Five Factors to Designing Sports Training Programs for Athletes

Designing sports training programs for athletes can be a challenging experience for a personal trainer, sports trainer, athletic trainer, physiotherapist, and coach. Creating a workout plan rooted in scientific-based principles related to the science of athletic conditioning is difficult for several reasons.

First, sports trainers, personal trainers, physiotherapists, and coaches require a thorough understanding of the demands of the sport. Gaining valuable insights into the physical demands of a sport can be addressed by performing a sports demand analysis for the athlete. Direct observation and analysis of the sport is required. Sports demand analysis is even required for the seasoned trainer. No matter the level of the trainer’s experience, video footage is an indispensable tool for a trainer of athletes. I prefer to video the athlete participating in the sport and then to review the video afterwards. Video analysis is fantastic because you can pause and rewind as often as you need to. Plus, a trainer can create a library of athletes participating in different competitive sports. Careful and patient video analysis will yield answers to some of the following questions: What sport does the athlete play? What position does the athlete play? What are the unique and particular physical demands of the specific position in the sport? What degree of agility, speed, strength, endurance, and other sports-specific characteristics are required of the position? These are important questions and the answers will have a bearing on the construct of the sports training program.

Second, the trainer needs to know the athlete's stage of body development. What is the athlete's current level of motor skills? Is the athlete prepubescent or pubescent? What is the age of the athlete? The athlete's age and current physical attributes relative to his or her age influence the construct of the conditioning and workout plan.

Third, a trainer’s appreciation for the athlete's personal goals and expectations is necessary to build a workout program reflective of the athlete’s goals. Let the athlete express his or her expectations to the trainer. Remember the most important part of communication is to be an effective listener. Take advice from Stephen Covey’s Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, “Seek first to understand, then to be understood”. Resist the temptation to make the athlete what you want them to be. A trainer’s lofty expectations of the athlete can create an incongruent trainer-athlete or athlete-coach relationship. Know what the athlete’s goals are before you formulate a workout plan. I concede that this is a fine line. A good trainer needs to influence the athlete in a positive manner but not to the point where the athlete is a bystander to the workout planning process. Engage the athlete and learn what he or she is trying to achieve in the sport.

Fourth, the time of the year has a major influence on the construct of sports training program for the athlete. Programs designed for the off-season will have a different construct compared to a training program for the competitive season. Appreciate the differences and design the program as such.

Fifth, the amount of time the trainer has to work with the athlete is an important element to designing a sports training program too. Sometimes a trainer will be given a lengthy period to work with an athlete and other times schedules will conflict because of a multitude of factors. For example, the off-season is ten weeks long but the athlete has a summer vacation planned for two weeks or the athlete is working at a full-time job during the off-season. These are real-life issues. I can remember a time when I was training a group of young football players during the off-season. The athletes committed to a multi-week athletic conditioning program (also worth mentioning, they were a real good group of young men too). Just before starting our morning training session, one of the athletes asked to speak with me privately. I could sense that the young man was nervous. He simply said, “I’ve got to take a week or two off from training because it’s time to harvest our crop”. He was the son of a farmer and harvesting the crop took priority over the off-season sports fitness program. As a trainer, you’ve got to respect the athlete’s decision to interrupt the sports training program and work at his parent’s farm.

The five aforementioned points are not the be all and end all of factors to consider. Needless to say, constructing sports training programs for athletes requires careful consideration of different factors. May this advice assist you with constructing workout plans for competitive athletes.

Have a great long weekend and Happy Canada Day to everyone!

Perry Coma
Director of Kinetic Athletic-The Way to Train

Build or Buy Your Own Agility Ladder?

Good Morning,

An agility ladder belongs under the ‘must have’ column for sports training tools for athletes. An agility ladder, also referred to as a speed ladder, is a training tool with infinite training possibilities for athletes, coaches, and trainers. The benefits of exercising and conditioning an athlete with a fitness ladder have been covered countless times (overkill?) on this training blog. What can I say, as a physiotherapist (Canadian nomenclature for the term physical therapist for our neighbours south of the border), it’s a mainstay in my training tool box. I use a ladder for prehab, injury prevention, sports exercise training and conditioning, and sports injury rehabilitation.

But one topic that I have never discussed on the sports training blog is the buy or build-your-own agility ladder option. Basically, should you build it yourself or have someone else build it for you (aka providing currency to another person in return for a good or service)? You would assume that I favor the buy option since Kinetic Athletic retails agility ladders and I’m the Director of Kinetic Athletic! Consider the last sentence my disclosure statement relating to the commentary in this article.

