<b>Introduction</b><b> </b>

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<span style="font-weight: 400;">A </span><a href="https://www.biomechanicseducation.com/"><b>biomechanica</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">l</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> assessment by definition is an assessment of your biomechanical systems. This could be considering what is seen both outside &amp; inside the body as we have previously shared in our blog </span><a href="https://www.biomechanicseducation.com/extrinsic-technique-vs-intrinsic-biomechanics/"><b>Extrinsic vs intrinsic biomechanics</b></a><b>.</b>

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<span style="font-weight: 400;">Here we will discuss 2 categories of biomechanical assessment </span>

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<ol>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">A biomechanical analysis using equipment </span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">An equipment free biomechanical assessment </span></li>
</ol>
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<span style="font-weight: 400;">Examples of biomechanical analysis using equipment:</span>

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<ul>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Gait analysis </span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Bike fitting </span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Video analysing a swimmer underwater </span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-weight: 400;">Examples of biomechanical analysis that is equipment free: </span>

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<img class="size-medium wp-image-35139 aligncenter" src="https://www.biomechanicseducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/DSC07295-181x300.jpg" alt="" width="181" height="300" />

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<ul>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Biomechanics coach screening </span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Functional movement screen (FMS)</span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Range of movement (ROM) testing</span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Muscle strength testing </span></li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/allied-health-professionals/roles-allied-health-professions/podiatrist#"><b>Who might do a biomechanical assessment?</b></a><b> </b>

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<ul>
 	<li aria-level="1"><b>Biomechanics Coaches </b></li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://www.biomechanicseducation.com/what-is-a-biomechanics-coach/"><b>Biomechanics coaches</b></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> are Diploma level movement or therapy practitioners. </span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">They become qualified in either PT, S&amp;C, pilates, yoga or sports therapy &amp; then go onto specialise in Biomechanics Coaching through a 7-9 month Diploma. </span>

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<span style="font-weight: 400;">Biomechanics Coaches (BC) can be found all around the UK. Individuals can book a biomechanical assessment by finding an IBA Registered Biomechanics Coach </span><a href="https://www.biomechanicseducation.com/"><b>HERE</b></a><b> </b>

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<span style="font-weight: 400;">BC’s assess every joint and subsystem in the body through visual and hands on testing. The client will be assessed in various positions, some lying down passively, some standing, some sitting, some static assessments and maybe even some dynamic hopping or stepping test as the BC observes how the body moves.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Their skill is to evaluate the quality of movement in each area, through range of motion, symmetry etc. BC’s use an evidence based system to decide from the results which intervention is best to start, most commonly the pelvis for example. </span>

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<span style="font-weight: 400;">The systematic approach allows the BC to identify the problem which  is causing issues around the body by regular assessment done in exactly the same way each time. Then they simply coach a few interventions at a time to be able to identify root causes.</span>

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<span style="font-weight: 400;">This allows for objectivity and empowers the client with a long term maintenance programme designed from the individuals key biomechanical pillars identified during the process. They will also be coached with day to day techniques that can be utilised to improve the results and ultimately how they feel when they move.</span>

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<span style="font-weight: 400;">After a biomechanical assessment with a Biomechanics Coach their clients are given detailed information about how to move more freely with less pain by using the iMoveFreely movement programme otherwise known as a preparation for movement or prehabilitation.</span>

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<span style="font-weight: 400;">The reason an individual might require a biomechanical assessment could be that they feel they don’t move well, they wish to continue to move well or they are struggling to find a solution for their symptoms.  </span>

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<ul>
 	<li aria-level="1"><b>Podiatrists </b></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-weight: 400;">This profession requires a degree/Masters degree level of education with registration with the Health &amp; Care Professions Council (HCPC), which would also be a good way to recognise how to find an up to date podiatrist. </span>

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<span style="font-weight: 400;">Podiatrists specialise in foot care and lower limb biomechanics but may choose to specialise in certain aspects of foot health. Specialisms might be children with walking problems, diabetics along with amputations or foot issues in sports players or dancers for example.Most often they’re expected to address foot pain or ankle knee pain. </span>

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<span style="font-weight: 400;">Podiatrists will examine your feet or legs and closely observe your walking style or gait. They may use expensive and sophisticated video equipment along with a treadmill to analyse gait of their clients walking or running from multiple cameras, at a variety of angles. </span>

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<span style="font-weight: 400;">This profession requires a great depth and comprehension of the complexities of joint surfaces, planes and combinations of foot postures. Also ground reaction force, the effects of gravity and how the foot has an ascending biomechanical influence. Additionally a good understanding of descending biomechanical influences can give a Podiatrist much more information for intervention possibilities </span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">The interventions will of course vary however they are likely to range from orthotic inserts, foot supports, therapy, exercise and in some cases possibly surgery.</span>

