The recently released 2nd edition of Running Medicine synthesizes the advances in research, clinical practice, and technology related to management of the running athlete. The book is the most comprehensive work ever published on the topic an features an all-star group of writers.
Jay Dicharry of the REP Lab in Bend, OR authored the chapter on Clinical Gait Assessment and integrates the latest biomechanics research on injury and performance to make it easy for physicians and therapists to assess and treat their patients. While Jay’s hot selling book, Anatomy for Runners, is aimed at runners and coaches, the 2nd edition of Running Medicine is able to expand into the technical realm to better serve the needs of medical professionals.
In PT and Medical schools, students have so much core information to learn that they never really have time to delve into running gait and the associated biomechanical topics. On top of this, the analysis equipment used to quantify gait has been slow in its development compared to other sports. For years, all everyone wanted to discuss is pronation.
Modern day gait labs allow running specialists to analyze a runner’s gait to the millisecond, provide objective analytics to identify a patient’s form and help reveal the dysfunction causing their injuries. These labs aren’t cheap; they cost as much as a house (or more), require custom software and data processing, and make it impossible to do this level of analysis at most clinics across the country. Jay has worked hard to establish the REP Lab as the premier running biomechanical assessment facility in the west. Through this venture, Jay’s mission is to give back to the profession, and share the knowledge gleaned to help all clinicians understand the reason behind running injuries. The 2nd edition of Running Medicine is THE source, and belongs on the bookshelf of every physician and therapist.
