SPORT SCIENCE Garrett Lucash, RFS, RM
MAKING THE CONNECTION
How Body Alignment Plays an Important Role in Performance and Injury Prevention B Y L E E C A B E L L , EDD, MFF; P AT T I L A R K I N , CO(R), C.PED.; E L L E N G E M I N I A N I , MD
Body alignment What is a proper posture? Being told to “stand up straight” may sound like a cliché, but optimal placement of the body parts is very important. Proper body alignment puts less stress on the joints and gives confidence to carry your body upright. Improving posture will likely take some time and conscious effort, and it is essential in figure skating. Correct body alignment always comes from the basic, neutral, and anatomical position where the body is divided into three cardinal planes (FIGURE 1). Alignment refers to how the head, shoulders, spine, hips, knees, and ankles relate to and line up with each other. The upper leg, lower leg, and feet should all line up in the same plane; specifically, there is a relationship between the hip, knee, and ankle joints. The feet need to be always in alignment with the knees. First, we assess the pelvis, leg, and foot alignment (FIGURE 2). During the single-leg squat assessment, the lumbo/ pelvic/hip complex, and knee and ankle should remain in a neutral position. The knee should remain in line with the foot, and the foot should be pointed straight ahead (FIGURE 2A). Every time you bend your knees, make sure they are over your toes and never let them roll inwards. Feet must never be more turned out than your knees. The hip controls the knee and the foot, and the foot informs the hip what is happening. How do we achieve this lower body alignment? First, figure skaters should focus on the correct alignment of each foot at the ankle and always hold this alignment correctly until it becomes second nature. The most common cause of figure skating injuries to the lower legs, feet, and ankles is that figure skaters fail to keep their feet and legs aligned. Even slight misalignment will cause a weakening of the joints involved and, in the end, an imbalance in the muscle groups of the lower leg. Weaknesses in the skater’s hips will always show up in the lower legs. It starts with the muscles around the hip (gluteus medius and gluteus maximus), continues through the “knocked” knee, and ends with a dropped ankle (prona-
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Figure 1
tion) (FIGURE 2B) or “knee valgus” (FIGURE 2C) The same analogy can be demonstrated on jump landings (FIGURE 3). Notice the correct hip, knee, and ankle alignment (FIGURE 3A) and the joints’ misalignment (FIGURE 3B).
Foot and ankle The ankle joint (also known as the upper ankle) serves as the articulation between the foot and leg. The ankle joint is comprised of three bones (tibia, fibula, and talus) (FIGURE 4) and is designed to absorb shock and provide proprioception (the body’s ability to know where it is in space). The ankle joint range of motion is approximately 70 degrees in plantar and dorsiflexion. Skaters need as much ankle mobility as possible to perform the explosive jump elements and to absorb shock forces. If athletes have limited ankle mobility, e.g., tight calves (tight heel cord) or their skating boots are too stiff, the ankle mobility will be restricted. This will impede progress and prevent the ankle from absorbing the shock forces imposed on the body. The foot is a complex and flexible structure making up about a quarter of the total bones found in the human body. The foot absorbs and transforms forces while maintaining whole-body stability and utilizes elastic energy for efficiency during jump take-off and landing. With 26 bones, 29 muscles, 33 joints, 100 ligaments, tendons, and a network of blood vessels, nerves, and other
