How should you adjust foot stretchers if rowers have excessive knee collapse on the drive?

• A. Move foot stretchers slightly farther from the heels to reduce knee collapse and improve hip hinge.
• B. Move foot stretchers closer to the toes.
• C. Tilt the foot stretchers sideways.
• D. Leave them unchanged.

Answer: (A)

Foot position on the erg controls knee tracking and hip hinge during the drive. If knee collapse is excessive, move the foot stretchers slightly farther from the heels, which places the feet a bit more toward the toes. This forward foot position changes the ankle and knee angles in a way that encourages a deeper hip hinge and keeps the knee tracking over the midfoot rather than collapsing inward. The result is better power transfer through the hips and more stable knee alignment. Tilting the stretchers sideways or leaving them unchanged wouldn’t specifically address the sagittal alignment of the drive, and moving them toward the toes typically wouldn’t correct the issue.