Born to Walk, Second Edition: Myofascial Efficiency and the Body in Movement

by James Earls

The revised edition of the definitive book on the mechanics, mysteries, and methods of upright walking

The ability to walk upright on two legs is one of the major traits distinguishing us as humans, and yet the reasons for its development remain a mystery among scientists. In Born to Walk , author James Earls explores the mystery of walking's evolution by describing the complex mechanisms enabling us to be efficient in bipedal gait. Viewing the whole body as an interconnected unit, he explains how we can regain a flowing efficiency within our gait--an efficiency which is part of our natural design. Based on Thomas Myers's Anatomy Trains model of human anatomy, as well as the latest science in paleoanthropology, sports medicine, and anatomy, Earls's work demonstrates how the whole body collaborates in walking, and distills the complex actions into a simple sequence of "essential events" that engage the myofascia and utilize its full potential.

The second and revised edition of this book provides bodyworkers, physical therapists and movement teachers with new research on assessment, diagnosis, and treatment approaches. Earls offers a convenient model for understanding the complexity of movement while gaining a deeper insight into the physiology and mechanics of the walking process. This book is designed for movement therapy practitioners, physiotherapists, osteopaths, chiropractors, massage therapists, and bodyworkers hoping to understand gait and its mechanics. It will also appeal to anyone with an interest in evolution and movement.

Genres: Health, Nonfiction, Bodies, Walking

204 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2014

Reviews

[Tudor Antonescu · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want to forget all your other
troubles, wear too tight shoes.
-The Houghton Line, November 1965

[Bojan Avramovic · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ne samo da je knjiga teško stanje već dovodi u zabludu i prenaglašava nebitne stvari

[Guilherme Pimentel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting reading for those involved in movement of any kind.

[James · Rating 2 out of 5]

Definitely not an ELI5 book, incredibly academic and a slog to get through.
I only desired to finish it because I paid for it, as by the time I was 40% done I committed to finishing it even if I was just reading words without comprehending what they are explaining.
You'll probably need a bachelors, maybe even masters, in a related field to understand what it's talking about.

[Jitka Egressy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book, I like info pictures with all lines marked. Also mentioning Anatomy Trains: Myofascial Meridians for Manual and Movement Therapists is great sign.

I'm not sure, if everything is valid, but mainly I can agree with this book .

[Cintain 昆遊龍 · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic exploration of movement from an integrative, myofascial, systemic perspective. I've taken two workshops with the author, and this book was an incredibily helpful read in order to truly wrap my head around the concepts and their application to clinical bodywork practice.