The Gait Guys on Hip Mechanics

 I am trying to strengthen my hips and straighten out my stride and mechanics after surgery for a labral tear in my hip. I have been doing PT and hearing and working on the same dysfunctions that I previously had (inward rotating knee and outward flared foot as well as post run glute medius problems), I have returned to The Gait Guys (they have moved their website) to find some interesting videos.

The first shows how to do a single leg squat as well as how not to do one (that collapsing hip and knee!).

How to (and how not to) do a single leg squat, CORRECTLY ! Here Dr. Allen has one of his elite marathon and triathletes demonstrate how to correctly and incorrectly do a single leg squat. The single leg squat can show many of the pathologic movement patterns that occur in a lunge. The single leg squat is more difficult however because it requires balance and more strength. Many people do not do the single leg squat correctly as you will see in this video. Many drop the opposite hip which means that there is an inability to control the frontal plane pelvis via the stance leg gluteus medius and the entire orchestrated abdominal core. Most folks will drop the suspended hip and pelvis and thus collapse the stance phase knee medially. This can lead to medial knee pain (tracking disorder in the beginning) , a driving of the foot arch into collapse and impingement at the hip labrum. We know that when the knee moves medially that the foot arch is under duress. This problem is often the subliminal cause of all things foot arch collapse in nature, such as plantar fascitis to name a common one. Remember, optimal gluteus medius is necessary here. And the gluteus maximus is working to eccentrically lower the pelvis through hip flexion. So, if you do not consider the gluteus maximus a hip flexor then you are mistaken. Everyone thinks of it as a powerful hip extensor and external rotator. But do not be mistaken, in the closed chain it is a powerful eccentric controller of hip flexion and internal hip rotation. We are The Gait Guys, Shawn and Ivo (visit our blog daily at http://www.thegaitguys.tumblr.com)is/ some more information that they added:

Here is some more information that they added: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2hX4qry5jY&feature=player_embedded

Now, Lets take another look from a little different perspective....


Watch carefully. Did you pick up the bunion forming on both feet (Hallux Abducto Valgus)? This tells us that this individual has a faulty foot tripod, and is not able to get the base of the first metatarsal to the ground (remember the tripod is the base of the 1st metatarsal (big toe), the base of the 5th metatarsal (little toe) and the center of the heel). As a result, the muscles which are supposed to be assisting in forming the longitudinal and transverse arches are pulling the big toe (hallux) laterally. This also means that the medial side of the tripod is collapsing and unstable. This can be seen at :05 as she descends into the squat. You will also notice that this drives the knee medially and is causing some collapse of the arch. You also see the big toe flexing to try and create some arch stability through the flexor hallucis brevis.

As Dr Allen Points out, keeping the arch stable requires core stability, muscular strength and good proprioception. It also requires adequate flexibility (ie Range of Motion) of the 1st ray complex (the proximal and distal phalynx of the great toe and the 1st metatarsal). This range of motion can be seen from :12 to :20 and again from :42 to :51

Dr. Shawn Allen of The Gait Guys discusses Gait Biomechanics again, this time pure hip biomechanics and how it applies to gait and running and compensation patterns. This is Part 1 of the Hip Biomechanics. This is essentially applied biomechanics.

In this second installment of applied hip biomechanics, Dr. Allen of The Gait Guys delves deeper into a complex topic and attempts to bring it to a level that everyone can understand and implement. Here he talks about the hip mechanics in relation to pelvic stability and gait. It is our goal to share as much of our collective 37 years of clinical experience as we can in a medium that is usable, friendly and understandable to all viewers. Thanks for taking time out of your busy lives to care about watching our videos. Shawn & Ivo, ....... The Gait Guys

I have read a lot about the mechanics of the hip, but these videos are starting to give me a clearer picture of exactly what is going on. Dr. Allen helps demonstrate the workings of the hip in an easier to understand way. Here is another set of three videos showing you how to engage your glute medius and abdominal muscles to create a pattern for correcting form patterns.

Here Dr. Shawn Allen of The Gait Guys works with elite athlete Jack Driggs to reduce a power leak in his running form. The Cross-over gait is a product of gluteus medius and abdominal weakness and leaves the runner with much frontal plane hip movement, very little separation of the knees and a "cross over" of the feet, rendering a near "tight rope" running appearance where the feet seem to land on a straight line path. In Part 2, Dr. Allen will discuss a more detailed specific method to fix this. You will see this problem in well over 50% of runners. This problem leads to injury at the hip, knee and foot levels quite frequently. To date we have not met anyone who had a good grasp on this clinical issue or a remedy quite like ours. Help us make this video go viral so we can help more runners with this problem. Forward it to your coaches, your friends, everyone. Thanks for watching our video, thanks for your time. -Dr. Shawn Allen, The Gait Guys

Here Dr. Shawn Allen of The Gait Guys further discusses this gait problem in running form. The Cross-over gait is a product of gluteus medius and abdominal weakness and leaves the runner with much frontal plane hip movement, very little separation of the knees and a "cross over" of the feet, rendering a near "tight rope" running appearance where the feet seem to land on a straight line path. In Part 2, Dr. Allen will discuss a more detailed specific method to fix this. You will see this problem in well over 50% of runners. This problem leads to injury at the hip, knee and foot levels quite frequently. To date we have not met anyone who had a good grasp on this clinical issue or a remedy quite like ours. Help us make this video go viral so we can help more runners with this problem. Forward it to your coaches, your friends, everyone.

Here Dr. Shawn Allen of The Gait Guys summarizes this gait problem in running form. The Cross-over gait is a product of gluteus medius and abdominal weakness and leaves the runner with much frontal plane hip movement, very little separation of the knees and a "cross over" of the feet, rendering a near "tight rope" running appearance where the feet seem to land on a straight line path. In Part 3, Dr. Allen will discuss a more detailed specific method to fix this. You will see this problem in well over 50% of runners. This problem leads to injury at the hip, knee and foot levels quite frequently. To date we have not met anyone who had a good grasp on this clinical issue or a remedy quite like ours. Help us make this video go viral so we can help more runners with this problem. Forward it to your coaches, your friends, everyone. Thanks for watching our video -Shawn and Ivo......The Gait Guys

Just be careful about how much work you do!





Update:
This new book from the author of The Entrepreneurial Patient blog is a must read book for anyone with hip problems and is thinking about about arthroscopic hip surgery or has had arthroscopic hip surgery for a labral tear or FAI.