Athletes both recreational and fully competitive can be impacted by injuries to the muscles and ligaments around the hip.
These injuries interfere with performance levels and sometimes end participation completely.
Excessive pronation along with shoes with poor shock absorption has been found to be an underlying cause for various leg/hip injuries.
Custom made Orthotics improve the biomechanics of the feet and reduce the extent of pronation helping to prevent sport-related leg/foot injuries.
Over Foot Pronation
Research has determined that athletes with more foot pronation have a higher probability of sustaining a leg injury, including iliotibial band syndrome that comes from excessive tightness of the hip muscles.
People involved in sports or recreational activities lower their likelihood of developing traumatic and overuse hip injuries through chiropractic treatment and using custom foot orthotics.
- The amount of pronation during standing and while running at a standard speed is determined by measuring the angles of the footprints.
- Athletes with more pronation have a higher likelihood of an overuse injury.
- Standing (static) and running (dynamic) prints show the amount of pronation and is a predictor of developing an overuse injury.
- Athletic performance and injury prevention involve regularly checking the alignment of patients’ feet in the standing position.
Hip Injuries & The Hamstring
Many hip injuries develop from poor biomechanics and improper movement, especially when running.
Smooth muscle coordination provides balance and support for the pelvis and is needed for optimum sports performance.
- Hamstring muscles
- Hip abductor muscles
- Tensor fascia lata or the iliotibial band
When there is an issue with the feet and ankles, abnormal motion like over-rotating the entire leg is the perfect set-up for pulls, sprains, and strains.
50% of standing consists of heel strike and maximum pronation.
The hamstring muscles function to control the knee and ankle when the heel strikes and absorb the impact.
The theory behind orthotic support is that orthotics help the hamstrings control the position of the calcaneus and knee, so there is less stress on the hip and pelvis.
Hip Injuries & Over-Pronation
Orthotics can correct excessive pronation and treatment of hip problems. These are some of the problems/pathologies that can develop.
Hip and pelvis pathologies:
- Anterior pelvic tilt
- Hip adductor muscle strain
- Hip flexor muscle strain
- Hip joint capsulitis
- Iliotibial band syndrome
- Piriformis muscle strain
- Tensor fascia lata strain
These conditions develop in athletes who push their body’s to the limit going for optimal performances.
Overpronation and poor shock absorption contribute to leg injuries — from:
- Lower leg
These conditions can be prevented with custom-made orthotics.
- Foot biomechanics evaluation is a must
- To avoid hip injuries, athletes need regular evaluations of foot alignment and function
- Wear well-designed and solid-constructed shoes
Chiropractors can prevent arch breakdown and foot problems with custom orthotics, and also treat numerous injuries to the lower extremities, especially the hips.
Reduce Bad Foot Posture & Mobility with *FOOT LEVELERS ORTHOTICS* | El Paso, TX (2019)
The following video discusses the way that excessive foot pronation can ultimately affect foot posture and mobility. Many things can affect mobility and foot posture, for example, excessive foot pronation. Excessive foot pronation is most prevalent among the overall population, therefore, it’s regarded to be among the most frequent variables for abnormal foot posture and mobility, which can cause a variety of health problems like overuse injuries. Excessive foot pronation and even supination can impact overall well-being.
Hip Labrum tears in athletes can occur from a single event or recurring trauma. Running may cause labrum tears due to the labrum being utilized more for weight-bearing and taking excess forces while at the end-range motion of the leg. Sporting activities are probable causes, specifically those that require frequent hip rotation or pivoting to a loaded femur as in ballet or hockey. Constant hip rotation places increased strain on the capsular tissue and harm to the iliofemoral ligament. This subsequently causes hip instability putting increased stress on the labrum and causing a hip labrum tear.
Chiropractic seeks to find the cause of the conditions it is used to treat, including pain, instead of just treating symptoms. Because of this, the chiropractor will work to find the cause of the pain, in this case, overpronation and overpronation, and correct it – or the effects of the condition – in addition to treating the back pain.
Overpronation and oversupination can cause a variety of injuries and conditions that affect not only the feet and ankles, but also the knees, hips, and back as well. Some of the more common injuries and conditions include:
- Flat feet or posterior tibial tendon dysfunction
- Ankle Sprains
- Achilles tendinitis
- Arch pain
- Plantar fasciitis
- Shin splints
- Heel pain
- Tight calves
- Knee pain
- Patellar tendonitis
- Tight hip flexors
- Back pain
- Herniated disks
Muscle imbalances in the hip, such as tight hip flexors, can cause low back pain – or at least contribute to it. When the hip flexor muscles are too tight, it causes what is known as an anterior pelvic tilt. Hip flexors can become too tight if the person sits for extended periods of time or engages in activities like cycling and jogging. A chiropractor can guide you through exercises that will help release the tight muscles and stop the micro spams that occur as a result.