Better running form for fewer football injuries

I’ve written about the role of technique (form) and the prevention of injury many times. Most the time technique was related to a disruption in the neuromuscular pathway exhibited in execution of the skill. However, there is still another aspect of technique or more specifically running form, that relates to effective skill execution and injury.

This became evident in a newspaper picture that I saw that showed a professional football team running back in the act of running with the ball. It showed how the defender was making initial contact for a tackle from behind and to the side of the running back.

What was disturbing about the picture was that the running back was about to plant a straight leg in front of his body. Contact with the ground was on the heel with the sole of the foot up at approximately a 45° angle. In this position if he got hit directly from the side, it would blow out his collateral ligament.

He was fortunate that the direction of the tackle was slightly more from behind rather than from the side so that he was not injured. But it was mighty close. This is a classic example of how running technique (form) is directly related to the possibility of injury.

Not only does a heel hit lead to injury after a period of time but it is also related to slower running rather than faster and quicker as needed by running backs. If he had good running technique, touchdown would occur more directly under the body and the knee would be slightly bent. This is a very safe position that would protect the knee on any hit from any direction.

For more information on effective running technique see Explosive Running, 2^nd edition.