Category Archives: Articles

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).

Reflections on Student Challenges & Success: William Randolph Hearst/CSU Trustee Award 2012 Winner Erin Enguero

 

By Erin Enguero, KIN undergraduate student

KIN student Erin Enguero wins 2012 CSU Trustee’s Award

Since 1999, the William Randolph Hearst/ CSU Trustees Award has recognized one student from each campus who has overcome adversity while demonstrating exceptional academic, personal, and community achievements.  At the time I applied for this scholarship, I had been wearing hearing aides for nine years, was elected as SJSU Pre-Physical Therapy Club Treasurer, and was hired at the campus Student Health Center as a Physical Therapy Aide.  When I became one of 23 award winners of the William Randolph Hearst/ CSU Trustees Award, and the first student scholar that was hearing impaired, it was a lot to take-in, as I had only just completed my first year of college!

Last week on September 18th, I woke up at 4:30am to fly down with my family to Long Beach to attend the awards ceremony at the CSU Chancellor’s Office.

To get to this point, I have overcome social and educational challenges of being a hearing impaired student, which has pushed me to reach higher levels of success. Stories of other award winners were also powerful including candidates who had faced homelessness, abuse, poverty, and additional hardships. I was in awe of what my fellow award winners had accomplished. We all shared the funny sentiment that the candidate next to us had a story more inspiring than ours! I feel so blessed to have met such a talented, humble, and resilient group of students. Scholarships often recognize individuals for their community service and leadership, but to celebrate life challenges that have strengthened our spirits is truly an exceptional recognition.

After receiving a surprising bundle of gifts from Sony, a standing ovation from members of the Chancellors Office, and the opportunity to shake President Quayomi’s hand, I am still trying to take-in what this great accomplishment means.  The one thing that is clear in my mind is that it is a thrill to be a member of the CSU system and a representative of SJSU.  Most importantly, I am blessed to be a student of the Kinesiology department.  Due to their welcoming arms, I am proud to be the individual who I am today and am excited to see what is around the next corner!

Stop Destroying your Body!

 

by Joshua J. Stone, MA, ATC, NASM-CPT, CES, PES, FNS
Article originally posted onhttp://athleticmedicine.wordpress.com/
Follow Josh on Twitter http://twitter.com/JoshStoneATC

Have you ever wondered why the ankle swells after a sprain or why we get a fever or why you get allergies around pollen? This does not happen because our body is weak; it happens because our body is strong and functioning as it should. Swelling after a sprain is needed to heal damaged tissue. Fever from a flu is because our immune system is attacking a virus. Runny nose, watery eyes from allergies is a histamine response from your body to protect. Our body is designed to protect itself – we are robots that have specific programs in place to counteract disease or illness. Unfortunately, we are preventing our body from doing its job.

In the cells of your body are a class of proteins called Sirtuins. These have specific jobs that are designed to help the body function, live, and
heal. SIRT1 is a specific type of Sirtuin that is specifically designed to facilitate metabolism. Yes this little guy helps breakdown and utilize the food you eat. Previously, Leonard Guarente of MIT found that this protein has many benefits including protection against Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s diseases. Most recently, they found that when mice were fed high-fat diets a myriad of metabolic disorders developed when the protein was absent.  These proteins are helping to keep cells alive and healthy.
We are killing these proteins and preventing them from doing their job. Research has proven that diets high in fat produce inflammation (see my blog). During the inflammation process an enzyme called Capase-1 is released. The specific job of Capase-1 is to go out and cleave (destroy) proteins and ultimately alter the primary objective of the protein. Are you following me?
When we eat a high-fat diet SIRT1 wants to begin metabolism, however the Capase-1 enzyme destroys SIRT1 before it can do its job. What happens next? Well, fatty deposit storage increases, followed by multiple metabolic and cardiovascular disorders such as diabetes, obesity, and hypertension (to name a few). By limiting high-fat intake and foods that initiate inflammation, we can allow our body’s natural protective mechanisms to go to work. Stop Destroying your Body.
Reference:
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. “Protein that boosts longevity may protect against diabetes: Sirtuins help fight off disorders linked to obesity.” ScienceDaily, 8 Aug. 2012. Web. 11 Aug. 2012.