As spring rolls in, many runners are grateful to be able to run outside without suiting up for freezing temperatures. But warm, sunny weather can also bring along another trademark of summer—air pollution. In large cities...
As a high school track and field coach, I get to work with athletes with a huge range of abilities. Some are very talented and naturally strong, able to take to any new sport or form of exercise with ease, while others are somewhat...
It’s finally getting to be the time of year when dirt trails are clearing off, meaning that trail runners, cross country athletes, and anyone else who enjoys running over more challenging terrain on occasion will be hitting...
Last time, we reviewed how your calcium intake can affect your bone health, and in doing so, we noted that vitamin D, which boosts calcium absorption, can impact the strength of your bones too. Today, we’ll be taking a closer...
On Thursday, April 18th we recorded our first live webinar with Dr. Ryan Shum, who helped answer your running injury questions. Despite a few technical glitches at the start, we had a fantastic turnout and covered a huge variety...
While every runner dreads getting a stress fracture, not all are aware that stress fractures range in their seriousness. Stress fractures, tiny cracks in the surface of your bone due to overuse and excessive forces on your body,...
bi·o·me·chan·ics /ˌbīōməˈkaniks/ Noun The study of the mechanical laws relating to the movement or structure of living organisms. If the above has turned you off slightly, I totally understand. It’s hard to go for a...
The Romans had a neat trick for knowing how far their troops had traveled. They would have a soldier count each time his left foot hit the ground. When he’d reached 1000, they knew they had traveled a mile. Some 2000 years later,...
A topic that’s probably crossed every runner’s mind in the past year or two is footstrike style. With the rise of barefoot running and minimalist shoes, there’s an inevitable debate going on about the risks and...
A stress fracture is one of the most feared running injuries. With a virtually guaranteed six or eight-week layoff from running, the prospect of sustaining one is unsettling even to veteran runners who have dealt with other injuries....
As spring begins to peek its head out in many parts of the country (and as many others busily dig out of snowbanks), runners are starting to think about how to open up their springtime 5k and 10k racing season. One issue that...
Being sidelined by injury is physically and emotionally hard to deal with. Unfortunately, getting injured is also very common. Recent research estimates that 82 percent of runners will get injured at some point in their running...
As we have seen in the past, hip strength is essential for a runner to maintain power and health. The hip muscles control the mechanics of your knee, so if you have insufficient hip abduction and external rotation strength, your...
The past two weeks we’ve looked at two types of drugs that are commonly used for treating running injuries: Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories and corticosteroid injections. While we’re on the topic of prescription medication...
The hamstrings are an essential muscle group in running. They flex your knee and assist in hip extension, meaning they are active at multiple points in your gait cycle. While the most common hamstring injuries are acute or chronic...
Last time, we looked at the role of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in running injuries. Because injuries to tendons, which connect tissue to bone, and fascia, the web of collagen that surrounds muscles and internal organs,...
According to popular wisdom, inflammation is the main cause of pain in running injuries. The suffix of many — plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendonitis, patellar tendonitis — also implies that the root cause is inflammation...
Back pain is very common with as many as 70 percent of the general population experiencing a bout at least once in their life. But what about back pain in runners? Does running put any increased stress on your back, and if so,...
A stress fracture is one of the most frustrating injuries a runner can come down with. While bad cases of some injuries do have a reputation for sticking around longer than the duration of a normal stress fracture, a stress fracture...
The iliotibial band, or IT band, is a long “band” of tissue that runs from the top of the hips down the outside of the thigh, crossing the outside of the knee and inserting at the very top of the tibia. While many people envision...
Patellofemoral pain syndrome, sometimes also called “runner’s knee,” is the most common of all running ailments, accounting for 16.5% of injuries according to one recent study. It’s characterized by a dull pain that is...
Wintertime is the start of flu and cold season for many runners, especially the ones exposed to a lot of different people in their daily life. When you come down with a severe illness, it’s a no-brainer to take time off from...
This guest post was written by Greg Strosaker One of the more controversial topics in running (other than the debate over footwear choices) is the importance of flexibility. Coaches, experts, and runners disagree over the role...
Runners love getting massages. Not only does it feel great, but it can also help speed recovery, reduce muscles soreness, and facilitate injury healing. However, there is a lot of confusion when it comes to massage. When is the...
The patellar tendon is a short but very wide tendon that runs from your patella (kneecap) to the top of your tibia. The reason you have a kneecap in the first place is to generate a bigger mechanical advantage at the knee—this...
Getting injured stinks. It doesn’t matter if you’re an elite runner logging 120 miles per week or you are training for your first 5k; being sidelined is physically and emotionally hard to deal with. Unfortunately, getting...
The Achilles tendon is the thickest and strongest tendon in your body, connecting your calf muscles to the back of your heel. Virtually all of the force generated when you “toe off” the ground during running is transmitted...
Medial tibial stress syndrome, more commonly referred to as “shin splints,” is probably the most universally-known running injury. Shin splints classically present as an aching pain on the inside of the shin, near the border...
Plantar fasciitis, an irritation to the tough, fibrous tissue at the base of the heel, is one of the most bothersome running injuries due to its infamous stubborn nature. Runners with plantar fasciitis can sometimes have heel...
Unless you’ve been living under a rock the past few years, you’ve probably caught wind of the barefoot running movement. Spearheaded mostly by Christopher McDougal’s best seller Born to Run (affiliate link), and aided by...
Have you been told that you have a leg length discrepancy? Many runners have, as it’s a fairly common phenomenon, affecting anywhere from 40-70% of the population, and is often blamed for causing running injuries. A leg length...
Most biomechanics and physiology researchers focus their efforts on big topics like injury, performance, and health. These research papers are usually centered on fundamental issues like impact, pronation, and oxygen consumption. But,...