My quest to present a balanced (perhaps unbalanced) argument landed me on the eHow page dedicated to building your own agility ladder. The instructions on the page list seven separate points detailing one way to build-your-own agility ladder. I read the instructions on the page over several times because I needed to. From what I could gather, the author was advocating the use of a measuring tape, marker, and hack saw to build the ladder. PVC pipe, connectors, and glue (please don’t glue your fingers together) are the construction materials needed to build the ladder. When all is said and done, an athlete (with the assistance of a journeyman carpenter and certified pipefitter tradesman) will have constructed a continuous and solid one-piece ladder.

Based on this one source, it appears to require a lot of effort, time, and resources to build-your-own ladder. Essentially, there is nothing speedy about building your own speed ladder! It will take a considerable amount of time (unless you are Mike Holmes from Holmes on Homes). Costs are a factor too because the building supplies are not free. Lastly, the end product may not be what the athlete, coach, and trainer ultimately desires. A straight and solid (non-collapsible) ladder may pose an issue for transporting the ladder from home to a gym, outdoor sports field, or sports fitness training center for athletes. You may need a roof rack and high visibility orange glow caution tape to transport your newly constructed 30 foot agility ladder down the 401 in the Greater Toronto Area!

Athletes, coaches, and trainers can choose to either buy or build a speed ladder. Based on my mini-investigation of the two options, I highly recommend the buy option. Kinetic Athletic agility ladders are light weight, easy to transport and set-up, break down into smaller sections providing various training options way beyond one dimensional straight-line agility training drills, and offer a safer flat-rung design versus tubular-rung ladders. The advantages of buying a speed ladder for sports training athletes far outweigh any potential disadvantages. As for building-your-own agility ladder, maybe it’s best to leave it to the professional manufacturers!

Perry Coma
Director of Kinetic Athletic-The Way to Train

Beat the Summer Heat Sports Training Tips for Athletes

Good Afternoon,

It's Friday! I suddenly became inspired (yes, on a Friday afternoon too) and wanted to post on the company sports training blog before the weekend officially starts. I imagine some athletes, trainers, and coaches have plans to train this weekend and depending on your location the weather conditions may pose a challenge for you.

About one week ago, Kenora, Ontario experienced a mini-heat wave (hopefully the start of more to come). I was training with a couple of young (maybe younger sounds better) athletes and the heat was a bit of an issue during the training session. The sports conditioning session included fast-paced walking, jogging, running, and maximal-effort sprints over a period of less than an hour. Plus, a few agility training drills with a speed ladder to work on fast feet. The heat and humidity was punishing the athletes and it was apparent that something needed to change. In our case, we changed the ratio of work-to-rest and this appeared to help.

When the weather conditions are working against you, an athlete needs to consider changes to the sports training program. If heat is the weather issue that you're contending with, a few simple changes can positively influence the training session. Here's a few simple pointers to consider:

1. Be proactive. Prepare for the sweltering heat and the likelihood of hydration issues. Competitive athletes involved in sports fitness programs should be well hydrated before the session regardless of the weather. Athletes who drink adequate amounts of water before a training session will be less likely to incur hydration-related issues (e.g. heat exhaustion, cramping). This is even more important when temperatures and humidity spike. Athletes need to be drinking plenty of water 12 to 24 hours before intense training sessions.

2. Watch what you wear. If the training session is outdoors in the sun and the heat, wear light-colored clothing. Avoid dark-color clothing that absorbs heat and has the potential to increase your body temperature. Choose lighter colors and maybe don a hat to keep the sun off your face.

3. Change your training program for the day. If you're sweating profusely and you haven't even started working out yet, maybe it would be wise to check your ego and downsize the workout program for the day. There's always another day to train and one training session does not define an athlete. Cut back on the intensity of the sports training session and make up for it on another day.

4. Find some shade. I'm a big fan of this training tip. Performing sports fitness and conditioning exercises in the shade on a hot summer day can be a difference maker. It's amazing how much cooler it can be under the umbrella of a bunch of trees. Find a good spot in the shade and try to workout without the sun beating directly down on you.

Hopefully, these sports training tips posted on a Friday afternoon help with your sports conditioning program this week. I don't know about you but Friday is a treat day in our house. Maybe we'll dive into a bowl of ice cream after playing outside tonight. A treat tastes best after you earned it! Have a good weekend and we'll connect again soon.

