Olympic Stride
Pioneer Performance Center helps world record holder Kyle Merber regain his form.
Feature article from the Fall 2020 issue of Sacred Heart University Magazine
Kyle merber is one of those people who were born to run— the 29-year-old helped set the world record in the men’s distance medley relay in 2015 and is currently training for the Olympics. His is a world measured by hundredths of a second where even the slightest injury or affliction can be the difference between winning the gold and needing to find a new job. Recovery, too, takes on added pressure. It’s not just a matter of comfort over discomfort. For an athlete of Merber’s caliber, the body needs to return to working perfectly.
In 2018, Merber underwent major surgery for a sports hernia. Doctors were able to repair the injury, but even after months of recovery and a cautious return to training, Merber could feel his stride was off. With the Olympics looming, the New York native turned to SHU exercise science professors Matthew Moran and Justin Wager of the College of Health Professions’ Pioneer Performance Center (PPC) for gait analysis testing.
Merber knew the professors from a visit to the center five years ago and had even met Moran at a running camp while still in high school. “His talk and demonstration left a lasting impression on my career,” Merber says. “It was the first time I had ever seen science applied to athletics with such intent. His pointers about the small ways I could improve my form gave me some direction of how to get faster beyond just training hard.”
Optimistic and excited to meet up with his old friend, Merber visited the center in March. Gait analysis assesses muscular strength, flexibility and running motion by capturing and analyzing images of the body running at different paces. Testing takes about two hours.
After tracking Merber’s gait, pace, the weight of his footfalls and much more, the experts developed a 25-page report that Moran went over with Merber and his physical therapist. Adjustments were made to the runner’s physical therapy routine to help him train better.
Testing in the lab is also incredibly helpful for students. Kayla Kowalczyk graduated in May with a degree in exercise science and is currently pursuing a master’s in biomechanics at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Working as an intern in the PPC, she says, “helped me put my knowledge to the test and gain an improved understanding of what is taught in the classroom.” Not to mention that putting that classroom knowledge into practice with a world record holder doesn’t hurt for experience.
As for Merber, “There was an issue between the relationship in the firing of my glutes, hamstrings and hip flexors,” he explains. “This resulted in me favoring one side. If I am running 100 miles per week, that’s a lot of steps. If one part of my stride is off, then I am at higher risk for injury. And you can’t run fast if you’re hurt.”
Now Merber, like every champion runner, knows not to look behind but to keep himself focused on the road ahead. “Every opportunity to improve efficiency is a chance to run faster come the next race,” he says.