Why Movement Matters: Application to Treating Overuse Injuries

Movement is critical to both our cognitive and physical health. As our lifestyles have become more sedentary, running has become one of the most popular ways to remain fit. Unfortunately, running injuries are common with 30-40% of runners becoming injured in a given year. With nearly 60 million Americans participating in running, this translates into a significant medical issue. The etiology of running injuries is clearly multifactorial, however, abnormal running mechanics likely play a role. Abnormal mechanics can excessively load the musculoskeletal system, and with the repetitive nature of running (1000 steps/foot/mile), lead to overuse injuries. When entering the field of biomechanics 30 years ago, there was very little known about the relationship between abnormal mechanics and running injuries. This presentation will follow a line of research that had an ultimate goal of translating biomechanics into the clinic to resolve overuse injuries associated with running. This required a systematic approach. The first step was to establish the relationship between running mechanics (both impact loading and dynamic alignment) and injuries. The next step was to develop gait retraining interventions to address these mechanics, and to determine if the mechanics can be changed. The third step was to establish whether these changes in mechanics result in a resolution of the injuries. The final step in this process, and the most rewarding, was the translation of this intervention approach into the clinic.