Low back pain is one of the most common complaints seen by health care providers. The patient's complaints are most often vague and unrelated to any specific cause or injury. These people have often been to any number of physicians for symptomatic relief, only to find that the pain returns when therapy is terminated. One of the leading causes of low back pain, unrelated to disease or trauma, is poor posture alignment associated with gait abnormalities. The specific gait problem is hyperpronation, inward collapse of the foot. Clinically, the patient is assessed 'biomechanically' rather than 'medically' from head to toe.
The biomechanical approach focuses on the patient's posture and walking pattern. The manner in which the patient stands and walks [postural mechanics] is compared to the anatomical neutral model. This neutral model is the classic concept of "perfect posture". A straight line can be drawn from the head through the torso down through the ankle ending at the ground. The shoulders, pelvis, and ankle joints are 'level', side to side. The student of kinetics would describe the body's center of gravity as being in the anatomically correct position or, more eloquently, as being at equilibrium. Visually, the patient stands perfectly straight. As this patient walks, the same straight lines are maintained. Dynamically, the 'perfect' anatomical model has a smooth, quiet, walking pattern. There is no excessive motion, no ungainly, asymmetrical lurches.
In contrast to good postural mechanics, poor postural mechanics is ungainly, uneven, and asymmetrical. Visually, there is some degree of inward rotation of both feet. This inward collapse of the feet affects all the weight bearing joints. The knees may come closer together, the low back may appear rotated forward and the head and shoulders may shift forward with hunched shoulders. In addition, it is common to hear that the patient has been diagnosed with a leg length difference or muscular tightness. As these patients walk, they appear to limp. They walk heavy-footed. The shoulders and arms have a more limited motion and appear 'tight' with each step, this patient is putting stress through the entire musculoskeletal structure.
Feet perpendicular, knees in line and over toes, spine in line. Head should be up, neck in line with spine. Shoulders relaxed, arms should naturally fall below shoulders. For further information and instruction, please contact the Scarborough Fencing Club.
If you have a subject that you would like covered or comments, please e-mail me at gord@scarboroughfencing.on.ca.
"All For One And One For All"
Gordon Fong, Head Coach
Scarborough Fencing Club