Gait Analysis

Right, so let's talk about Peter Sheard and Observational Gait Analysis

I feel sorry for you 2nd years - this was literally the worst module you could ever imagine. It was bad enough that Pete was only there for about half the semester. and weeks he was in he was pissing around with the lab schedule so we missed out on that part of it. The worst though was that what we got taught was just plain wrong. 

I found the biomechanics message board, called Biomch-L. I remembered that Paul F. would  forward info from there to all of us, so I put a message up there that was this:

We had been taught that the toes pointing toward each other was supination, and pointing away from each other was pronation. We were also taught that this excessive pronation was the result of a tight piriformis, as this muscle controls external rotation of the leg. I have not been able to find support for this anywhere. Can anybody offer some info on this please?

In relation to sports performance: The same lecturer had also taught that supinated athletes will sprint faster than pronated athletes, which is why a pigeon would win a race with a duck.

OK so here are the responses I got, some were pretty harsh:

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Dear Dan,

I guess that's what you get for going to a British so-called 'university'...
Did your lecturer have a PhD? From where?
You've been had.

Jim

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Dan,

Perhaps you inability to resolve the issues you raise may be because they are inaccurate.

A quick and simplistic response to your request ....

Pronation and supination typically refers to a movement that occurs about a derived (resultant) horizontal axis of rotation located in the foot and orientated antero-posteriorly. An elevated arch is the result of supination and a "flat" foot results from the action of pronation. A flat foot is a pronated foot.

Attempting to explain the action of the piriformis muscle on the foot is more difficult. The piriformis is primarily an abductor of the femur (thigh) at the hip joint ( and of course, the lateral deviation - or abduction of the pelvis at the hip joint). Pronation and supination are primarily accomplished / produced by altering the location of the weight of the super-incumbent body on the foot typically by the movement of the leg. Apparently supination and pronation are not produced by direct activity of the muscles of the leg on the arch of the foot.

IF - the action of a "tight" piriformis on the femur / thigh in any manner, affects the distribution of body weight on the foot - then it may be considered to produce "excessive" pronation. ( I am uncertain what "excessive pronation is, flat is flat. )

I have never heard of " ... that the toes pointing toward each other was supination,> and pointing away from each other was pronation " until now.
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You have a very interesting question... However, I have never heard that the result of a tight piriformis cause an excessive pronation.
How an external rotation of the leg can cause pronation? Could you clarify this issue for me?

Andrea.
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Incorrect again. ( could have said 'load of bollocks' but that would be rude)

I can't believe someone taught you this and must assume some misunderstanding here.

There is no correlation between foot placement angle and sub talar joint position.

If the piriformis is tight then there would be excessive suipnation by your paradigm.

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Hi Dan,

It seems as if there have been some miss-concepts.
Foot tips pointing towards each other (meaning internal rotation of the foot with regard to the tibia) is Foot-Adduction, whereas pointing outwards (meaning external rotation of the foot with regard to the tibia) is Foot-Abduction. This is a motion in the horizontal plane.

Pronation: Dorsiflexion, abduction and EVERSION
Supination: Plantarflexion, adduction and INVERSION

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Watch slo mo's of athletes running you will see that many very excessively pronate. It is reputed that Carl Lewis had very flat feet and some research has shown that people with flate feet perform as well or better than 'normal' feet.

cheers,
Dave
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Dan,

Sounds like you have been badly taught. None of those things claimed are true, let alone there being any evidence for them.

Craig

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OK, so right now I am somewhere between shocked and really really angry. II can't believe that they let him lecture when he is just way off base. when what we get taught is just factually incorrect. why does this uni let people teach who don't have the knowledge base? who have never worked in this field, who don't have any degrees relative to it?

 It's bad enough that the lecturers only come from Lu-beds, and are all Tim's mates. It seems that Pete doesn't know anything about gait, and even his anatomy is off. Our lecturer for this module should have some knowledge of biomechanics and such. Pete doesn't have this. Ok, so he was a cross country ski coach and then a scuba diver ... its absolutely BOLLOCKS that he can now be a lecturer in gait analysis, or even rehab. Where are his credentials? 

Oh yeah, I forgot, the only credentials you need to teach at this uni are being Tim's mate.  Being clueless seems to help!!!

I don't even want to go into the assigned seating we had this year. Way to go! we really need to be treated like children!!