Perry Coma
Director of Kinetic Athletic-The Way to Train

Summer Heat and Training for Sports

Good Morning,

A mini-heat wave passed through Kenora, Ontario this past week and it made me consider the options for sports training with athletes in the summer. Plus, I was motivated to write a piece on training athletes in the summer heat after reading a remarkably simple but wise tweet from Steve Myrland of Prism Fitness Group. Basically, Steve's tweet contained a simple concept that defies most athletes, trainers, and coaches common sense. His tweet noted that it's hot outside and athletes should train in the outdoor heat versus the ice-cold conditions of an air-conditioned indoor sports fitness facility.

Now, why would I consider this advice sound for conditioning an athlete?

First, training in the environment that an athlete is planning to participate is smart because it prepares the athlete's body for the weather conditions. The athlete's body must be able to function effectively in a hostile environment with increased temperatures and off-the-chart humidity levels. For example, soccer is a big part of the sports community in the City of Kenora during the summer. Soccer is an outdoor summer sport. Soccer players need to train (e.g. jog, run, and sprint) in the outdoors to be able to play effectively in the outdoors. It's really that simple.

Second, if an athlete trains continually in a temperature-regulated environment (i.e. air-conditioned indoor sports fitness training facility with a fan circulating cold air on their body), it's a recipe for disaster when it comes to game day and the game is played outdoors. Anecdotal evidence supports the probability that the athletes who train in the air-conditioned indoor facility are likely to overheat quickly in the summer heat. The athlete's body has adapted to this cooler training environment and their body will have tremendous difficulty with tolerating higher temperatures and higher humidity levels.

If you have ever been in this predicament, it is quite unpleasant. I found myself in this awful situation one of the two years that I ran the Manitoba Marathon. Most of my training leading up to the marathon was in the evening. In the evening, temperatures are often lower and shade is more prevalent along the running route. Needless to say, the weather conditions during my evening runs while completing my training program did not match the weather conditions on the day of the marathon. I fought my way through the marathon and vowed to never do that again. Part of my training program should have included midday runs in the sun in order to acclimatize my body for this potential scenario on race day. It was a mistake but a valuable learning experience as a runner.

Perhaps it's time to walk away from the pampered environment of an indoor sports fitness facility and train for your sport in the great outdoors!

I'm planning to post a bunch of points to consider when training athletes in the summer heat for their particular sport. Talk to you soon.

Perry Coma
Director of Kinetic Athletic-The Way to Train

Kenora, Mike Richards, and the Stanley Cup

Good Afternoon,

The Kinetic Athletic sports training tips blog is temporarily swerving away from the path of exercise training for athletes. Tonight is a big night for the City of Kenora. It's game four of the 2012 NHL Stanley Cup Final and Kenora's hometown hero Mike Richards of the Los Angeles Kings has an opportunity to make hockey history with the southern California NHL franchise. A win tonight by the Los Angeles Kings will capture the Stanley Cup for the southern California city and its residents. Plus, Mike Richards winning the Stanley Cup pretty much guarantees a Stanley Cup parade in Kenora this summer. (Ispo facto, the Kenora Thistles hockey team won the Stanley Cup in 1907. One hundred and five years ago! No kidding. Check-out this fact at the NHL Website. Don't you think it's about time the Stanley Cup came back to Kenora?).

It's a scorcher of a day in Kenora, Ontario too. The city is revved up for the big game tonight. The store owners in downtown Kenora are showing their hometown pride with decorating the storefronts. Below is a sample of a business owner in the downtown Kenora area district showing support for Mike Richards and the Los Angeles Kings.



This is Mike Richards second appearance in a Stanley Cup final. The last time Mike Richards played for the Stanley Cup he was donning a Philadelphia Flyers' jersey, played along teammate Chris Pronger of the northwestern Ontario city of Dryden, Ontario, and faced off against fellow Olympic-gold medalist Jonathon Toews of the Chicago Blackhawks. That was back in the spring of 2010. Two years later and Mike Richards is playing for the Los Angeles Kings with former Philadelphia Flyers' linemate Jeff Carter. It's amazing how the careers of professional athletes change in a short period of time.

