To Shoe or Not to Shoe: That is the Question
There is a lot of discussion being generated lately regarding the pros and cons of using running shoes to run. It has only been since the 1970′s that we have used running shoes, however, we’ve managed to run since the start of our caveman days. A great new article has been published by Lieberman et al. (2011), looking at running forces with and without shoes…it may help to shed a little light on this area for you.
Background Information: Runners typically are injured at the moment their foot makes contact with the ground. This can happen in three ways: a rear-foot strike (RFS), in which the heel lands first; a mid-foot strike (MFS) where the heel and ball of the foot land at the same time; or a forefoot strike (FFS) where the ball of the foot lands before the heel comes down.
Half Marathon Race Day Checklist
I don’t know about you but I’m usually a mess the day of a race and find that setting things up before hand makes the morning run a bit smoother, even though it never takes away ALL the nervousness.
Here’s a checklist of things to prepare prior to the big day.
How to deal with IT band friction problems
One of the most common pains suffered by runners is discomfort on the outside aspect of the knee, or just below the knee. This can be a very debilitating condition that has stopped people from being able to continue training. It sometimes develops into a “snapping” or clicking on the outside of the knee as well. The gist of the problem is the lower portion of the IT band frictions on a bony prominence particularly when the leg moves from knee flexion (bend) to knee extension (straightening). Many common activities involve bending and straightening the knee repeatedly other than running (cycling, hiking, going up stairs) so this can be a rather common complaint.
Knee pain from running down hill, can it be stopped?
If your knees hurt from running, you are definitely NOT alone! Four million Canadian runners who suffer from knee pain every year.
Last month, a team of researchers at the University of Calgary (from the lab where I had my 3D gait analysis done), published a study in the Journal of Athletic Training showing how runners with knee pain can benefit from an intensive hip-strengthening program.
The hip muscles are some of the largest muscles in the body(and therefore technically the strongest too, by design anyhow). They have roles in keep the pelvic level and the knee aligned underneath us. But, I have seen time and time again, runners who have very weak hip muscles. They may not currently be in pain but if they increase their intensity or increase the loads (ie. by running downhill when the body is not used to lots of downhill running), breakdowns can occur.
Is it possible to prevent an ankle sprain?
Trail running is quite popular here in Squamish, due to the fact that we have beautiful spaces to explore right in our backyards. But running on such uneven ground puts us at risk for spraining our ankles, a very common “traumatic” running injury. While there are no guarantees you won’t sprain your ankle, there are a few things to know that could reduce your risk, whether you are a “recurrent sprainer” or someone lucky enough to have never sprained before.
Some popular posts
What do all those initials mean?
A client remarked to me last week that I had “a lot of initials...
Eating while running
Hmm. When I contemplate that title I shake my head- how DO those...
Is it possible to prevent an ankle sprain?
Trail running is quite popular here in Squamish, due to the fact...
Can Wii Fit get you FIT?
When I was growing up, video games held NO appeal, at least...
getting traction while running on ice and snow
For those of us who like to be able to run (or walk for that...
