Blog 5: Biomechanics of Athletes Explained.
Part 5: Applying Biomechanics to Your Sport & Training
Welcome to the Final Part of our Biomechanics Blog Series!
Over the last four parts, Dr. Keirstyn covered the foundations of biomechanics: what it is, how the kinetic chain works, how your body handles force, and the fundamental movement patterns. Now it's time to bring it all together: how do you apply biomechanics to your specific sport and training?
This final part will show you how to analyze your sport's demands, self-assess your movement, recognize when mechanics break down, and use biomechanics to train smarter and stay healthier longer.
Sport-Specific Biomechanical Demands
Every sport has unique biomechanical requirements. Understanding what your sport demands helps you train the right things.
Running:
Primary Pattern: Single-leg stance, hip extension, ankle dorsiflexion
Key Biomechanics: Efficient stride (minimal vertical bounce, proper foot strike), hip stability, eccentric loading control
Common Breakdowns: Overstriding, crossover gait, limited hip extension, knee valgus
Cycling:
Primary Pattern: Hip flexion/extension, ankle plantar flexion
Key Biomechanics: Bike fit optimization, hip mobility, core stability
Common Breakdowns: Limited hip flexion (compensatory lumbar flexion), weak glutes, stiff ankles
Volleyball:
Primary Pattern: Jumping, landing, overhead reaching
Key Biomechanics: Landing mechanics (triple flexion), shoulder stability, eccentric strength
Common Breakdowns: Stiff-legged landings, knee valgus, poor scapular control
Hockey:
Primary Pattern: Hip abduction/rotation, explosive power
Key Biomechanics: Hip mobility in skating stance, lateral stability, asymmetry management
Common Breakdowns: Forced external rotation, groin overload, hip flexor tightness
Identify Your Sport's Demands: What movements do you repeat thousands of times? Those are the patterns you must train and optimize.
Self-Assessing Your Biomechanics
You don't need a lab to analyze your movement. Here's how to self-assess:
1. Film Yourself
Record your sport-specific movements:
Runners: Treadmill running (side and front views)
Cyclists: On bike (side view of pedal stroke)
Volleyball: Approach and landing (front and side views)
Lifters: Squat and deadlift (side and front views)
What to Look For:
Asymmetries (left vs right differences)
Compensations (excessive lean, rotation, or collapse)
Fatigue effects (how does form change as you tire?)
2. The Single-Leg Test
Stand on one leg for 30 seconds. Watch in a mirror:
Does your pelvis stay level or drop on one side?
Does your knee stay aligned or collapse inward?
Does your hip shift outward excessively?
Can you maintain balance easily on both sides?
If you can't: Kinetic chain dysfunction. Your glutes, core, and ankle stability need work.
3. The Deep Squat Test
Perform a bodyweight squat with arms overhead:
Do your heels stay down?
Do your knees track straight or collapse inward?
Does your torso stay upright or lean excessively forward?
Can you reach full depth comfortably?
If you can't: Identifies mobility restrictions (ankle, hip, thoracic spine) and stability issues (core, glutes).
4. Movement Symmetry Check
Test both sides:
Single-leg deadlifts (does one side feel significantly harder?)
Shoulder range of motion (can you reach equally high overhead with both arms?)
Hip rotation (can you rotate equally left and right?)
Asymmetries predict injury risk. Address them before they cause problems.
When Biomechanics Break Down
Fatigue:
As you tire, neuromuscular control deteriorates. Muscles fire slower, coordination decreases, and mechanics suffer.
Example: A runner's form is perfect for the first 5 miles, then overstriding and knee valgus appear by mile 10. Fatigue has compromised mechanics, spiking injury risk.
The Fix: Build endurance-specific strength and recognize when form is breaking down. Slow down or stop before injury occurs.
Injury:
Pain creates compensation. You unconsciously alter movement to avoid discomfort, overloading other tissues.
Example: Right knee pain → shift weight to left leg → left hip and knee now overloaded → secondary injury develops.
The Fix: Address the original injury properly. Don't train through pain that changes your mechanics.
Poor Programming:
Sudden volume or intensity increases, inadequate recovery, or training without addressing weaknesses all create biomechanical breakdown.
Example: Cyclist increases weekly mileage from 100 to 200 miles without building hip strength. Hip flexors and lower back can't handle the load. Pain develops.
The Fix: Progressive overload, adequate recovery, and addressing known weaknesses before increasing demands.
