Running

Blogs for Runners and Triathletes
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The (under-appreciated) Hip Adductors

When I first became a physical therapist, it seemed like all the rage in fitness and rehab was about strengthening one specific muscle or muscle group. For example, I would hear about the VMO (Vastus Medialis Oblique) muscle and how “vital” it was for proper tracking of the knee cap when squatting. Or how the glutes were “key” to an effective golf swing. Or how the rhomboids had to be “strong” for good posture. In some cases these theories proved to have some level of validity. But in many cases they became outdated theories and a sign of limited evidence.

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SMART Goals for Smart Movement

When you begin an exercise routine, it is helpful to develop a goal for yourself so that you stay on track. When making your goals, keep them simple and SMART. When goals are SMART, they give you the opportunity to make a concrete plan. SMART is the acronym for all components of a well-planned goal.

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What Exercises Should I Be Doing to Prevent My Pain From Coming Back?

This is one of the most frequent questions I get asked as a physical therapist. The short answer is: a little bit of everything. But let’s talk more about this concept. As we all know, a healthy and active lifestyle is important for both our physical and mental well being. Intentional movement of any type is a great way to maintain that lifestyle. 

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3 Common Running Mistakes that Can Lead to Pain

As a Doctor of Physical Therapy with advanced education specifically in running biomechanics, I see some common running mistakes that contribute to low back pain, knee pain and/or ankle pain. The three that I see most often are overstriding, bounce, and compliance.

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Standing on Two Feet: Balance Training Progression Exercises

In last week’s blog post about Balance from the Ground Up, we provided a simple exercise for opening up and providing proprioceptive input to the feet. This week, I am building on that foundation with a series of deceptively simple exercises that you can do to improve your proprioception while developing foot, ankle and calf strength.

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Balance from the Ground Up: Start with Your Feet!

Did you know that each of your feet has 26 bones, 33 joints and more than 100 muscles, tendons and ligaments? And you have more than SEVEN THOUSAND nerve endings in each foot? The foot provides both important structural support for our balance and a ton of subconscious information for our brain about where we are in space and how to organize our movement.

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As a New Mom, When is the Ideal Time to Start Running Again?

Although many articles commonly warn new moms that running too early postpartum can cause various complications and is not advised, this does not apply to every woman across the board. Every woman’s body is different and each will not only have a different recovery process, but also variations in their previous baseline of running prior to giving birth.

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I Signed Up For My First Triathlon, But I’ve Never Actually Trained For Swimming. Where Do I Start?

Congrats, signing up for an Olympic-distance triathlon takes bravery! It also keeps you accountable to actually train to swim 1.5km (0.93 mi), bike 40km (25 mi), and run 10km (6.2 mi). Typically the hardest activity to train for is swimming, because it's where most people have the least amount of experience. In this blog article, there are some tips to help prepare you for the swimming portion of the race, as well as some tips on what to avoid.

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The Prerequisites of High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

Many people walk into our physical therapy office with injuries from sports or exercise classes where they participate in activities that are too advanced for them. A main example of this is when people participate in High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) exercises. Now, don’t get me wrong, I think that HIIT is a great form of exercise. There’s actually very few forms of exercise I don’t approve of. The exercise isn’t the problem, it’s the individual’s preparedness for it. Do they have the prerequisite strength and motor control for those fast paced movements.

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How Do I Know If A Stretch Is Good For Me?

“I think I just need some stretches.”‍This is a comment I hear all the time when people come in for an evaluation. When I ask, “What stretches have you been doing?” They typically describe or show me a collection of stretches they’ve been doing for weeks, months or years. My follow up question is: “Do those stretches seem to help your condition?” Most people express uncertainty when presented with this question. They feel like their stretches help but they’re curious why, if they’re helping, their condition continues to worsen.

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