KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – Master Sgt. Justin Lafon stares intently at an image of a skeleton striding along, watching legs, feet and knees working in concert. The knee sweeps forward, rolling the foot onto the toes and lifting it into the air before planting it again, shifting down as weight settles onto the leg again and again.
The bones he’s looking at are his own. It’s the first time he’s seen his running stride from the outside, with detailed tracking analysis showing the exact path his joints are taking. It’s a new program brought to the Airmen of the 173rd Fighter Wing by the Health Awareness and Education Team (HEAT). It’s called RunDNA, says certified corrective exercise specialist Amy Jones, and it represents an opportunity for every Airman to avoid injury as they train for their fitness test or otherwise enjoy running.
“Running is a huge source of injury,” she said. “Typically, that results from overworking — not knowing how to run in terms of intensity level and running too hard for too long.”
She said that results in pain in the knees, back, Achilles tendon and foot or ankle.
“Running is a part of your life in the military, whether you choose to do it year-round or one month out of the year for the PT test,” she says.
That annual one-month crucible works for some Airmen, many of them young, but she stresses it can backfire.
“It’s a recipe for injury,” she said. “You’re going to go from a state of rest, where your body is not used to any sort of physical activity that resembles running, and you jump right into running, and you’re running every day and running hard.”
Jones says she and her team can help using RunDNA. “This is cutting-edge technology, and it’s something that not a lot of Air Force Bases or Air Guard bases have access to.”
The mechanics involve placing 18 feedback sensors on a runner’s legs, knees, hips, ankles and feet and using a computer-based video system to capture their stride on a treadmill.
“We are able to take a single capture,” she said, referring to the video file, “and then view it from every single angle.”
The RunDNA software analysis is instant, spitting out solutions for gait problems such as overstriding or favoring one side or the other. The file can be saved for future reference.
Lafon, an avid runner, says he was able to make several improvements during the session.
“I wanted to see what my stride looks like and see some areas for improvement,” he said. “I’ve pretty much been freewheeling it, going out on my own.”
He left with information on mobility and stretching tailored to him and the promise of a more efficient running form.
Senior Master Sgt. Colin Carr, who was just certified to administer tests, says it’s useful for any runner regardless of ability or experience.
“I think it’s fun to have this high-tech, super-professional view of how you run,” he said. “You never get that anywhere unless you are a professional.”