Icecold's mobility thread

Associate
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Looking in to seriously fixing my flat feet. I am doing daily exercises, and mobility woe but I am wondering if something like the following should be considered, and possibly be a better option. Thoughts please

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Step-Active...EOR6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1356476051&sr=8-1

Firstly, If you just have flat feet without any other problems (whether biomechanical eg, rolling in of the hips, knees or shins or symptomatic eg plantar fasciitis) then don't waste your money (unless you want to become a foot model or something!). First ray function (big toe) is equally if not more important.
I would suggest seeing a biomechanics podiatrist (not a physio or osteo etc. - as any orthotics training will be post grad only). Podiatrists spend their whole training and career looking at lower limb function/biomechanics/pathology/treatment so they are the guys you want telling you if you have or have not got a problem.

Off the shelf orthotics often do not work for a couple of reasons:
Firstly, they haven't been designed specifically for YOUR feet.
Secondly, they often aren't "extreme" enough to make a diference (if they were then they would CAUSE problems in many people so instead they make them to fit the 'mean' rather than the extremes.

As far as exercise goes I still disagree with the rolling of the foot to improve the arch but the reasons for this are too long and boring for here.

In terms of strengthening, calf raises, tiptoe walking, heel walking, skipping etc are great for hitting the tib post and tib ant and FHL which will all pull up on the arch and all much more powerful than the intrinsic muscles. They are all full weightbearing or use multiples of bodyweight (impact) as well which is much more likely to make a difference than static (isometric), partial to full weight bearing contractions of the intrinsic muscles. Glute medius strength is also vital as it is one of the main lower limb shock absorbers and when walking it resistis internal rotation of the lower limb eccentrically. So it doesn't matter how strong your intrinsic foot muscles or tib post muscles are if your glute med isn't strong enough to resist the rolling in every single step you take.

In terms of flexibility make sure that you have good calf muscle length and ankle flexibility (into dorsiflexion) as if you don't that can cause you to 'toe out' during walking/squatting etc.
In terms of neurological control its worth reading about Proprioception and progressing some of the biomechanics correctional movement exercises eg to doing them with your eyes shut (as power without control/co-ordination is pretty much useless).

I wouldn't bother with vibrams or any other barefoot shoes as a fix unless that is what the podiatrist recommends after their assessment.
 
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Soldato
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Cheers delbuenno, I will start looking it to it a bit more.

The vibrams were more for me to wear while in the gym than anything else :)
 
Associate
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Don't get me wrong, vibrams and other barefoot shoes can be really comfy. I''ve just got a pair of New Balance minimums zero's (with vibram soles) and they are probably the most comfortable shoes i've ever owned. I just don't want people splashing loads of money on a pair expecting them to perform some kind of miracle fix.
 
Soldato
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No worries, yeah I have no illusion that they would fix anything, but they look comfy and cool :) and would allow me to do thugs like walking on the sides of my feet etc without taking my shoes off etc, also no need to take my shoes off while in the gym either :)
 
Soldato
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I notice above LiE said the green band was a bit much for some of the shoulder work. Is that still the case and is blue the one to go for or should i be fine with green? Can't really get both right now...

And is it these ones?


My back feels mighty strong (read: weak) after that last stint in the MR2 of peace.
 

LiE

LiE

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KD, regarding abductor stretching. These I find are good.

Side lunge:
side-lunge-stretch.jpg


butterfly stretch:
8-Butterfly-stretch.jpg


side splits:
Split1small.jpg


Super frog:
http://www.mobilitywod.com/2011/06/episode-264-landing-mechanics-and-super-frog.html
 
Soldato
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Popping this in here as its probably a better place for it then in GymRatz

So after my physio visit yesterday it was pointed out the I have APT. It wasnt major APT but it was APT.

I have been looking in to ways of correcting this and it have seen in more then one place that i should ditch my current training and focus on correcting this for up to 8 weeks!

Is this really neseccary or should i be fine with additional focus on correcting my APT along side my normal training, bearing in mind that i will be focusing on avoiding APT during my normal training as well?
 
Soldato
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I cant do any of the abductor ones apart from the butterfly one and super frogs (these are really good anyway). Ended up tearing something in my left abductor a few years back and now any of those stretches ends in a nice sharp constant pain when trying to stretch it :(

Probably end up doing a few weeks of stretching before I'm able to lift again if I can get away with it, saves being super stiff once im back to full capacity!
 
Associate
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Popping this in here as its probably a better place for it then in GymRatz

So after my physio visit yesterday it was pointed out the I have APT. It wasnt major APT but it was APT.

I have been looking in to ways of correcting this and it have seen in more then one place that i should ditch my current training and focus on correcting this for up to 8 weeks!

Is this really neseccary or should i be fine with additional focus on correcting my APT along side my normal training, bearing in mind that i will be focusing on avoiding APT during my normal training as well?


Nope, your normal training is fine, at least for now anyway.

A **** ton of anterior hip stretching is one of the best things you can do and make sure your anterior core is firing properly. Also do some soft tissue on your erectors and their insertions at the sacrum, I find this help to stop those muscle becoming too tight and "over-active", a ball or double ball works best for this.

There are some things that I worked out about my own core that has really helped my spinal positioning work much better but I'm not sure the best way to explain it. I'll have a think and get back to you if I get somewhere that will make sense over the internet :).
 
Man of Honour
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I fixed mine with core work and stretching.

Read the core stuff in the exercise guide.

Emphasise PPT doing the modified reverse crunch I posted about in KD's log (or the "ice crunch" as he called it).

PPT all the time basically.
 
Soldato
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For ease for everyone:

Ok, it's a reverse crunch prioritising posterior pelvic tilt throughout the movement, with the addition of a leg extension at the bottom of the rep. If you lose PPT and/or go into lumber extension at any point, you fail the rep.

The background:
http://www.t-nation.com/free_online...formance_repair/core_training_for_smart_folks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lkafd6GkaPo

Cressey places some emphasis on PPT, but I think more is more here. I think you need to be bracing maximally and giving it 100% to maintain that position, much in the same way as I think you should do planks.

The t-nation article explains what I mean by "leg extension", I'm emulating the positions in the "dead bug" and leg lowering exercises.

The idea is to complete a nice slow reverse crunch with maximal bracing and PPT (think about curling your hips up to your shoulders), and then after you've slowly lowered your feet almost to the floor, stretch your legs out with your feet as low as it's possible without losing the PPT and flat lumbar.

I will see if I can get a video at some point.

Although, I should have let you all flock to my blog and try and find it instead :p

Although Ice never posted the video :)

kd
 
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