguys.com
Find Exclusive content at: https://www.patreon.com/thegaitguys
doctorallen.co
summitchiroandrehab.com
shawnallen.net

Our website is all you need to remember. Everything you want, need and wish for is right there on the site.
Interested in our stuff ? Want to buy some of our lectures or our National Shoe Fit program? Click here (thegaitguys.com or thegaitguys.tumblr.com) and you will come to our websites. In the tabs, you will find tabs for STORE, SEMINARS, BOOK etc. We also lecture every 3rd Wednesday of the month on onlineCE.com. We have an extensive catalogued library of our courses there, you can take them any time for a nominal fee (~$20).

Our podcast is on iTunes and just about every other podcast harbor site, just google "the gait guys podcast", you will find us.

Where to find us, the podcast Links:
Apple podcasts:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-gait-guys-podcast/id559864138?mt=2

Google Play:
https://play.google.com/music/m/Icdfyphojzy3drj2tsxaxuadiue?t=The_Gait_Guys_Podcast

Links to today's show:

http://traffic.libsyn.com/thegaitguys/pod_158__32420.mp3

http://thegaitguys.libsyn.com/gait-and-covid-19-motor-learning-shoes-and-injuries

http://directory.libsyn.com/episode/index/id/13682240

1.Current frameworks on running-related injury (RRI) aetiology emphasize the relation between exposure to training load, internal tissue loads, and tissue capacity; with tissue load exceeding its capacity being the key biological mechanism in the development of RRI. Despite this, . . .

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/19424280.2020.1734869?journalCode=tfws20#.Xl5ejXBuHqI.twitter

2.Systematic Review of the Role of Footwear Constructions in Running Biomechanics: Implications for Running-Related Injury and Performance. Xiaole Sun et al.
https://www.jssm.org/volume19/iss1/cap/jssm-19-20.pdf

3.The neuroinvasive potential of SARS‐CoV2 may play a rolein the respiratory failure of COVID‐19 patientshttps://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/jmv.25728
"The entry ofSARS‐CoV into human host cells is mediated mainly by a cellularreceptor angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), which is ex-pressed in human airway epithelia, lung parenchyma, vascular endothelia, kidney cells, and small intestine cells."
"Additionally, some patients withCOVID‐19 also showed neurologic signs, such as headache, nausea, and vomiting. Increasing evidence shows that coronaviruses are not always confined to the respiratory tract and that they may also invade the central nervous system inducing neurological diseases. The infection of SARS‐CoV has been reported in the brains from both patients and experimental animals, where the brainstem was heavily infected. (Experimental studies using transgenic mice revealed that either SARS‐CoV34or MERS‐COV,13when given in-tranasally, could enter the brain,possibly via the olfactory nerves,and thereafter rapidly spread to some specific brain areas including thalamus and brainstem)
Furthermore, some coronaviruses have been demonstrated able to spread via a synapse‐connected route to the medullary cardiorespiratory center from the mechanoreceptors and chemoreceptors in the lung and lower respiratory airways.
*increasing evidenceshows that CoVs may first invade peripheral nerve terminals, and then gain access to the CNS via a synapse‐connected route"

4.Motor Learning
https://journals.lww.com/acsm-essr/Fulltext/2013/01000/Changing_Up_the_Routine___Intervention_Induced.10.aspx

5.Ahead of the curve in the evolution of human feet

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-00472-z

Gait Ataxia, Foot Strength & Glute medius tears

Links to find the podcast:
Look for us on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Podbean, PlayerFM, RADIO and more.
Just Google "the gait guys podcast".

Our Websites:
www.thegaitguys.com
Find Exclusive content at: https://www.patreon.com/thegaitguys
doctorallen.co
summitchiroandrehab.com
shawnallen.net

Our website is all you need to remember. Everything you want, need and wish for is right there on the site.
Interested in our stuff ? Want to buy some of our lectures or our National Shoe Fit program? Click here (thegaitguys.com or thegaitguys.tumblr.com) and you will come to our websites. In the tabs, you will find tabs for STORE, SEMINARS, BOOK etc. We also lecture every 3rd Wednesday of the month on onlineCE.com. We have an extensive catalogued library of our courses there, you can take them any time for a nominal fee (~$20).

