Tom Michaud, D.C. does a great job of breaking down the complexities of foot strike and running injuries in his new book.


http://www.amazon.com/Injury-Free-Running-Strength-Improve-Injuries-ebook/dp/B00JBF5NR0/ref=la_B007A98KWE_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1412771255&sr=1-2


Its not the same old outdated, re-hashed info that really is incorrect. I highly recommend it for runners and triathletes who want a better understanding of all the dynamics involved with the lower extremities when running.

He has also written a very comprehensive text book on Human Locomotion.

Here's an audio interview from him as well:

http://www.sportsrehabexpert.com/public/564.cfm

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Mike

Running specific strength exercises will reduce your chance of injury and probably improve your times, but you have to target the right muscle groups in the right ways. For instance if your glutes aren't activating in the correct way when you run, smaller, weaker muscles take on too much load ---> injury.

A good running strength program will build up all the gluteal muscles (weighted bridges to activiate glutes, squats on bosu ball, backslider lunges, etc.), hip strength (things like single leg deadlifts, side leg raises, etc.), hamstrings (do curls with the stability ball), and core muscles (planks, etc. there are so many of these). Really good PTs can make a progressive plan for you or you can do a bunch of research and figure out the most effective exercises for running, but don't expect that to fix everything, but it definitley can get everything tracking correctly and your muscles firing in the correct order.

At the risk of repeating what anyone else has said since I didn't have time to read the whole thread....

Your arch isn't the only part of your leg that absorbs impact. The arch of your foot, your Achilles tendon, and your quads are all natural springs in the leg. Even with collapsed arches, the other two systems can still take up the slack to a point. Running with flat feet will just work your calf and quad a little bit more. It is still physically possible to run. Besides, some people have such awful (from a purely mechanical efficiency standpoint) running form that the arch in their foot doesn't do anything anyways. Rolling heel to toe doesn't let your arch absorb impact either.

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Robert Dao
ATC Racing - Austin, TX
Gold's Gym Triathlon Coach
@speedao1
@daotraining

You know what? Same here. I have flat feet. I tried orthothics <sic>, big shoes, but they didn't prevent me from getting injured. What has prevented me from getting injured, I think, are flat shoes (I wear altras), cycling, and training more. And I'm a big girl, so by all respects, I shouldn't be able to jog/run/move at all. Clop, clop clop.

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My triathlon training blog

The entire shoe thing is so confusing. And to top it off, most shoe models totally change every year. Argh.

I did have a MC shoe for 3 years on recco of a gait analysis. Switched this year to a more stability shoe and have had my best year of running ever... so maybe MC has a place, but maybe I outgrew it.

I think I am on the flat side of things, but no pain barefoot.. so I think somehow my body makes it work

I haven't incorporated regular weightlifting into my training but I'm getting ready to start doing regular weights 3 times a week focusing on olympic style weights (squats, deadlifts, etc.).

Thanks for this post. I'm definately going to check this out.

Mythology also says that these African marathoners all run well into when they are in their 40s and 50s.....

Nothing went wrong.....but you won't be able to age gracefully (stride-wise, that is).

Some people can not accept their physical limitations and some are held back by them.
Truth is in the middle....somewhere.

kangaroos have pretty flat feet too. they get along pretty well, but they aren't heel strikers.

in terms of movement patterns, Serge Gracovetsky's "Spinal Engine" is awesome.

 

>Nothing went wrong.....but you won't be able to age gracefully (stride-wise, that is).

Why not?