Physics...Physiology...Physical Therapy

Video: Best Ways to Stretch Your Calf Muscles for Running!

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We’re all told to stretch regularly, but how many of us know exactly how to stretch and for how long? Many of us rely on what our PE teacher or high school coach taught us, and sadly all I remember from those days was going through the motions for 10 seconds!

It’s important to know what our goal is each time we stretch!

Before a run, we need to loosen up, fire up the muscle and get blood flowing. All these require movement, which is why dynamic stretching is usually most helpful BEFORE you run. Afterwards is when to do a static stretch, in which you hold still in a position and hold it until you feel a relaxation take place in the targeted muscle!

Our calf muscles can be our best friend, or biggest nemesis, when it comes to running pain-free. A disproportionate amount of work falls on our calf muscles, especially if other muscles are not measuring up! Because of this, nearly every runner needs to be proactive in keeping their calves happy and healthy! 

Today’s video focuses solely on the calf muscles, and demonstrates how to stretch them properly to awaken every muscle fiber. Please share this with a friend and leave feedback!

Video: Should You Forefoot Strike While Running?

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What part of your foot should hit the ground first when running? The question has been asked exponentially more frequently over recent years. For many years, a heavy heel strike was the normal acceptable way to run, which is a big reason why traditional running shoes have typically had a high heel stack height (around 12mm higher than the toes). This was done to provide cushioning for heel thumpers before the whole minimalist shoe craze.

The attention to foot strike patterns is a good one, but there isn’t a one-size-fits-all for everyone. Rather, when considering your feet, it’s most important to consider them in the context of your whole body movement patterns. In other words, don’t sacrifice hip and spinal posture just to attain some ‘ideal’ position of your feet.

Still, I frequently hear the arguments for a forefoot strike being the best way to go for everyone, so I felt the need to chime in with today’s video. Hopefully you find this helpful when considering whether it’s the right thing for you. Please check out the Facebook page for a recent live video on the same topic. Please also share this with a friend who will find it helpful. Run fast friends!

Video: Peroneal Muscles and Foot Stability

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No one likes to be misunderstood, and the same goes for our muscles. The muscles on the outside of your lower leg are the victims of this way too often. This group of muscles is known as the peroneals, with the most important one being the peroneus longus. According to textbooks, these muscles evert your ankle (turning your foot out to the side), which is true. However, in the context of running, these muscles are most needed when your foot is on the ground in order to maintain enough ground contact for your big toe to push off properly. So, to put it simply, the function of the peroneals has more to do with controlling your foot movement while on the ground, then it does everting your ankle.

Understanding this has huge ramifications for how to get rid of and prevent shin splints, foot pain, overpronation, and knee pain. In today’s video, I demonstrate three exercises to progress in this area, my suspicion is that they will seem rather goofy at first, but give them a try and see how helpful they may be! In the third exercise, I use a prop that can either be figured out on your own, or use a half roller, or a rocker board, check out the links for examples. I am not currently an amazon affiliate, but who knows in the future.

Please let me know how these go and if I can answer any questions you may have!

Video: Getting Rid of Achilles Pain

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Pain in your Achilles Tendon is not an automatic DQ from running for the next 3 months. Too often, pain in this area is met with an attitude of ‘I guess I just have to take an extended length of time off’ or ‘I’ll be dealing with this indefinitely.’ Fortunately, pain in the achilles does not mean the next few months are doomed or that your achilles has been handed a death sentence. Rather, with attention to the underlying factors, as well as a little damage control, you can get on top of this nagging issue.

Today’s video tackles the underlying factors and gives suggestions on how to improve your form and strength to get rid of Achilles issues. Share with a friend and leave a comment on the blog or on youtube. Run fast friends!

Video: Stop rolling your ankle, and managing ankle pain.

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Ankle sprains are no fun. Few things can set your training back so quickly as a mis-step causing your ankle to roll. What’s also no fun, is how easily an injured ankle, can roll again…and again…and again. So how do we get off that bus? What usually happens with an ankle sprain is that the ankle bones are jolted out of alignment, which causes injury to the ligaments and tendons. Unfortunately, the bones usually don’t just go back into alignment, which causes the tissues to not heal properly. This in turn leads to instability and weakness, which makes you more susceptible to it happening again. It can be a pretty vicious cycle.

The key is to regain the joint mobility, as well as the strength and stability to prevent recurrences. With attention to these details, you can greatly decrease your likelihood of getting injured again.

This is relevant to you even if it’s been decades since you’ve hurt your ankle, as these dysfunctions can persist even if the pain isn’t noticeable. Please share this with a friend who has sprained their ankle or who desires to make their ankles as bullet-proof as possible!