Today for a change I’m not writing about a running injury per se, but about why you may have recently started waking up in the night with pain on the front of one or both shoulders. This is pretty much an epidemic right now. I’ve got friends and family struggling with it, and I even … Read more
Admittedly calluses are not among the most feared running injuries. But they can be annoying and give you the sneaking suspicion that there’s something wrong. That suspicion is correct. Ditto for blisters. It’s true that sometimes you can get blisters or–longer term–calluses from poorly fitting shoes. But if this is a persistent problem for you … Read more
It’s pretty common for a runner to come to me feeling asymmetrical, with the right side seeming more dominant and with stronger glutes and quads. It’s possible for a runner to feel the opposite–that the left side is stronger–but that happens much less frequently. How does this happen and how can you fix it? The … Read more
You’re out on a run and begin to feel a tightness in the front of your hip joint. Steadily, step by step, it gets worse, until all you can think about is stopping to stretch it. If you do, though, you’ll only feel better for a little while. Then slowly but surely the tension and … Read more
Metatarsalgia, Morton’s neuroma, or just an undiagnosed achiness under the ball of your foot just below your toes…this is one of those running injuries that can hang around for a long time. Most often, runners find they can keep running if they wear cushioned shoes, but there’s no denying it nags, niggles, and holds you … Read more
Lately as I’ve interviewed runners who want to work with me, I’ve heard a lot of stories that end with the phrase “…and then, WHAM!” It’s a funny, not-so-funny coincidence. Here’s how the stories go. They tell me things started to go wrong with their running but they could kind of manage it. For instance … Read more
I’ll have an analysis of the elites in today’s Chicago Marathon for you tomorrow. Meanwhile, I want to share a bit of good news I got this week: Runner’s World UK included me in their “70 Most Influential People In Running” piece in the November 2017 issue. Having an influence–helping fewer runners get injured and more … Read more
Have you been struggling with an injury for what seems like forever? Or are you worried that’s what’s going to happen? If you’re like a lot of my clients, you’ve already been to a doctor, physical therapist, massage therapist, Pilates teacher, yoga class, acupuncturist, and you’re foam rolling religiously. And still your problem lingers. This … Read more
Last week I wrote about the two different profiles of hip flexor problems. This week we’ll look at a popular solution for tight hip flexors that actually backfires. Watch out that you’re not making this mistake! I’ll tell you exactly what to do instead. The High Cost of Sitting Hip flexor tightness or, more accurately, not … Read more
Your lower back hurts when you run, you land too far up on your forefeet or too far back on your heels, your quads get really sore, you have runners’ knee, you run too upright, you run too slowly, your stride length is too short, your shoulders get tight…the list of running woes that can be … Read more
Have you been struggling with an injury for what seems like forever? Or are you worried that’s what’s going to happen? If you’re like a lot of my clients, you’ve already been to a doctor, physical therapist, massage therapist, Pilates teacher, yoga class, acupuncturist, and you’re foam rolling religiously. And still your problem lingers. This … Read more
There are many possible causes for your shoulder tension when you run. Your shoulders might feel tight because you’re running with your spine slightly flexed; learn more about that here. Other likely causes, however, are the very things you’re doing to try to improve your running technique. If that’s the case with you, then I … Read more
When I see a new client for the first time I always ask them, “Is there anything you try to do with your form when you run?” By far the most common answer is something along the lines of, “I try to keep my shoulders relaxed because they get pretty tight.” For clarity’s sake I … Read more
Running has a reputation for giving the body a pounding, and for some runners with lower back pain that can be a very real experience. For others, running itself is fine but the pain appears afterwards. The solution is the same in either case, and believe it or not it doesn’t involve stretching. The solution is … Read more
