Monthly Archives: October 2012

KIN in the Community: e-Soccer, Physical Activity, Disabled Populations, and Community Engagement

by Danika Ziemer

E-Soccer kicked off this past Saturday morning! For those of you who have never heard of E-Soccer, it’s a program designed for able-bodied children as well as those with

Coaches and players learning teamwork

special needs. Children as young as two years old to those in their mid-teens come out to the field for an hour every Saturday. E-Soccer is held in ten different locations in Northern California and one location in Las Vegas. The program is now global with sites in India and Kenya. At the Sunnyvale location, students at SJSU join with students from Santa Clara University to lead the 5-6 year old children in various adapted drills and games to improve the children’s soccer and teamwork skills. The kids, and coaches, have a blast playing games on “Soccer Island” or “Soccer Spaceship.”

E-Soccer is based on inclusion, which is vital for children to learn at such a young age. It’s incredible to see how well children and special needs children learn to interact and work with each other so quickly. Some kids need a one-on-one coach to help them through the program, but all of the kids work together and cheer each other on throughout the practice. These kids are so energetic and silly that it’s impossible not to have a good time on the field. I have been a coach at E-Soccer for almost a year now. I can safely say that those kids have made a larger impact on my life than I could ever possibly make on theirs, and I’m sure the other coaches would agree. I definitely believe that every student should come and check out the program.

We could always use more coaches, so if you’re interested in getting involved, e-mail the Kin Ambassadors Club at sjsukinambassadors@gmail.com. You can also check out the website at www.e-soccer.org.

Players on the move. Soccer and health.

Student Blog Series: Managing the Transition from Undergraduate to Graduate Student

by Hillary Barnes.

The transition from undergraduate student at SJSU to graduate student at Chapman University has certainly been interesting. Academically, the Kinesiology Department at SJSU did a phenomenal job preparing me for the DPT program. Many of the courses I took at SJSU were either right on par or a great stepping-stone to the courses I am taking now. While at SJSU, I griped about having to take prerequisite courses, but looking back, I am grateful to have taken so many unique courses within the department. Many classes, like biomechanics or adapted physical education, are not requirements for PT school, but have helped prepare me for the rigors of graduate school.

The biggest change I have dealt with since being admitted to graduate school is the time commitment. At SJSU, I was able to take a full course load, work part time, be involved in extracurricular activities, and still had time for friends and family. Now, I barely have time to exercise, let alone have a social life! I spend a lot of time studying, but I am learning about material that is interesting and exciting, and I have made great friends in the process.

That said, the best decision I made in regards to transitioning from SJSU to PT school was to take time off. I spent a year working and traveling to see my friends and extended family, and that was the best decision I could have made. It gave me time to decompress and get ready for the next chapter. Grad school is awesome, but it is hard work, and if I hadn’t had that time to relax, I think I would be burnt out by now. The good news is that school goes by fast, I can’t believe I am already ½ way done with the PT program. I feel like I was just recently scrambling to get classes at SJSU!

GO SPARTANS!

The Benefits of Forefoot Walking: A Rethink of Biomechanics

by Dr. James Kao.

Dr. Kao’s blog can be found here: http://realworldbiomechanics.blogspot.com/

This summer I reviewed the research on walking and joint pain. The findings will surprise you.

Here’s what I found.

1) Barefoot walking produces significantly lower knee forces and torques than walking in any kind of shoe! Even high-tech walking shoes.

2) Only one type of shoe produces equivalent forces and torques to barefoot walking: Shoes that are ultra light weight and flat.

3) Any kind of ultra light weight and flat shoe produces the same result. High tech materials are not required. The requirement is ultra light weight and flat.

4) Barefoot walking results in zero to 5 degrees of plantarflexion when the foot strikes the ground. This is called a forefoot strike. The heel is slightly elevated when contact is made with the ground. There is no heel strike.

5) Barefoot walking is less efficient than heel-strike walking. This is actually a good result. It means you will burn ”more” calories if you perform barefoot walking.

If you put all of these findings together here’s what you can conclude:

1) If you switch from heel-strike walking to forefoot walking you will reduce joint pain and burn more calories.

2) Wearing any kind of ultra-light and flat shoe produces similar results to barefoot walking.

I’ve been forefoot walking since July. Here is what I can tell you.

1) I am experiencing less knee pain & low back pain.

2) Forefoot walking must be practiced (a lot). If I don’t concentrate on the forefoot landing, I immediately go back to a heel-strike landing. But, after 3 months it’s getting easier!

3) Forefoot walking is ”not” toe walking. Your heel should only be slightly elevated when your foot makes contact with the ground.

4) Forefoot walking feels really, really awkward.

5) When I started forefoot walking, my calf muscles (gastrocnemius and soleus) really ached. I think this contributes to the extra energy expenditure (i.e., burn more calories).