The Kenora Rec Centre is preparing for the onslaught of people attending the game tonight at the rec centre. Apparently, it's five dollars per person to watch the game on the big screen and cheer on Mike Richards and the Los Angeles Kings. The staff at the Kenora Rec Centre have been working their butts off to prepare the ice-level surface for the rambunctious fans. Kudos to Kenora's Donny B "The Wiz" and his contribution to making the event a reality. Here's some pics of the Kenora Rec Centre. The City of Kenora has definitely supported Mike Richards with naming a street after him and putting his name on the outside of the Kenora Rec Centre. I believe the dedications to Mike Richards occurred after the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. I might be mistaken but it was roughly around this time.





As mentioned before, Kenora, Ontario won the Stanley Cup back in 1907. Unbelievable! The Kenora Thistles won the cup 'back in the day'. I don't suppose that the NHL will grant Kenora a NHL franchise so the chances of a small northwestern Ontario city winning the Stanley Cup again is next to zero. The Stanley Cup win of 1907 is a big part of Kenora's history and it would be fantastic to host a Stanley Cup parade once Mike Richards and the Los Angeles Kings win the cup. It's been one hundred and five years so it's about time to do it again.

Good luck to Mike Richards and the Los Angeles Kings!

Perry Coma
Director of Kinetic Athletic-The Way to Train

The Simple Design of a Speed and Agility Ladder

Good Afternoon,

Imagine it's a hot and humid summer afternoon. You're the head trainer of a sports training camp for athletes. Over one hundred athletes have signed up and the athletes are ready to participate in the sports conditioning camp. You've worked your butt off just to get ready for the camp. A number of late nights designing workouts, marketing the camp to prospective athletes, developing relationship with the athletes' parents and an ample amount of preparation defines this moment. You've prepared dozens of agility drills, speed drills, balance drills, and a boggling number of innovative drills that incorporate a speed and agility ladder into the sports exercise camp. The athletes are pumped up and so are you. Every athlete is itching to sweat it up and train to be the best.

But there's a problem. The agility and speed ladders are tied up in a knot since the last time that you used the ladders. No kidding. The ladders are actually tied up in an enormous knot that would make a Canadian sailor proud. As you struggle in front of the athletes to untangle the twisted ladders, a thought comes to your mind. "Why did I try to save a couple of bucks and buy training ladders that are a nightmare to use?".

One of the biggest benefits of a Kinetic Athletic speed and agility ladder is its design. The simple ergonomic design of a Kinetic Athletic ladder makes it easy to use. Each rung of the ladder has a slot that permits the patented easy-grip handle to slide through. This simple patented design permits the user of a ladder to organize the ladder quickly and easily. This is incredibly important when a sports trainer is setting up a ladder or collecting the ladder after a workout. The picture below illustrates a Kinetic Athletic ladder held in the hand of an athlete.




Notice how the ladder is neatly organized. It's a trainer's dream when equipment is easy to set-up and assemble after hosting a conditioning session. Ask any trainer familiar with a Kinetic Athletic ladder versus a ladder that does not possess this unique patented design.

When it comes to shopping for a speed and agility ladder for sports training and sports fitness programs for exercising athletes, there's a mantra to adhere to; "Think twice, buy once".

For the month of June 2012, Kinetic Athletic is continuing its offer of free shipping and a free reaction ball with the purchase of a 15 foot and 30 foot speed and agility ladder. Plus, each ladder comes with a training program containing basic footwork drills to get you started with your new Kinetic Athetic agility and speed ladder. Enjoy!

Perry Coma
Director of Kinetic Athletic-The Way to Train

The Versatility of a Speed and Agility Laddder for Sports Training

Good Afternoon,

It's time to discuss and differentiate an average agility and speed ladder from an above average speed and agility ladder. Recognizing the difference between the two is important. Purchasing the right tool for training an athlete or group of athletes can make a surprising difference in the type of sports training programs you can incorporate into the athlete's conditioning program.

One important feature that distinguishes one speed ladder from another is the versatility of the speed and agility ladder. Versatility implies that the ladder is adaptable to the trainer's plans and the athlete's training program. The ladderdoes not confine the trainer and the athlete to a limited number of speed and agility drills. The sports conditioning tool should be limited only by the trainer's imagination and/or the athlete's current physical abilities, not the other way around.

For instance, can the ladder divide into different segments? If the ladder is one continuous piece of equipment, then the ladder can be laid in a straight line only. This will be an issue for the trainer and the athlete. A ladder that does not break into shorter segments is a one-dimensional training tool versus a ladder that has the option of dividing into smaller segments.

