In my last blog, I took a stance on posture. Remember: posture is fluid and doesn’t have to be perfect all the time. That said, when it comes to running, posture does matter because it can improve efficiency and reduce unnecessary stress.

Once we’ve evaluated posture and made any necessary adjustments, the next thing to look at is natural body alignment.

I know the people reading this range from pro-level athletes to someone like me — an average person who just wants to lift heavy, run far, and do hard things with the God-given body they’ve been given. I may be young, but I’ve seen a lot in my career as a physical therapist and coach.

Athletes often have a picture in their head of what the "perfect runner" looks like. We imagine how the best of the best move, eat, train, and recover. We scroll, compare, and try to mimic what they do. And if they’re the best, shouldn’t that be the gold standard?

Not necessarily.

We need to step back and recognize that we are not the same person. We are not built the same. Each athlete needs something slightly different to become the best version of themselves. This is why coaching matters — having someone who can individualize training so it supports your body and gets you across your finish line.

Today, I want to help you (and your coaches) understand your body a little better. I’ll introduce a few anatomy terms — I promise they’re approachable — but if this feels overwhelming, please seek out a physical therapist. I guarantee there’s a PT out there who would love to work with someone like you.

By the end of this, you’ll be better equipped to own your movement and move the way your body was designed to move.

Bones ≠ Weakness or Tightness

Here’s an important truth: The position of your bones is not caused by weak or tight muscles.

No amount of stretching will “fix” bony alignment.

Some of us were born with certain bone positions. Others developed them through sports that involved a lot of twisting during our formative years. Either way — now we’re adults, and our bones are set.

We live in an age of constant comparison. We know it’s not helpful, yet we do it anyway. So let me be very clear: Someone with “perfect” alignment is not better off than someone with natural torsion (twist) in their bones.

Alignment only becomes a problem when you don’t respect it.

Understanding Rotational Alignment

To understand how your body moves, we need to assess the rotational alignment of your hips and shins — think of your leg like a kebab skewer. How are your thigh and shin positioned on that skewer?

Alignment starts at the hips. Specifically, how the thigh bone (femur) sits in the pelvis. This can be:

• Neutral

• Twisted inward

• Twisted outward

Hip position influences how your knee tracks.

Next, we look at the shin:

• Straight

• Twisted inward

• Twisted outward

Shin position influences foot position.

Why “Fixing” Form Can Backfire

When a coach sees you wobble during a squat or single-leg squat, they may assume you have a stability or mobility issue — especially if your knees or feet don’t track “perfectly.”

But what if you already strength train and do mobility work multiple times per week? Chances are, the issue isn’t weakness or stiffness. It’s that you’re not allowing your body to move the way it was built to move. So let’s assess — not guess.

How to Assess Your Alignment (Barefoot)

Step 1: Find Your Greater Trochanter

Stand with equal weight on both feet. Place one hand on the top of your pelvis. Slide your hand down so your middle finger points to the side of your thigh. Rotate your hip in and out. You’ll feel a hard piece of bone move under your finger — that’s your greater trochanter.

Step 2: Set the Hip in Neutral

Rotate your hip until the trochanter feels like it’s pointing straight out to the side. Hold that position. Stand tall and evenly weighted.

Now look down at your foot.

• Foot points straight → your feet should point straight

• Foot points in or out → you have natural torsion in the hips or shins (totally normal)

Step 3: Check Knee Tracking

From that same position, perform a small squat and observe where your kneecap points.

• Kneecap points straight → your knee should track straight

• Kneecap points in or out → you have natural hip torsion — respect it

Putting It All Together

Your goal is to match foot position with knee tracking. This tells you whether your bones are straight or have natural torsion in the hips or shins.

Example:

If your knees point outward but your feet point straight, you likely have outward-twisted hips and inward-twisted shins. In this case, running with your feet straight makes sense — even if your knees track outward during strength work.

My own alignment?

My knees point out and my feet turn out — meaning both my hips and shins are twisted outward. I spent years trying to “correct” this. Once I accepted it and trained with my alignment instead of against it, the stress disappeared. I stopped chasing the image of a “perfect” runner and started enjoying running for what it gives me.

Final Takeaway

Take the time to evaluate your alignment. Stop forcing yourself to be straight if you’re not built that way. You were made a certain way — own it. Train with your body, not against it. Keep doing what you love. Next time, we’ll talk about how to build a bigger spring — another perspective on why strength training matters.

Until next time.

– Alyssa Rodriguez, Doctor of Physical Therapy and Endurance Coach

March 26, 2026

Resources & Recommended Reading:

• Dicharry, J. Running Rewired: Reinvent Your Run for Stability, Strength, and Speed. Human Kinetics.