Our podcast is on iTunes and just about every other podcast harbor site, just google "the gait guys podcast", you will find us.

Where to find us, the podcast Links:
Apple podcasts:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-gait-guys-podcast/id559864138?mt=2

Google Play:
https://play.google.com/music/m/Icdfyphojzy3drj2tsxaxuadiue?t=The_Gait_Guys_Podcast

Links to today's show:
http://traffic.libsyn.com/thegaitguys/pod_Feb_7_2020_-_22920_8.26_AM.mp3

http://thegaitguys.libsyn.com/gat-ataxia-foot-strength-glute-medius-tears

http://directory.libsyn.com/episode/index/id/13350479

SPG7 mutations are a common cause of undiagnosed ataxia
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4371411/

Effects of a foot strengthening program on foot muscle morphology and running mechanics: A proof-of-concept, single-blind randomized controlled trial. Ulisses T.Taddei,  Alessandra B.Matias,  Fernanda I.A.Ribeiro, Sicco A.Bus, Isabel C.N.Sacco. Physical Therapy in Sport
Volume 42, March 2020, Pages 107-115
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1466853X19304687
Effect of an 8 week foot intrinsics muscle strength program:

Jill Cook (@ProfJillCook)
11/10/19, 12:14 AM
⁦‪@BRoe28‬⁩ ⁦‪@Bill_Vicenzino‬⁩ ⁦‪@MuscleScience‬⁩ ⁦‪@jongumucio‬⁩ New study by Docking et al shows both US and MR cannot pick a partial tear from tendon pathology (glut med tendon)
Partial tears over-diagnosed and over-treated
Treat as tendinopathy and LOAD them


Paul Hough (@the_hough)
10/29/19, 12:45 PM
⬆️ in muscle force after 4 weeks of strength training is mediated by neural adaptations (motor unit recruitment & rate coding)
https://physoc.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1113/JP277250
The increase in muscle forceafter 4 weeks of strength training is mediated by adaptations in motor unit recruitment and rate coding.Journal of physiology,  Feb 2019
Alessandro Del Vecchio, Andrea Casolo, Francesco Negro, Matteo Scorcelletti et al


The role of the width of the forefoot in the development of Morton's neuroma
Park Y,  Jeong S,  Choi G  , Kim H
Bone and Joint Journal-3-99B (2017)

Podcast 156: Round 2, Coach Mike Lucchesi: Olympic Trials 2020 Atlanta.

We talk all things training again, a deeper dive follow up to podcast 152 with Coach. Listen to that one as well. Your training will thank you.

Links:

https://www.secondcitytc.com/
www.thegaitguys.com
www.shawnallen.net
www.doctorallen.co

Links to find the podcast:
Look for us on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Podbean, PlayerFM, RADIO and more.
Just Google "the gait guys podcast".

Our Websites:
www.thegaitguys.com
Find Exclusive content at: https://www.patreon.com/thegaitguys
doctorallen.co
summitchiroandrehab.com
shawnallen.net

Our website is all you need to remember. Everything you want, need and wish for is right there on the site.
Interested in our stuff ? Want to buy some of our lectures or our National Shoe Fit program? Click here (thegaitguys.com or thegaitguys.tumblr.com) and you will come to our websites. In the tabs, you will find tabs for STORE, SEMINARS, BOOK etc. We also lecture every 3rd Wednesday of the month on onlineCE.com. We have an extensive catalogued library of our courses there, you can take them any time for a nominal fee (~$20).

Our podcast is on iTunes and just about every other podcast harbor site, just google "the gait guys podcast", you will find us.