Preferably, the speed ladder should have the option to divide into smaller sections or segments. The different size sections permits the trainer and athlete to devise a plethora of training plans. Plus, the trainer can design speed and agility drills for a variety of athletes from different sports too. Depending on the demands of the sport, the trainer has the options to create straight-line agility drills, lateral agility drills, and diagonal drills with a speed ladder that divides into different segments.

Below are some pictures of Kinetic Athletic's line of agility and speed ladders. Notice how Kinetic Athletic's speed and agility ladder divides into smaller sections. This allows the trainer and the athlete to create innovative speed and agility drills for a conditioning program.







The wonderful part about a well-designed versatile agility ladder is the endless options available to the trainer and the athlete. The next post will discuss this topic further and address other important differences between an average ladder and a great speed ladder for sports training.

Perry Coma
Director of Kinetic Athletic Inc.-The Way to Train
A Sports Fitness Training and Sports Exercise Company for Athletes

Comparing the Features of Speed and Agility Ladders

Good Afternoon,

When you operate a small company, lots of questions will be directed towards you. As a small business owner, you need to be able to field questions on virtually all aspects of your business. One of the most frequent questions that is posed to me by clients wanting to do business with our sports training and sports fitness company relates to Kinetic Athletic's speed ladders and agility ladders.

The first point to clarify is there is no appreciable difference between a speed ladder and an agility ladder. It’s the same thing. Please don't interpret my commentary as condescending. One time a client made an inquiry and asked if we retailed speed ladders. I replied "Yes, we retail speed and agility ladders". The person on the other end of the line insisted that they were interested in buying an agility ladder and did not need a speed and agility ladder. I handled this discussion carefully and communicated to the client that the two products are one in the same. My explanation cleared the confusion and the client understood there is no difference between the two terms.

One of the key features of a speed ladder and an agility ladder is the design of the rungs. The rungs are the plastic slats connected to the black webbing. The rungs are perpendicular to the black webbing. In the case of Kinetic Athletic's speed ladders and agility ladders the rungs are yellow.

It's best if the ladder's rungs are flat. Flat rungs are comparatively safer than ladders with round rungs. I have trained athletes with both types of ladders. Flat-rung ladders are the winners hands down in my opinion. Ladders with round rungs are an accident waiting to happen. When an athlete's toe catches the rung of the ladder it often sets off a chain reaction leading to the athlete falling to the ground. Falling to the ground is far from being the end of the world. But who wants to snag their toe on the rung of the ladder and trip while participating in a sports exercise training session?

Flat-rung designed speed ladders and agility ladders are less likely to cause this nuisance. A low-profile flat-rung design lets the athlete focus on training rather than repeatedly getting tripped up and having to adjust the ladder back to its original position. Illustrated below is the unique flat-rung design of a Kinetic Athletic speed and agility ladder.



Speed ladders and agility ladders with a flat-rung design are arguably the better option when it comes to a sports training and sports fitness programs for athletes.

I'll post in the next few days some of the other great features that distinguish an average ladder from a great ladder.

Perry Coma
Director of Kinetic Athletic Inc.
A Sports Training, Sports Fitness, and Sports Exercise Company

The Relevance of Foot and Ankle Function to an Athlete's Calf Pain

Hi Athletes,

It's been a long time since I've posted on the company's sports training blog. Work and life have been busy. I'm in the midst of acquiring my master's degree in business administration while running the company. Plus, if you're a regular online client of Kinetic Athletic, hopefully you've noticed that we have updated the web site recently! It's been a demanding year and I'm looking forward to a summer of fun.

I wanted to get back to the last post that focused on the possible causes of an athlete’s calf pain. Particularly, I wanted to address the pattern that I've observed in athletes involved in cycling.

Cyclists can spend countless hours on a bike. During this period of training, the cyclist is positioning the foot and ankle in a certain position to optimize his or her cycling. Plus, the cyclist is not putting his or her full body weight through his or her foot while riding the bike. Two important points here: the foot and ankle are operating in a finite range of movement for a prolonged period of time and the force loads are less than the force loads experienced in normal vertical body position weight bearing (e.g. standing, walking, jogging, running, sprinting).

When the cyclist stops cycling, transitions to the vertical upright body position, and begins to walk, jog, run or some other vertical upright activity, the ankle and foot are in for a surprise. The ankle and foot will go through a greater range of movement through three planes (i.e. sagittal, frontal, and transverse) of motion. Plus, the force loads in the three planes of motion will be considerably different than the force loads generated by riding a bike. The calf, is partially responsible, for controlling the foot and ankle. The greater force loads (e.g. eccentric loading) through the calf via the actions of the foot and ankle in the vertical upright body position can set the calf up for pain. A quick transition from sitting on a bike to vertically upright walking, jogging or running can lead to tissue overloading in the calf and consequential calf pain. In my experience, it is often the result of a prolonged pattern of training and then the problem occurs. Often, it takes a while for this problem to develop.

