From the Ground Up Athletic Performance Podcast Ryan Foley & Kyle Paxton IKN Episode 44 " Examining movement in light of force distribution, Proximal & Distal Considerations, Control Gradients to inform isometric & Joint position"
On this episode I sat down with the founders of Integrated Kinetic Neurology Ryan Foley and Kyle Paxton. We began the discussion by talking about the body being an integrated learning system, Ryan also shares that we must view movement within a given context in order to make worthwhile reductions about movement strategies. Proximal and distal movement strategies are discussed in multiple formats throughout the conversation and Ryan shares that we develop movement proficiencies in a proximal nature before begin to distribute movements distally. As we develop we become more driven by distal drivers except for in certain situations. The anatomy of the body is taken into consideration to support the distal distribution of forces and Ryan and Kyle share about limb tapering and why we are arranged in a strategic manner morphologically to allow for distal distribution of forces.
Intensity is discussed in multiple facets throughout the discussion and the differences of movement strategies in a low intensity setting differ substantially from the choices available under time constraints. Often times in lower intensity situations individuals may exhibit movement strategies that would be more appropriate for high intensity situations. One can make inferences that this would be a dangerous and expensive movement strategy. Attractors and Fluctuations are ways to offer meaningful opportunities for individuals to learn. Ryan shares that sometimes its not about learning new strategies sometimes its about destroying certain strategies. One of the main attractors that should be given major consideration within rehab and training is the capacity of tissue to buffer and dampen forces and load tissue appropriately.
Muscle tone is discussed and there are two perspectives that this can be viewed from the protective mechanism or the performance mechanism. We discuss feedforward verses feedback strategies and discuss the role of vestibular and visual system in providing appropriate models of internal estimation. Feed forward strategies are strategies that allow the expression of certain amounts of activity before the foot hits the ground and allows for a better overall distribution of forces. One strategy is not superior proper preparation seems to really push for a better overall integration of the two strategies. We end the conversation by talking about the concept of neuromechanical control gradients and how that may allow for us to make more meaningful choices in isometrics and joint angles for given movements. There are 4 lens in which we can view control gradients, 1) Muscular 2) Neural 3) Joint 4) Tension. From a muscular perspective Distal tissues need to work more in an isometric fashion, From a neural lens there is variability in the "highways" that move to proximal and distal portions of the body. As far as joints are concerned skeletal organization acts as a constraint to make it easier for the nervous system to distribute forces. The body's structure often flows from complex to simple to complex, there must be some form of simplicity for a complex system to be be controllable. Tension is the last lens we discuss and that could most closely be tied to muscular orientation within the context of a movement.