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Posted by
Richard Bucciarelli,
December 19, 2012
Email Richard Bucciarelli
Richard
Bucciarellii is the President of Soccer Fitness Inc., and Fitness Coach
for the Canadian National Women’s U17 team, which will be travelling to
Guatemala in May 2012 for the CONCACAF qualification tournament of the
FIFA Women’s U17 World Cup. For more information about Richard and
Soccer Fitness, please visit www.soccerfitness.ca.
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Dartfish – Advanced Video- Based Gait Analysis – Part 2
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In Part 1 of this article, the theory and methodology behind video gait analysis was explained. Part 2 will be focused on the specific areas of the athletes’ running stride and running gait that are analyzed and given feedback on as part of our Dartfish Media Books. A short video highlighting some of this feedback will also be presented.
See also: Advanced Video-Based Gait Analysis - Part 1
Our Dartfish Advanced Video Running Gait Analysis is focused around correcting 5 specific areas of running gait. Below is a brief description of the main coaching points given regarding each of these 5 areas:
Foot and ankle position at foot-strike:
Foot-strike is the point in the athletes’ running stride when the foot hits, or strikes, the ground. Ideally, we look for an ankle position that is either neutral (toes not pointed up or down) or slightly plantar-flexed (slightly pointed down). The foot should strike the ground on the mid-foot, or the ball of the foot (not flat, and not on the heel).
Degree / angle of hip flexion:
Hip flexion happens when the athlete raises/lifts the knees, flexing the hip. The higher the knees are raised, the longer the athletes’ running stride can be through subsequent extension of the hip. In general, when running on our high speed / high incline running treadmills, we want to see athletes raise their knees to form right angles with the hip (so that the thigh is parallel to the floor).
Pelvic position during the running stride:
The position and orientation of the pelvis during the running stride is integral to the ability to flex and extend the hip and produce optimal amounts of force while running. If the pelvis is tilted either forwards or backwards, this will affect hip range of motion, and limit athletes’ stride length and potential force output. We always look to see the athletes’ pelvis in a neutral position (not tilted forwards or backwards) while running.
Angle of trunk flexion / extension:
Similar to pelvic position, trunk position plays an important role in joint range of motion throughout the running stride. A trunk which is flexed (forward lean) or extended (backward lean) too much will inhibit athletes’ ability to flex and extend the hip and knee, and thus limit stride length and force production. In general, we look for a trunk potion that is perpendicular to the floor (in a straight line) regardless of running speed or incline.
Arm swing during running stride:
Arm swing is the final piece of the running gait puzzle. Movement in the arms must be initiated at the shoulder, but there should be enough mobility to see movement (flexion and extension) in the elbow and wrist as well. One arm must move simultaneously with the opposite leg (right arm-left leg and left arm-right leg). We typically assign landmarks for the athletes’ thumbs. When the shoulder/elbow is flexed, the thumb should be in front of the chin; when the shoulder/elbow is extended, the thumb should be behind the back pocket.
Beginning in January 2013, Soccer Fitness will be offering customized Dartfish Media Books, comprising video-based running gait analysis. Featuring a detailed analysis of the athlete’s running stride, including foot position, stride length, angles of joint movement, hip position, and arm swing, the Dartfish Media Book is an ideal tool for any athlete looking to correct muscular imbalances and improve their running coordination and efficiency. For more information about Soccer Fitness and Dartfish Video-Based Gait Analysis.
For more information about Richard, Soccer Fitness and Dartfish Video-Based Gait Analysis, please
visit www.soccerfitness.ca
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