When I discover this pattern of activity and pain in an athlete involved in cycling (e.g. cyclists, mountain bikers, triathletes), I often advise the athlete to start a training program to address the training deficits. For example, a triathlete who chooses to train frequently on the bike and experiences calf pain with jogging and running, should be provided with a foot, ankle, and calf functional flexibility and strengthening program to combat the effects of training on the bike.

This is what I was planning to share with readers many months ago and now I've got it posted on the new web site. It's about time! I hope this sports fitness, sports exercise, and sports training tip can be applied to your athlete training program.

Thanks for taking the time to read this article by Kinetic Athletic-The Way to Train.

Perry Coma
Director of Kinetic Athletic Inc.
Sports Training, Sports Fitness, and Sports Exercise Equipment and Programs For Athletes.

Possible Causes of an Athlete’s Calf Pain

Good Morning,

About a month ago, I overheard two friends discussing a similar problem afflicting the two of them: calf pain. One was training for a triathlon and shared that his calf would become sore each time he finished riding his bike and started to run. The other friend is an avid cyclist and noted the onset of calf pain with weight bearing activities but no occurrence of calf pain while riding his bike.

The two athletes share a sports training injury dilemma with a common thread between the two stories.

I noted a hidden similarity between the two conditions and a common denominator with what I’ve seen clinically as a practicing physical therapist.

I’ll get to the answer about the possible cause of my friends’ calf pain in my next blog post after sharing some of the most common causes of calf pain in athletes.(I think the answer to their common problem is a real gem and an ‘outside the box’ perspective regarding calf pain and calf injuries.)

Calf pain can afflict all types of athletes. It is not just limited to runners. Calf pain can occur in athletes training for hockey, training for soccer, tennis, basketball, football, and basically the list is endless.

Below are some of the more common causes of calf pain in athletes and a brief discussion under each point.

1. Overtraining. Frequent training with too little rest to allow for adequate post-exercise recovery is a recipe for a calf injury. In addition, starting a program in poor physical shape and believing you will be able to whip yourself into shape in a week or two is another way to surely injure yourself. Take a hard look at your training program. Are you allowing enough time for rest between training sessions? One of the keys of a good training program is to allow enough time for your body to adapt to the training loads exerted upon your body. The muscles and tendons present in your calf require time to adaptively become stronger and more resilient to the mass of your body, gravity, and ground reaction forces.

2. Changes in the training program. Running 5 km on level ground on grass in a park is different and most likely easier than running 5 km over steep hills on a paved road. Likewise, jumping from a 36 inch box is a big upgrade in plyometric training compared to a 12 inch box. Recognize the differences and progressions in your training program. When the volume and/or intensity of a workout are tweaked, expect a corresponding change in how your body feels. Don’t discount the forces and loads your calf has to contend with when changes are made in your training.

3. Changes in footwear. Did a sale at the local mall rope you in and you changed your regular training footwear for a more stylish look? Sounds good, but if the new shoes are the wrong design for your body type/foot, you may inadvertently develop calf pain. The shoes on your feet have an enormous impact on the way your calf reacts to weight bearing activities such as jogging, running, sprinting, jumping, hopping, and lunging.

4. Altered foot mechanics: A static postural foot deformity (aka ‘poor foot posture’) will often rear its head with dynamic movement. Walking, jogging, running, sprinting, jumping, and hopping, are types of weight bearing activities that are sure to exacerbate poor foot biomechanics. The foot is the first part of the kinetic chain to strike the ground and if the foot is not operating properly, the calf may start to pay the price for ineffective shock absorption by the foot.

A complete list of biomechanical foot conditions that can cause calf pain will be for a latter discussion on our company sports training blog.

My list of the most common causes of calf pain in athletes is reflective of my perceptions as a physical therapist and the athletes that have walked through my door with calf pain.

Return again to our company blog and I’ll share the answer to the possible cause of calf pain involving my two athletic friends.

Train Smart and Train Hard,

Perry Coma, Director of Kinetic Athletic Inc.-‘The Way to Train’
A Sports Training Equipment and Sports Fitness Programs Company

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