The feet are our only point of support against the ground. And the way the foot is supported is so important that it has a direct effect on other muscular structures and our body.
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A bad way of stepping can cause discomfort and injuries to the foot itself (such as metatarsalgia or ).
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But it can also be the cause of injuries to other joint structures such as the knees or hips.
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And there is also a direct relationship between the way the foot is placed on the ground and the muscles of the leg (Achilles tendon, gastrocnemius, soleus or hamstrings).
plantar fasciitis
As one of the directors of the , doctor Jose Victor Alfaroa podiatrist specializing in biomechanics of the lower limb and responsible in this field for Real Madrid and collaborator of the Olympic and Paralympic Committee, on the sole of the foot there is an elastic band that we call the plantar fascia.
It runs from the heel bone (the calcaneus) to the metatarsal heads (the area before the toes).
This structure tightens with each step we take and in turn works as an “energy store” that helps propel us forward with each step.
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“When the way of stepping or the shape of our foot is not correct, an increase in tension can be generated in that structure that gives rise to one of the most frequent pathologies that we see in the consultation, the (which usually occurs with pain in heel)”.
Types of tread: differences
This specialist in taking care of the footprint of all types of people and athletes, attending to the particular needs of each one of them, warns that our feet will support between 2 and 4 times our weight in each step we take.
“In athletes, it is even more important, if possible, to take care of the footprint, since it is a gesture that will be performed thousands of times.”
Regarding the types of tread, it has traditionally been classified as:
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Tread neutral
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Tread pronator (when the feet tend to move the load inwards, i.e. to flatten)
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Tread supinator (the displacement of the load of the foot is towards the external zone).
According to the expert, in reality, this classification is commonly used as a commercial argument for the sale of shoes, but it is very important that we understand that all runners supinate at the first moment of the step and pronate afterwards. That is to say, that they are two normal movements if they occur at the moment that they have to be produced.
According to Víctor Alfaro, when supination or pronation is excessive, it is when we have to take measures and that is when, on many occasions, it is necessary to regulate the footprint using a personalized insole. “Our methodology allows us to give each insole the right degree of elasticity that each patient requires with the aim of improving their sports performance and preventing injuries.”
Injury prevention and improvement of sports performance
To take care of the footprint of any person or amateur or professional athlete, Olympia has the latest technology to accurately diagnose whether the way you step may be related to a present or future injury.
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“The most important thing is to carry out a correct biomechanical analysis of the footprint, both walking and running, in the case of athletes, since it allows us to know and prevent possible foot pathologies and injuries”, explains Dr. Víctor Alfaro.