Massage & Bodywork

November | December 2014

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F r e e m u s i c d o w n l o a d s f o r C e r t i f i e d m e m b e r s : w w w. a b m p . c o m / g o / c e r t i f i e d c e n t r a l 99 Author's Note After two years, this is my last Science of Movement column. I want to thank my readers and editors for this great opportunity. I strongly believe that movement heals when applied from a science-based approach, and it's been a pleasure to introduce you to some of these concepts from my textbook Therapeutic Kinesiology. Please stay in touch! You can fi nd me at www.somatic-patterning.com. In the forefoot, joint neutral can be assessed by the degree of perpendicularity between the longitudinal and transverse arches. The long metatarsal bones and toes form fi ve rays that, in a standing posture, are relatively parallel to each other and are perpendicular to the transverse arches. SUPINATION AND PRONATION IN WALKING The spring mechanism in the foot works best when the joints are optimally aligned in neutral on heel strike, which allows the normal range of supination and pronation that occurs as a person rolls through the foot from heel to toe. From heel strike to toe-off, weight follows a curved pathway of pressure (Image 3). The foot supinates on heel strike while weight rolls along the lateral arch; the foot then pronates as weight spreads across the ball of the foot into a push-off with the toes. Fallen arches cause a pronation twist, medially rotating the forefoot against the midfoot and ankle. This places the joints in an open-packed position that puts tensional stresses on the soft tissues, which stretch-weakens them and compromises the spring mechanism. Clients with hyperpronated feet tend to walk with a stiff, fl at-footed gait marked by a restricted range of push-off in the toes. Try walking without bending your toes to feel how vital push-off is for a normal range of motion. It is also important to push off with all fi ve toes for optimal sagittal tracking in the foot and lower limb. This stretches the tendons and ligaments in the arches evenly, triggering refl exive contractions and elastic rebound in a balanced way. These alignment principles also apply to active or passive stretching of the ankle fl exors or extensors: as you move the joints, fl ex and extend them along a sagittal track, maintain a neutral position of the ankle between inversion or eversion, and avoid twisting the foot. Mary Ann Foster is the author of Therapeutic Kinesiology: Musculoskeletal Systems, Palpation, and Body Mechanics (Pearson Publishing, 2013). She can be contacted at mafoster@somatic-patterning.com. Exploring Technique Restoring Arches in Stiff, Flat Feet 1. Slowly and gently compress the underside of the midfoot, placing the joints and intrinsic muscles of the midfoot in a close-packed, shortened position. 2. Hold for several seconds with the intent of triggering a relaxation response in the muscles. 3. When the tone changes, apply light traction and stretch the arches. A B 3 Heel strike Toe-off (also called push-off) Curved pathway of pressure

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