In grad school, my dream job was working in a running gait lab. I wanted to watch people run, dissect their form, and identify the movement flaw at the center of their injuries and plateaued performance. And then, I spent a decade in clinical practice. Running gait analysis is a service I’ve offered for over a decade. I’ve watched hundreds …
How to keep running with pain
One of the worst recommendations for injured runners is to stop running. There are instances when rest is appropriate, but when you stop running your body changes. Muscles and bones get weaker. Your heart and lungs become less efficient. And your mental health often goes into the gutter. So a high priority for me is to keep runners running. Your …
Returning to Running after a Navicular Stress Fracture
Let’s run! Once you’ve knocked out the principles I covered in the first two blogs (HERE and HERE) in this navicular stress fracture (NSF) series, we move on to the fun part. In this final blog, let’s dive into how to return to running, training, and competition. I hope I’ve made a good case for a progressive rehab program. Once …
Navicular Stress Fracture Essentials
You feel a bit of soreness on your foot as you finish up your Thursday morning run. Nothing you haven’t felt before, probably just your stubborn plantar fascia acting up. You add a few stretches to your warm-up, roll your foot out with a massage ball, and hope the pain goes away. Unfortunately, it doesn’t. The pain worsens to the …
Navigating your identity as a runner
Beep! The alarm clock at your weekend hotel buzzes you awake. Traveling for work guarantees a night of less than stellar sleep. You’ve got a meeting that could’ve been an email at nine AM, giving you just enough time to sneak in a morning run. You lace up your Saucony’s, trudge down to the elevator, and slowly plod along the …
Are you eating enough?
That sounds like a question your Grandma might ask you at Thanksgiving dinner. As silly as the question seems, it’s something many runners should take serious thought in answering. The culture of running often preaches lowering your body weight and “training light”. The act of running can also be an appetite suppressant meaning it takes extra work to meet your …