Remember when Eden Hazard made an exaggerated impression of Raheem Sterling? Or that viral video featuring a goose waddling along, synonymous with Serling’s distinctive running style when he’s on the wing.
Sterling took to Twitter to share his amusement, posting a response that playfully acknowledged the resemblance, stating, “Whoever said that’s me down the wing… I’m confused now, it’s accurate”.
Even very recently during a promotional video with Clarks, some schoolkids made fun of his running style. Although it was staged, his goose-like running style has been a constant source of banter, and we wanted to find out the origins of this ‘running joke”.
Is Sterling’s unique running style related to his mother?
Not many people know this, but Sterling comes from a sports background. The Chelsea forward said in an interview back in 2018 that her mother, Nadine Sterling was a competitive athlete for the Jamaican National team, however, she stopped running after she gave birth to Raheem’s sister, Yakima Sterling.
Raheem Sterling realized that he had unconsciously adopted his mother’s running style when she shared a video clip of her running, taken during Sterling’s younger brother’s sports day.
Surprisingly this was the first time Raheem saw her mother run.
This hypothesis isn’t very unusual as humans tend to accumulate information and use it subconsciously without even knowing.
In the case of Sterling, his mother’s unique running might have made an impression that was too hard for Sterling to overlook, just like we struggle to overlook his running style.
Does Raheem Sterling Have Anterior Pelvic Tilt?
There is a burning hypothesis that is gaining attention as well. Fans have speculated that Sterling may have an Anterior Pelvic Tilt, that results in his unusual running posture. If the hypothesis is true, then why is he not getting it fixed?
In professional football, players may hesitate to address biomechanical concerns due to the fear of compromising their established strengths. Rectifying issues like anterior pelvic tilt (APT) could potentially alter a player’s dynamic attributes, such as speed or dribbling prowess. Instances like Ronaldo’s experience with added muscle mass impacting agility, or Neymar’s vulnerability to injury after muscular changes, emphasize the complex trade-offs involved in physique modifications.
The soccer world values skillful outcomes, often eclipsing the scrutiny of underlying processes. Sterling, known for his goal-scoring and dribbling finesse, might evade questions about APT as long as his on-field contributions remain exceptional. While APT can facilitate hip extension, concerns arise when it strains the lower back.
However, in the case of Sterling, there is absolutely no need for it as a potential APT hasn’t caused any hindrance to his performance and if certain claims are true his insane pace is due to his underlying ATP issue, as ATP may be responsible for greater pace and more dynamic mobility.
Moreover, he is one of the finest players to ever play in the Premier League. The former Manchester City man has scored 6 goals in 30 appearances since joining Chelsea.
He has also started both games under Mauricio Pochettino this season and will be looking to solidify his position and play an important part in the revival of the Chelsea football club.