There’s no doubt that as I have gotten older, my body has changed. Coming back to running a bunch this summer, I’ve noticed that I tend to be stiffer on the days after a hard workout, and I pay the price if I don’t take days off. I’ve had fairly regular lower back issues, though […]
I Was Bitten By a Dog While Running: A Christmas Story
December 29, 2015 By 27 Comments
My most unexpected Christmas gift this year was a 3 hour trip to the emergency room. Fortunately Santa Claus was not the giver of this cruel present. Rather, it was received from a large German Shepherd that I encountered while out on a run on Christmas Day. I’ve been running on the trails behind my house for […]
Another Study on the Efficacy and Potential Benefits of a Retraining Protocol to Increase Running Cadence
April 1, 2015 By 6 Comments
A few weeks ago I wrote about a study that looked at the effectiveness of self-directed gait retraining for increased step rate in runners. That study found that runners could indeed make lasting changes to step rate on their own, and increased cadence altered biomechanical variables that might increase risk of injury. These changes included […]
Achilles Tendinopathy and Eccentric Loading: BJSM Podcast Interview With Dr. Håkan Alfredson
October 9, 2014 By 12 Comments
The Achilles tendon is a large tendon that attaches the calf musculature to the calcaneus at the back of the foot. When it comes to running injuries, those that affect the Achilles Tendon injuries are troublesome in that they can be chronic and difficult to treat. One of the first steps taken in the treatment […]
Treating Plantar Fasciitis With Foot Strengthening vs. Stretching: Different Takes on the Same Study
September 25, 2014 By 14 Comments
I recently read an article on the New York Times Well Blog about a study in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports. The study, by Michael Rathleff and colleagues, compared strengthening vs. stretching exercises to treat plantar fasciitis (PF). In a nutshell, the Times article reported that the study found strengthening exercises to […]
An Update On My Wife and Her Hoka Bondi 2’s
June 17, 2013 By 37 Comments
About two months ago I wrote a post about my wife Erin’s long term problems with foot and hip pain. She had gotten her hip pain under control through a post-run strengthening routine (lunges), but earlier this year she was diagnosed with a neuroma in her right foot, and was unable to run without pain […]
Be Careful About Converting Your Experience into a Prescription for All Runners
May 21, 2013 By 40 Comments
One of the big challenges I face in writing this blog is trying to remain objective given that I have personal biases stemming from my own experience. For example, I review, promote, and like running in more minimal shoes and don’t foresee myself ever going back to more traditional models. However, I try hard to […]
Army Study: No Difference in Injury Rates Between Traditionally and Minimally Shod Soldiers
May 20, 2013 By 26 Comments
I was poking through the abstracts of presentations for the upcoming meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine the other night and came across one for a study comparing injury rates between traditionally and minimally shod US Army soldiers. Titled “Injury Risk and Performance among Soldiers Wearing Minimalist Running Shoes Compared to Traditional Running […]
Fixing My Wife: Hip Pain, Neuroma, and Hoka Oh My!
April 23, 2013 By 70 Comments
My wife Erin is a source of much personal frustration. The frustration doesn’t stem from any particular aspect of our relationship (thank goodness!), rather I am frustrated with her as a runner. I just can’t seem to fix her. I have to be honest – my wife was a serious runner long before I ever […]
Shoes Matter: Running Shoes Can Contribute to Injury
October 23, 2012 By 29 Comments
Damn you injuries! (Photo credit: aaipodpics) I’ve been part of an interesting email thread over the past few days. I’m not going to discuss any specifics, but the gist of the discussion has revolved around the question of whether shoes can cause running injuries. The refrain lately in the running community has been that “form […]
Plantar Fasciitis: How I Beat My Long-Term Battle With Heel Pain
October 8, 2012 By 66 Comments
I’ve been meaning to write this post for a long time. However, I’ve been holding off because I wanted to be sure that I have in fact won my battle with persistent heel pain. I’m finally at a point where I think my war with plantar fasciitis is officially over. As a runner, I’ve been […]
Foot Strike and Injury Risk in Runners: My Article in Lower Extremity Review
June 26, 2012 By 4 Comments
A few months ago I received an email from the editor of Lower Extremity Review asking if I’d be willing to write an article on the topic of foot strike in running. Given that the publication’s target audience consists of medical practitioners who regularly treat lower extremity injuries, I was a bit hesitant at first […]
The Changing Nature of Running Injuries in the 1970’s
June 20, 2012 By 8 Comments
Below is an excerpt from Chapter 2 of my book: Tread Lightly: Form, Footwear, and the Quest for Injury-Free Running. Ah, the good old days of running. Runners hear that line a lot, usually from those who started running in the 1960s and 1970s. Was there really a golden age of running when runners seldom […]
Recommended Read: Phil Latter of Running Times on Running Injuries
After a week-and-a-half on vacation with my family, and a subsequent jam-packed week at the day job, I’m chomping at the bit to get back to a regular writing schedule. I have a lot of material lined up: guest reviews of the Patagonia Evermore and NB 890 v3, personal reviews of the Saucony Virrata and […]