THE INSTITUT CATALÀ DEL PEU CARRIES OUT BIOMECHANICAL TESTS IN THE FEDERATION OF HIKING ENTITIES IN CATALONIA (FEEC).

On March the 18^th, the Institut Català del Peu carried out biomechanical tests of the grants of sportsmen/sportswomen of the modernization program from the Federation of Hiking Entities in Catalonia (FEEC), stands for Federació d’Entitats Excursionistes de Catalunya. The Institut Català del Peu for this 2023 year, signed a collaboration agreement with FEEC in order to give a series of grants to the sportsmen/sportswomen of the modernization program. These grants consist of several biomechanical assessments through the Department of Sporting Biomechanics (Fitmetric), of the Institut Català del Peu. We begin with a series of tests which make up of the grants program which measure the strength of several muscles of the lower body and analysis of jumps. These data allow us to evaluate performance parameters, because through the biomechanical tests we measure kinematics, as well as performance parameters. These parameters are: strength, power, speed, height, contact times and flight, etc. Not only do we know the quality of these parameters in order to know what we can improve, but also we can see the asymmetry between both legs in some of the evaluated parameters; besides, it will allow us to understand where has to go a specific training program in order to prevent lesions. Therefore, the grants are part of a work with a group of trainers from the Federation, in order to be able to concentrate not only on the results, but also on the prevention of lesions during the process in order to get good results. This collaboration program gives support to managers, sportsmen/sportswomen and their trainers, in order to make a specific work which can guarantee the health of sportsmen/sportswomen in order to prevent as maximum as possible that sportsmen/sportswomen do not frustrate because of the fearsome lesions. From the results of these tests and, according to a series of criteria like the medical history of lesions and other criteria from the FEEC, those sportsmen/sportswomen who will need the most, will carry out functional and biomechanical assessment tests of the race, as well as a podiatry examination in order to keep on one’s toes regarding the prevention of lesions, particularly of those more vulnerable sportsmen/sportswomen. We think it is the best way to give everybody a part of the complete biomechanical  assessment program and to know certain vulnerabilities from sportsmen/sportswomen of modernization, therefore, we can help all of them and provide them with our experience. The collaboration with FEEC is being very positive and we feel in tune with the managers in this common plan which we are developing.