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About Robert Charles

Robert Charles completed his Bachelor of Applied Science (Exercise & Sports Science) degree at the University of South Australia in 1988.

The degree is designed to produce experts in human function and performance in relation to exercise and sporting activities. Foundation studies involve a sound basis in science in the areas of physics, biochemistry, functional anatomy and physiology. Study in nutrition, Sports medicine, human development follows leading to in depth studies in:

• Biomechanics - concerned with assessment and analysis of movement of the human body in relation to locomotion over the ground and activities in sport and exercise.
• Exercise Physiology - the studies of energy systems, oxygen and nutrient transport, muscle contraction, fitness training and evaluation.

Robert had inherited poor posture and suffered with back and neck problems from childhood and was unable to participate in sport because of knee and ankle pain and being so awkward that he tripped over his own feet.

He was almost 30 when he took up running, gym training and triathlons enjoying the involvement and the buzz of being very fit, despite suffering constant injury. He ran with shin and knee pain and was unable to train properly for running events because he then would have been too injured to turn up at the start. He spent many unrewarding years seeking a solution amongst mainstream practitioners. Some placed great emphasis on muscle balance and prescribed exercises, others prescribed his collection of uncomfortable plastic orthotics. It was apparent to him that none of these people had an understanding of the nature of his problems.

In the 1980’s he had begun the Exercise Science studies and was surrounded with enormous laboratory and library resources and began to experiment and delve into texts. The study of Biomechanics taught him that the Skeleton is our framework and it’s structure, not the muscles, sets posture and the mechanics of locomotion. It is a matter of basic physics that forces act on the skeletal structure from the base and we stack up one segment upon another through to the cervical spine. Muscles switch on to move us and to momentarily provide support, but in the weight bearing, lower limbs, pelvis and spine, skeletal structure is primary and muscle strength is protective but does not set our alignment.

Late in his studies he suffered serious knee injury while running in Podiatrist plastic orthotics. Nearing the end of a 28 km run flying along at sub 4min/km pace, his right knee just seemed to explode. In the days after that even trying to walk carefully, the medial meniscus would slide out and lock up the knee and he would have to stop and push it back in.

His G.P. examined the knee and confirmed medial meniscus and anterior cruciate tearing and gave him a referral to a surgeon. In greater desperation he researched and experimented, applying basic laws of physics and the real science of biomechanics, both of which he has still not found being applied by mainstream practitioners. He made a pair of orthotic devices to achieve correct leg alignment, discarded the referral and rehabilitated himself. Walking around with the knee joint realigned in the "sagital plane' of movement with equal lateral-medial joint space, the meniscus sat in place and healed. Two or three weeks later he tentatively returned to running. There was no further knee, shin or other problems and he didn’t even find the need to stretch after runs.

He discovered that his sets of traditional devices had not worked but in fact caused injury because of incorrect placement of the correction. He also identified the basic cause of back problems. Fundamental to his approach is the application of science, an appropriate position of casting and accurate construction of orthoses which he has developed and patented.

“I solved my own problems where traditional approaches had failed. As I continued to delve I found the basics of my findings in freely available texts. but it is not being taught”

About six months after the knee injury he ran the "Barossa Half Marathon' again. It was a last minute decision and in any case, being the last year of the Exercise Science degree, he had little time to train.

He has since done a great deal of running including another marathon (42km), many half marathons and twice running over the top of Mt Kosciuszko (32km). By wearing the orthotics constantly he enjoys perfect posture and the neck, back and knee problems he grew up with are solved. His knees are in better condition now than when he was much younger.

In recent years he shattered his lower leg and ankle in an accident. After it was screwed and plated, he did his own leg plaster and then a new orthotic device to walk and rehabilitate the leg to again run.

So called ‘Overuse Injury’ in running sports is caused by faulty body mechanics from inherited faults in the skeletal alignment of the leg. This is preventable. Osteo-arthritis is accumulated excessive wear in misaligned joints, and this can be prevented, the effects reversed when healthy joint alignment is achieved. Back problems are predisposed by spine instability from inherited misalignments in the lower skeleton. No other treatment will work until the instability from this poor posture can be corrected.

He continues to challenge conventional ideas on sports shoes, sports medicine and orthopaedics. Robert has an understanding of the pure science of biomechanics, his personal experience and almost two decades in clinical practice attending to many who have also faced frustration in finding a solution to their problems. His practice grows along with an enormous bank of insight and understanding to commonly occurring musculo-skeletal problems within the population.