Dan Chief Pontificator
Joined: 22 Mar 1999 Posts: 9334 Location: Salem, OR
|
Posted: Fri Aug 06, 1999 5:01 am Post subject: |
|
|
Hi Sherrie,
First, I would definitely say toe-running (or at least mid-foot striking) is very beneficial for a sport like football, which depends a lot on speed and quick cutting.
A few things you can get him to work on that might help: Get him in the habit of standing on his toes when he's not doing other things. For instance, if I'm standing in line, washing dishes, waiting for food in the microwave, etc., I almost always stand slightly on my toes (sometimes raising and lowering) without hardly thinking about it. This helps develop the calf and lower leg strength necessary to toe-run efficiently and without injury. Another thing to try is getting him to rotate his torso forward when he runs. When you heel strike, you are probably leaning back slightly, which causes a braking motion. Braking = impact = bad! If you make a conscious effort to lean forward slightly, it will be nearly impossible not to land on your toes. Of course, don't exaggerate the motion, just do it to get a feel for the mechanics.
Short of that, it might be worth checking with a podiatrist to make sure there's not a structural explanation to the ankle pain.
Dan |
|