Where to find us, the podcast Links:
Apple podcasts:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-gait-guys-podcast/id559864138?mt=2

Google Play:
https://play.google.com/music/m/Icdfyphojzy3drj2tsxaxuadiue?t=The_Gait_Guys_Podcast

other links for today's show:

http://traffic.libsyn.com/thegaitguys/pod_mikeL2_feb21220Final.mp3
http://thegaitguys.libsyn.com/round-2-coach-mike-lucchesi-olympic-trials-2020-atlanta
http://directory.libsyn.com/episode/index/id/13123520

https://www.secondcitytc.com/
thegaitguys.com
shawnallen.net
doctorallen.co

Mini Podcast, 155: Biomechanics & Shoe foam with Coach Mike Lucchesi

Mini Pod: Biomechanics, Shoe foam with Coach Mike Lucchesi of Second City Track Club

155. Mini  Pod: Biomechanics, Shoe foam with Coach Mike Lucchesi from SCTC, Second City  Track  Club.  This is a conversation we had as we get read to send Coach and 9 of his runners  down  to  Atlanta for  the Olympic trials in a few weeks.

http://traffic.libsyn.com/thegaitguys/minipod_mikeL_biomechanics_-_21120.mp3

http://thegaitguys.libsyn.com/mini-pod-biomechanics-shoe-foam-with-coach-mike

MasterClass in Gait: Part Zero: The Gait Guys Way

Video Link

The Masterclass: The Gait Guys Way

As promised, a live hour with us, some  structured, some loose and conceptual, but it is our way.  This is part zero, free to everyone.  Part 1 will be recorded in the next 2 weeks. Those classes will be pay per view.  This will be at the least a dozen classed, probably 2 or 3 dozen, we have a lot to teach you.

We  are, as of yet, undecided as to the cost, what Patreon levels get this for free  (likely the 50$ per month). We may  (likely will) parse out big pieces and portions to the 20$ folks for free, included in their monthly donation.   But, do not hold us to this, we are undecided, but we did not want to hold back part ZERO, the rough intro so you can get a feel for us, and the material we are going to teach.   Remember, there will only be 100 live seats when we go live (likely Wednesday nights, or Friday late afternoons Central time), and Patreon folks will get first dibs to fill seats, so check in regularly, we will post a TEXT notification here and give a weeks notice.  For those who cannot get into the LIVE class where we will take LIVE real time questions, just like in a classroom, we will record the classes and harbour them on a service like youtube or vimeo behind a pay wall. You can always take our classes for CEU/CE over on onlineCE.com but these Masterclasses will be far far deeper in content, discussion, case demos, deep dives and open ended discussions.

Until then, enjoy.

Stay tuned !

*video link is above

shawn and ivo

The funny problem with the stairs at Brooklyn’s 36th Street subway. Why we trip..

The funny problem with the stairs at Brooklyn’s 36th Street subway. Why we trip..

At Brooklyn’s 36th Street subway stop, one of the steps is slightly higher than the others. Stairs have a standardized Rise and Run and when this is altered, specifically the Rise, funny things happen. Filmmaker Dean Peterson set up his camera to capture the stumbles and the video can be seen here http://vimeo.com/44807536 and above on our blog.

The dangerous step, it turns out (which has since this video been repaired), is apparently a half-inch higher than the others. Stairway design guidelines vary within a small range. Guidelines call for risers to be a minimum of 6 inches and a maximum of 7 ¾ inches. The allowable variance between steps is 3/8 of an inch depending on the source you seek.

(The general rule (in the US) is 7-11 (a 7 inch rise and 11 inch run). More exactly, 7 ¾ rise and an 11 ½ inch run, although some people will use a run of as little as 9 inches.)

This is a perfect example of how sensitive and predictive the human body is with all of its amazing joint position sense receptors. But there is more to it than a simple step height differential. Read on.

