Rowers come in all shapes and sizes. One aspect of this is that the anatomy of our lower limbs varies greatly. Some of us have incredibly long femurs (thigh bones), some have terrible ankle flexibility and some even have one leg longer than the other. This makes for an interesting challenge when trying to get individuals moving in the same way together.

We must especially recognise and appreciate the role the feet play in setting up the entire lower limb of the stroke. Podiatrists, Osteopaths and Coaches with a keen eye can identify and make small adjustments to the individual that include working out a weakness or restriction, changing equipment or implementing ergogenic aids. These adjustments can influence mechanics further up the chain, improving overall rowing efficiency and the synchrony of teammates. However, if the adjustments are done incorrectly, it can hamper performance and contribute to injury risk.

By observing advances in technology and performance in other sports such as running we can understand why foot mechanics are so important and relate these concepts to the rowing stroke. For example, one of the primary components……..

See the full BAT Logic Biomechanics article in Row360 from Issue 30 by clicking here on the link.

BAT Logic – Row360 Issue 30 – Feet