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<span style="font-weight: 400;">Should a Podiatrist learn about intrinsic biomechanics within the </span><a href="https://www.biomechanicseducation.com/biomechanics-coach-diploma-2/"><b>Diploma in Biomechanics Coaching</b></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> they would have a much fuller tool box to identify further root causes of foot problems high up in the kinetic chain in their clients.</span>

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<ul>
 	<li aria-level="1"><b>Physiotherapist </b></li>
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<span style="font-weight: 400;">Anyone wishing to become a qualified Physiotherapist will find the minimum education pathway would be a 3 year degree. </span>

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<span style="font-weight: 400;">Like podiatrists physios can specialise in various subjects like paediatrics, neurology or biomechanics. If a physio has a special interest in biomechanics they may perform muscle strength testing, static or dynamic assessments, watching a patient's body moves, evaluating their range of motion to offer an intervention or treatment should they be symptomatic.</span>

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<span style="font-weight: 400;">Most clients will seek out the advice and help of a physiotherapist due to symptoms that their GP is unable to identify or resolve. Otherwise individuals may seek a private physio should they feel this professional would be able to help with their musculoskeletal problem.</span>

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<span style="font-weight: 400;">One physiotherapist may practise with a more hands on treatment approach whereas another may be more movement and exercise skilled. It can be misunderstood that all physios are exercise experts as there are many different specialisms in this field. A sports therapist may be more likely to be more exercise-skilled than a neurology physio for example. </span>

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<span style="font-weight: 400;">Physios will be trained in anatomy and injury anatomy, rehabilitation, tissue healing processes, along with treatments and interventions. NHS physis will work as part of a multidisciplinary team whereas private physios may or may not.</span>

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<span style="font-weight: 400;">If you see a physio they may treat you with hands on manual therapy skills and/or give you movement advice. If you experience an accident or musculoskeletal trauma it would be advisable to seek the advice of a chartered physiotherapist on the Health &amp; Care Professions Council (HCPC).</span>

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<ul>
 	<li aria-level="1"><b>Golf Coach</b></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-weight: 400;">This very affluent and popular hand eye coordination game requires great biomechanics for players to optimise their performance and drive while avoiding injury. So finding a good golf coach can make a big difference.</span>

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<span style="font-weight: 400;">Golf coaching is dominated by the Professional Golfers Association of America (PGA) who’s training programmes consist of a 3 year foundation degree in golf studies, a 3 year Diploma in higher education golf and a 3 year BSc in higher golf management studies.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">However movement practitioners with a good understanding of movement, a special interest in golf &amp; the appropriate insurance scope could access a Golf Biomechanics workshop for an improved understanding of basic golfing requirements. </span>

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<span style="font-weight: 400;">This could potentially be achieved in a CPD day rather than a full degree. Although a popular level 1 training course delivered by the Titelist performance institute is also around 6 hrs they do also deliver more extensive training at higher levels. </span>

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<span style="font-weight: 400;">A golf coach will want to evaluate the golfer's swing &amp; may use functional movement screening (FMS) and/or video analysis equipment. The FMS is to better understand the players movement qualities or limitations. Whereas the video can be used to slow things down to see exactly which plane the golfer is passing through so they can optimise their movement through whichever skill set they are qualified in.When looking for a golf coach it might be worth seeking a SafeGolf or PGA accredited practitioner. </span>

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<ul>
 	<li aria-level="1"><b>Equine Biomechanics / Riding coaches </b></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-weight: 400;">Equine biomechanics is another field of sport that recognises the value of riding coaches being able to assess the riders biomechanics and movement as well as the horses. Historically the focus has very much been on horse biomechanics in terms of investing time and resources. However a more modern approach will also have knowledge in the field of human biomechanics since it has been demonstrated that the influence of forces and loads caused by movement can be both ascending and descending. </span>

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<span style="font-weight: 400;">This has resulted in riding coaches investing time into learning more about human movement &amp; biomechanics so they can advise the rider on exercises to help them sit more symmetrically in the saddle for example. A functional leg length discrepancy in a human caused by poor pelvic or spine biomechanics could result in the horse ‘pulling’ one way. </span>

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<span style="font-weight: 400;">If riding coaches are trained in human movement they can evaluate the root causes between them and the horses movement patterns and offer appropriate interventions for both. </span>

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<span style="font-weight: 400;">Finding a registered riding coach through the British Horse Society (BHS) is probably a good place to start otherwise they can als be found on the Register of Biomechanics Coaches.</span>

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<b>Conclusion </b>

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<span style="font-weight: 400;">Understanding the importance of a biomechanical assessment is one thing but with all the different methods and such a diverse scope of practitioners available its also vital we understand who the right assessor is for the intended goal. Alternatively we can learn some methods of biomechanical assessment.</span>

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<span style="font-weight: 400;">Would YOU like to be able to assess your clients biomechanics?</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Why not…sample our programmes <a href="https://www.biomechanicseducation.com/biomechanics-coach-diploma-2/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CLICK HERE </a></span>

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