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Hi :drinks

I am currently a 2nd year podiatry students who is writing up one of his first bio patients. My patient has tight hamstrings and I have heard that this can be a contributing factor towards excessive pronation. What I would like to know is:

Is this statement accurate?

If so why?

and finally does anyone have any supporting literature for this?

I have done some hunting around but can't seem to find any decent explanations etc.

Thanks for taking the time to read this

Ben

 

Hi Ben,

Usual admonishment about learning to search for answers yourself. Your last line didn't say where you were hunting.

Anyway, I can't think of any believable way that can link tight hamstrings to STJ pronation. If you were really reaching, you could hypothesize that medial hamstring firing could internally rotate the leg and this might cause STJ pronation. Or, it could just cause you to walk adducted without affecting STJ position.

Eric

 

thanks for taking the time to reply eric :) its really appreciated

ben

 

Blumley

Osteopaths would argue that the hams are a continuation of the gastrocs in the superficial back line facial chain and as such tightness in the hams can result in similar in the calf. Logically you would assume this would restrict ankle joint dorsiflexion which would be compensated stj pronation. Look at Tom Myers website anatomytrains.com for more on this.
Secondly a tight biceps femoris will pull the fibula proximally and alter the fibulas relationship at the ankle. Some including myself will mobilise the proximal fibula to improve ankle joint rom. Dananberg and Paul Connelly, both contributors to thus forum mention it somewhere.

Hope this helps.

 

It's not a very convincing argument. The distal attachment of the hamstrings on the femur is separate from and does not slide in sync with proximal attachments of the gastroc. They are independent. Lack of ankle joint dorsiflexion is not always compensated by STJ pronation. If there is a laterally positioned STJ axis, you will tend to see supination of the STJ.

The manipulation is anterior to posterior and the biceps tendon pull is inferior to supierior, so the manipulation doesn't address the displacement that you would get from the biceps tendon.

Eric

 

Eric. I must respectfully disagree. While the hams and gastrocs are not directly connected they are connected by fascia. They function as one only when the knee is extended. I reference Tom Myers book Anatomy Trains pg 81.
I would agree that lack of ankle joint dorsiflexion doesn't always result in stj pronation, but the question was...could it.

Lastly the proximal fibula can be mobilised both posteriorly and anteriorly. Perhaps any osteopaths on this forum may add to this as these are osteopathy techniques/theory's . I've just looked this up to be sure. I'm referencing Clinical Applications of Neuromuscular Techniques vol 2' Chaitow, DeLany.

 

see this thread:
The Windlass Mechanism and Fascial Winding of the Whole Body


When it comes to foot stuff that book is really really bad.

There was also this thread on tight hamstrings and plantar fasciitis

 

And that is relevant because?....

Sorry, I don't have the book. Could you summarize the logic?

The question was could tight hamstrings cause STJ pronation. Is there a connection between hamstring tightness and ankle dorsiflexion?

Eric