There are multiple demands that stairs place on the neuro-musculoskeletal system. There are needs for input from the somatosensory, visual, and vestibular systems at various stages in the task. Some of these collaborating systems deteriorate with the aging process making the failure of stair negotiation a legitimate risk for the elderly or those that are handicapped in one of the 3 primary systems noted above. Studies (see references below) strongly link impairments in the visual system to safe stair negotiations. The Buckley study found that the mediolateral balance during stepping up and down stairs (single limb support stability) was significantly reduced (especially stepping down) by blurred vision highlighting the critical necessity of vision in stepping dynamics. Hence, one must be aware of people traffic on steps, if a stairway is dense with traffic the ability to gain the visual cues of the successive stairs is paramount. The next time you are in a school or subway stairwell notice the undercurrent of your discomfort may be from the inability to see enough steps in front of you. Letting the person ahead of you clear some distance is a must, especially if you are vision impaired, elderly, wearing dark tinted glasses or are without the ability to use other cues such as railings (ie. adding a tactile feedback system to satisfy the impairment of visual cues).

There are other user created impairments that we may be unaware of consciously. In the Miyasike-daSilva study it was determined that as participants approached and walked stairs, gaze was within 4 steps ahead of their location indicating that individuals often rely on spatial cues from prior experience or from other visual cues to obtain the necessary information from the environment. Thus, one must be careful carrying something such as a baby, groceries or laundry basket in front of you thus impairing the lower visual field. We have all carried something up or especially downstairs and either thought we were on the last step or found we had one more to go and found ourselves either stumbling forward or hyperextending our knee as we lurch down onto the unexpected step. In the video you will see a great example of this forward catch as one of the ladies is carrying a baby in front of her, luckily she makes the correct saving motor choice. Being able to plan/control landing mechanics are significantly different when the visual system is locked out or impaired from stepping tasks. Timmis found that the contribution of information from the lower visual field of gaze in controlling the landing strategy occurs predominantly prior to or during movement initiation of the foot and limb and that ‘online’ or immediate vision is used only in the latter portion of the descent phase to fine tune the step landing. Buckley found that under visual impairments subjects used the cautious strategy of keeping their weight back on the trail limb longer making weight transfer noncommittal affording the time necessary for the lead limb to fish around for the next step.

There is so much involved in negotiating stairs and steps, even level ground walking. There are many cues we have learned to subconsciously glean information from. Sadly, when we begin to age and lose proprioceptive or visual information things begin to fall apart. The system is so sensitive and intuitive. This is why when someone changes the ground level, or the height of a step as in this video, the system fails even the best of us who have all of our faculties about us. And, we learn more about gravity at that moment than we wish to learn.

Shawn and Ivo, The Gait Guys

References:

1. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2000 May;48(5):567-80. Startzell JK,Owens DA , Mulfinger LM, Cavanagh PR .Stair negotiation in older people: a review.

2. Gait Posture. 2005 Oct;22(2):146-53.Buckley JG,Heasley K,Scally A,Elliott DB.The effects of blurring vision on medio-lateral balance during stepping up or down to a new level in the elderly.

3. Exp Brain Res. 2009 May;195(2):219-27. Epub 2009 Mar 31.Timmis MA,Bennett SJ,Buckley JG .Visuomotor control of step descent: evidence of specialised role of the lower visual field.

4. Exp Brain Res. 2008 Jan;184(2):223-32. Epub 2007 Aug 29.Buckley JG,MacLellan MJ,Tucker MW,Scally AJ,Bennett SJ.Visual guidance of landing behaviour when stepping down to a new level.

5. Exp Brain Res.2012 Sep 22. [Epub ahead of print]Shinya M,Popescu A,Marchak C,Maraj B,Pearson K.Enhancing memory of stair height by the motor experience of stepping.

6. Exp Brain Res. 2011 Mar;209(1):73-83. Epub 2010 Dec 25.Miyasike-daSilva V,Allard F,McIlroy WE .Where do we look when we walk on stairs? Gaze behaviour on stairs, transitions, and handrails.

7. PLoS One.2012;7(9):e44722. Epub 2012 Sep 6.Does it really matter where you look when walking on stairs? Insights from a dual-task study. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22970297Miyasike-Dasilva V,McIlroy WE.PMID:22970297[PubMed - in process] PMCID:PMC3435292 Free PMC Article