PODIATRIST DISCUSSES FOOT AND ANKLE ANATOMY WITH SWIM LEGEND

Ben Pearl, DPM interviewed swim legend Gary Hall, MD this week. They discussed foot and ankle anatomy as it relates to swimming and how to strengthen the foot and ankle in pronatory movement. Hall was interested in what could develop strength for his swimmers in the pronation movement pattern for the breaststroke. Dr. Pearl suggested using resistance bands when the foot is supinated and moving into a pronated position. Dorsiflexion, eversion, and abduction movement are necessary moving through the breaststroke. 

 

Dr. Gary Hall

 

Hall related that his old coach Doc Counsilman used to use “alligator shoes” which were Converse high tops mounted to an incline board, and Hall would walk around his dorm floor with these on. Hall, a retired ophthalmologist, was a member of the ‘68, ‘72 and ‘76 U.S. Olympic swim teams. Hall has written two books, the first was a swim text Fundamentals of Fast Swimming for which he consulted with Dr. Pearl on some ankle anatomy details.

Courtesy of Barry Block, editor of PM News