Crofton Office

1657 Crofton Blvd, Suite 201

Crofton, MD 21114

(410) 721-4505

(410) 721-2394

Woodbridge Office

14010 Smoketown Rd., Suite 103

Woodbridge, VA 22192

(703) 583-5959

(703) 890-4970

Chantilly Office

3914 Centreville Road, Suite 200

Chantilly, VA 20151

(703) 490-5599

(703) 583-5995

Sterling Office

46440 Benedict Dr., Suite 111

Sterling, VA 20164

(703) 444-9555

The Physics of the Martial Arts Kick

Kiai! And then boom! You see multiple wooden boards crack in between someone’s hands. It’s amazing when you see martial arts masters kick through wood or concrete and come out without so much as a bruise on their feet! How is this possible?

After some study, there seems to be a logical explanation through physics. Every object has a level of elasticity – the ability to be stretched or compressed and then go back to its normal shape. Kicking puts a force on the object (planks of wood or blocks of concrete), breaking the limits of elasticity the object has. Our hands/arms and feet/legs are able to endure much more force through our bones, tissues, and fat than a wooden board or block of concrete can. Additionally, the motion involves a slight spring/pull back, which activates the elastic movements of the object to the point of breaking, while reducing the elastic force on our hands or feet.

A bit complex, but that is how Martial Arts masters are able to swiftly kick through boards without anything more than possibly a redness on their feet. These masters practice and focus their punches, chops, and kicks until their technique allows them to apply force and use an object’s elasticity against itself. Again, it takes practice. There is no shortcut as you will find out if you try without understanding the motions. You can end up with injuries that range from severe bruises to broken bones. 

Perhaps you or your children have thought about being able to do this. Under proper instruction and guidance, you may one day be able to! But don’t take this lightly. Like with many other sports, you are risking injury – whether it be blunt trauma or overuse injuries. Discipline is part of this sport and it can include repeated movement until it has been perfected, meaning possible issues like foot or ankle sprains, Achilles tendinitis, and plantar fasciitis.

If you have previous injuries or are worried about incurring injuries, but wish to engage in the practice of martial arts, come see us first. We can assess your feet and ankles’ readiness to participate in this sport and find solutions for pre-existing issues. If you do incur injury during a martial arts class, it is best to get it treated right away. Dr. Brad Toll at Crofton Podiatry would be happy to see you at his Crofton, MD office. Make an appointment by calling us today! We treat patients from the surrounding Gambrills, Odenton, and Bowie areas as well.

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Office Hours

(We have new hours as below!)

Crofton Podiatry

Monday:

9:00 am-5:00 pm

Tuesday:

9:00 am-5:00 pm

Wednesday:

9:00 am-5:00 pm

Thursday:

7:30 am-3:30 pm

Friday:

By Appointment Only

Saturday:

Closed

Sunday:

Closed