Conor Harris Profile picture
Sep 3, 2020 8 tweets 3 min read Read on X
A thread on how mechanics in the foot drives action at the hips

The body is made to interact & react with the ground.

Extension at the knee and hip is cued in the lower body when the foot arch falls/pronates & the supinator muscles are stretched (Neumann, 2010). Image
As Gary Ward says, joints act & muscles react. A stretch on a muscle will trigger it to contract.

The stretch places elastic recoil on the supinator muscles which then spring the foot back into supination upon toe-off in running and gait.

This also allows for a nice reaction Image
up the chain that causes extension at the knee and hip.

However, if the foot is excessively pronated, the supinator muscles are constantly placed on a “stretched” position. This limits them from being able to sense the stretch needed to then spring the foot into supination. Image
This can have all sorts of implications.

For example, research suggests that a pronated foot can actually stress the hip more than the knee as it causes the tibia and femur to compensate inward (internal rotation), and then the hip has to pick up slack (LaFortune et. al, 1994). Image
On the other hand, if the foot is overly supinated, then pronation will be limited and the outer ankle ligaments are put on unnecessary stretch, potentially increasing risk for a lateral ankle sprain.

If you see a foot that can’t pronate well (overly supinated/high arch) Image
I’ve had success using split squat variations like a rear-foot elevated split squat with an ipsilateral load to naturally place more weight on the mid/forefoot.

The same-side load forces them to pronate more unconsciously, or else they would lose their balance. Coaching without Image
coaching. The best kind.

Likewise, for an overly pronated foot, I want to re-educate it to sense the lateral heel upon heel strike in gait.

So I will use a contralateral (opposite-side if front foot load) in a front-foot elevated position to help them sense that heel. Image
For more information, see my Weightroom Training is Gait Training Webinar: Webinar: Weightroom Training is Gait Training - Volume II

• • •

Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to force a refresh
 

Keep Current with Conor Harris

Conor Harris Profile picture

Stay in touch and get notified when new unrolls are available from this author!

Read all threads

This Thread may be Removed Anytime!

PDF

Twitter may remove this content at anytime! Save it as PDF for later use!

Try unrolling a thread yourself!

how to unroll video
  1. Follow @ThreadReaderApp to mention us!

  2. From a Twitter thread mention us with a keyword "unroll"
@threadreaderapp unroll

Practice here first or read more on our help page!

More from @Conor_Harris_

Sep 3
The Tibialis Posterior is one of the most underrated muscles for fixing knee, ankle, and foot pain.

Weakness here shows up in countless injuries - yet most rehab overlooks it. Let’s break down why it matters & how to train it 👇 Image
1️⃣ Why it’s so important
Research links a weak tibialis posterior to ankle & foot pain.

This muscle originates on the back of the shin and runs behind the medial ankle, under the foot. Its unique position makes it essential for arch control.
2️⃣ Controlling pronation
When your foot hits the ground, the arch naturally lowers (pronation).

The tibialis posterior decelerates this motion so it happens in a controlled, healthy way. Weakness = arch collapses too far, too fast.
Read 10 tweets
Sep 1
Struggling to squat deep without buttwink or your back rounding?

Most people blame it on ankle mobility… but that’s only part of the story.

Here’s what you need to know to fix your squat at the root cause 🧵 Image
The real question: why is ankle mobility limited in the first place? Image
One underrated reason 👉 Your body’s center of gravity is shifted forward.
Read 12 tweets
Aug 29
Most people are missing one key piece of hip mobility.

And if you don’t have it, your low back is the one paying the price.

Let’s talk about hip extension 🧵 Image
Hip extension = your ability to bring your leg fully under you and slightly behind you.

It’s one of the most commonly limited motions I see when assessing clients. Image
Why does it matter?

If you can’t extend at the hip, your body will find a workaround:

👉 Arching the low back instead.
This creates repetitive stress on the spine.
Read 9 tweets
Aug 25
Most people think Sciatica is caused by a tight piriformis muscle.

But the piriformis is usually just the messenger, not the root problem.

Here’s what’s really going on (and how to fix it)… 🧵 Image
Most people with sciatica think the issue is their piriformis muscle being too tight and pressing on the sciatic nerve.

So, they stretch it or roll it out for temporary relief…

But that tight piriformis is usually just a symptom of something bigger. Image
The real problem often starts with your body’s center of gravity shifting forward. This is what I commonly see in my clients with Sciatica.
Read 13 tweets
Aug 20
One of the most overlooked culprits in stubborn low back pain?

👉 The Quadratus Lumborum (QL).

It’s tight, overactive, and pulling your spine out of balance more often than you think.

Here’s why it matters and how to fix it 🧵 Image
First, it’s key to understand that the QL runs between your pelvic crest and lowest rib. Image
When it gets short and tight, it has 2 main effects:

•Both sides: compress + extend your low back (arching)
•One side: side-bend the spine, pull the shoulder down + hike the hip up
Read 11 tweets
Aug 18
Most people think anterior pelvic tilt, or hyperlordosis, is caused by:

•Tight hip flexors
•A tight low back
•Weak abs & glutes

But that’s just scratching the surface.

Understanding the real cause leads to better resulting fixing it 👇 Image
The overlooked question:

👉 Why are these muscles tight or weak in the first place? Image
With APT, the center of gravity of the pelvis + lower body shifts forward.

This pushes the pelvis down into hip flexion.

As a natural byproduct:
•Hip flexors get tight
•Low back gets tight
•Abs & glutes lengthen → weaken
Read 12 tweets

Did Thread Reader help you today?

Support us! We are indie developers!


This site is made by just two indie developers on a laptop doing marketing, support and development! Read more about the story.

Become a Premium Member ($3/month or $30/year) and get exclusive features!

Become Premium

Don't want to be a Premium member but still want to support us?

Make a small donation by buying us coffee ($5) or help with server cost ($10)

Donate via Paypal

Or Donate anonymously using crypto!

Ethereum

0xfe58350B80634f60Fa6Dc149a72b4DFbc17D341E copy

Bitcoin

3ATGMxNzCUFzxpMCHL5sWSt4DVtS8UqXpi copy

Thank you for your support!

Follow Us!

:(