Lack of Strength:
If your tissues can't handle the forces your sport creates, mechanics break down under load.
Example: Volleyball player with weak glutes lands from jumps with knee valgus. Patellar tendon and MCL take excessive stress. Jumper's knee develops.
The Fix: Build strength in the movement patterns your sport demands before ramping up volume.
Training Biomechanically Smart
Principle 1: Train Movement Patterns, Not Just Muscles
Isolated exercises have value, but functional patterns teach your body how to coordinate movement.
Instead of: Leg extensions (isolated quad work)
Do: Squats, lunges, step-ups (integrated movement patterns)
Principle 2: Address Weak Links First
If you have mobility restrictions or stability issues, fix them before loading movements heavily.
Example: Limited ankle mobility → don't load heavy squats until ankles move properly
Principle 3: Build Capacity Progressively
Tissues adapt slowly. Increase training volume gradually (10% per week max) to allow adaptation.
Principle 4: Practice Under Fatigue
If your sport requires maintaining mechanics while tired, train that way.
Example: Runners doing form drills at the end of long runs (when fatigued) train neuromuscular control under realistic conditions.
Principle 5: Monitor and Adjust
Track how your body responds to training. If soreness persists, mechanics deteriorate, or performance declines, adjust load or volume.
Using Biomechanics to Prevent Injury
Early Warning Signs:
Movement feels "off" or harder than usual
One side feels tighter or weaker than the other
Fatigue sets in earlier than normal
Minor pain that requires extra warmup
Proactive Response:
Film yourself and check for changes in mechanics
Address tightness or weakness immediately
Reduce volume temporarily
Get assessed by a professional before it becomes chronic
The Mistake: Ignoring subtle changes until they become major injuries.
The Smart Approach: Treat small issues as red flags and address them early.
Real-World Application: The Runner with Knee Pain
Scenario: A runner develops right knee pain at mile 8 of long runs.
Biomechanical Assessment:
Film running form → knee valgus (collapse inward) appears when fatigued
Single-leg test → right glute medius weak, pelvis drops
Squat test → knees collapse inward under load
Root Cause: Weak hip abductors can't stabilize pelvis during prolonged single-leg stance. Knee compensates, taking excessive stress.
The Fix:
Strengthen glute medius (lateral band walks, single-leg deadlifts, clamshells)
Improve hip stability during running (cue: "knees out")
Reduce mileage temporarily to allow tissue recovery
Progress volume gradually as strength improves
The Result: Knee pain resolves without ever directly treating the knee. Biomechanics identified the root cause.
How Dr. Keirstyn Can Help
At Endurance Therapeutics, Dr. Keirstyn helps athletes at all levels apply biomechanics to their training and sport. Through comprehensive assessment and education, she provides:
Video analysis of sport-specific movements
Identification of compensations and asymmetries
Assessment of the entire kinetic chain
Teaching you how your body should move
Explaining why your current mechanics are creating issues
Showing you what to work on and why it matters
Joint mobilization to restore mobility restrictions
Soft tissue work to reduce overactive or tight muscles
Corrective exercise prescription to address weak links
Re-assessment to track progress
Program adjustments based on training demands
Injury prevention strategies tailored to your sport
Whether you're dealing with pain, wanting to improve performance, or simply curious about optimizing your movement, biomechanical assessment provides the roadmap.
Book an assessment to understand your unique biomechanics and build a plan for long-term athletic success.
Series Wrap-Up
Over these five parts, we've covered:
Part 1: What biomechanics is and why it matters for athletes
Part 2: The kinetic chain and how your body works as a connected system
Part 3: Force, load, and impact — understanding stress on your body
Part 4: Fundamental movement patterns and what good mechanics look like
Part 5: Applying biomechanics to your sport, training, and injury prevention
The Bottom Line:
Biomechanics isn't just theory. It's practical knowledge that helps you:
Move more efficiently
Perform better
Prevent injuries
Train smarter
Stay healthy for decades
The athletes who understand how their bodies move — and train accordingly — are the ones who stay in their sport the longest and perform at the highest level.
What’s Next?
Don't wait for pain to force you to address your mechanics. Get assessed, understand your movement patterns, and build a training plan that sets you up for long-term success.
📍 Endurance Therapeutics | Oakville, Ontario
📞 905-288-7161
🔗 https://endurance.janeapp.com/#staff_member/1
Optimizing The Endurance Athlete’s Mind, Body & Performance.