In the past month, we have examined the use of ice baths for runners and heating before running in treating injury and preventing soreness. Today, we’re taking on contrast therapy, a more recent take on water immersion for athletes. Contrast...
Ice baths are a perennial favorite recovery tactic among college runners who have easy access to a training room. Taking a 10-15 minute dip in icy water is pretty easy when there’s always a tub ready to go. But taking an ice...
If you have been watching the Olympics, one thing you’ve definitely noticed is the preponderance of athletes sporting colorful web-like tapings on their shoulders, knees, and legs. This flashy new tape is called Kinesio Tape,...
In past articles, we’ve looked a lot at what good form “looks like,” objectively speaking. You don’t want your hips dropping on footstrike, or your legs crossing over the center of your body, or your stride frequency to...
Recent research has shown that as many as 79% of runners get injured at least once during the year. Stop. Think about that number for a moment. Nearly 8 out of every 10 runners you see at your next race have been or will be injured...
We’ve all heard of the recommendation by shoe companies and running stores that we should replace our shoes every 400-500 miles to avoid injury. But it’s also likely that you know of runners who get endless mileage out of...
Many of my recent articles have been about various ways to prevent injury. But unfortunately, our best efforts are sometimes not enough, and we get injured anyways. When you’ve run too far, too fast, or too much and you’ve...
In our previous injury prevention articles, we’ve examined risk factors or preventive strategies for specific injuries, or types of injuries. Hip strength, for example, looks as if it prevents knee injuries, but there’s less...
Shin pain, or “shin splints,” is a common and frustrating problem for a lot of beginning (and experienced) runners. It’s one of the most common ailments in runners, from sprinters all the way up to marathoners. While there...
If you’ve ever been to a podiatrist or a sports medicine doctor because of a running injury, it’s likely that he or she suggested you get a custom shoe insert, or “orthotic,” made to treat or prevent injury. They often...
This week, we’ll be looking at one of the funny ways the body adjusts to a variety of running surfaces and conditions, motivated by a basic question: “Where should I go running?” Hitting the trails, or at least getting off...
This week, we’re going to be looking at an issue of running form that’s relevant to just about everybody – how to run with more power. One very common mistake, or perhaps misconception, about how to run is exactly where...
Last week, we talked about how to watch for hip drop, a common problem with running form. Its primary cause is usually weak hip abductor muscles, but even with strong hip abductors, you can sometimes suffer from faulty biomechanics. ...
A lot of readers have been asking for articles on biomechanics and running form, and as this is an area of intense interest for me, I’m eager to do more writing on that front. But, because even basic questions of the “what...
Lately we’ve been focusing on how to stay healthy and run well on race day by avoiding injury during training and boosting performance. This week, we’re taking a break from that to focus on avoiding the miscellaneous annoyances...
In the last two weeks, we’ve talked a lot about core strength for runners: hips, abs, and back muscles. But there’s one more aspect of “core strength” that we haven’t talked about yet, and emerging research indicates...
Last week, we looked at how any “core strength” routine really ought to incorporate hip abductor and external rotator strength exercises, as there’s some good evidence that having strong hip muscles can prevent various leg...
Ask any fitness nut or personal trainer about “core work” and you’ll surely get an earful. ‘Core’ is a big buzzword these days, and as such, it’s bolstering an industry of bosu balls, wobble boards, and ab rollers. But...
“Quick feet, quick feet!” My high school coach used to shout as we launched into the last lap of a track race. More often than not, this was not helpful, as I usually ended up drifting into a long-legged loping gait as I strained...
Unless you’ve been living under a rock the past few years, you’ve probably heard something about the barefoot running/“minimalism” debate. Spearheaded by Christopher McDougall’s bestselling Born to Run, the barefoot...
Pick up any book on running and you’ll probably find a reference to the sacred 10 percent rule. In case you haven’t heard, the 10-percent rule states that to stay injury-free in training, never increase your mileage by more...
As a competitive runner and a coach, I am always striving to find the perfect balance between recovery and adaptation. If you’re reading this post, you too have probably come across your fair share of injuries or tough...
Overtraining. It’s a word that strikes fear into the hearts of runners everywhere. Researchers estimate that 61% of all serious runners will go through a period of overtraining at least once in their running career. That’s...
Sneezing, coughing, congestion, and achy muscles. Sounds like the opening to a Nyquil commercial. Unfortunately, getting sick and experiencing these symptoms is bound to happen when you’re training hard, especially if you...
Runners know the basics when it comes to running in the heat. Stay hydrated, wear light colors, slow your pace – it’s all stuff we’ve been told a million times. Instead of rehashing a bunch of information you...
Sometimes, running can be like beating your head against the wall. The body is a complex organism with hundreds of complicated physiological processes occurring every second. On days when running feels effortless, all these elements...
Running on the beach may seem like the best idea ever, but it can quickly put a halt to your training if you’re not careful. Sure, if you’re not training for a specific race and just out to enjoy the sand between your...
How much will taking a few days off from running hurt my fitness? It’s one of the most common questions I get from runners struggling with an injury, fighting the flu, or hesitant to take a much needed rest from training. As...
Running fast workouts and nailing long runs is a key part of the training process. However, one of the most often neglected aspects of training, especially since runners are almost always obsessed with pushing harder each day,...
Being a running coach is a lot of fun. I get to talk with people the majority of my day about a sport I love, which you really can’t beat. What I find myself doing most often is trying to explain the basic principles of running...
As a continuation of my series on Running with a Purpose, I want to talk about the importance of easy recovery runs. Runners, whether they are beginners or experts, have an inherently obsessive and compulsive mind set when it...
