Foot & Ankle
Evolution of the running shoe: evidence & opinion
Forty years ago there was only one running shoe designed for long distance running. Itwas a black canvas shoe shaped like a track spike shoe with a gum rubber outsole andConverse was the manufacturer. Now there is a veritable plethora of running shoes tochoose from. Ten years ago I wrote an article highlighting the fact…
Read MoreCreditability of Shoe Selection Based on Foot Print Shape and Injury Risk
Running magazines and internet shoe sales sites often recommend that the shape of the wet foot print should be used to determine which type of running shoe should be selected. There is a common belief that a foot print reflecting low arch (flat feet) should select shoes designed for “motion control”. Motion control shoes are presumed to control excessive motion…
Read MoreGait Analysis – Examination and Treatment of Shin Splints
The manner in which you walk or run can be a factor contributing to a repetitive use injury of the lower extremity. Pain in the lower leg, commonly called shin splints, occurs in response to a variety of activities including dancing, jumping rope, walking, and running. Novice runners and individuals with poor fitness level frequently…
Read MoreRecovering from lower leg, ankle, heel injury using treadmill
A basic concept for treating any repetitive use injury is rest and avoiding the activity; whether it is a running injury or elbow pain from opening too many beer bottles. However for many individuals a period of rest and avoiding the activity can disrupt an active life style, and sometimes adversely affect a career. Individuals…
Read MoreShock – Injury – Cadence – Quiet
How hard a walker or runner impacts the ground can be described with several biomechanical terms, including vertical impact loading rate, braking impulse force, and shock. Scientists have determined it is not the magnitude of force, but the rate at which the force is transmitted from the ground to the foot and leg that is…
Read MoreShin splints – shock absorption, stride length
The term shin splints refer to a painful condition that develops in the lower leg, usually along the tibia bone, in response to exercise or activity. Shin splints are a common problem for novice runners, dancers, field hockey, basketball, baseball and tennis players, and even walkers. Shin splints can be classified into different problems including: tendonitis,…
Read MorePain on Bottom of Heel: Faulty Shock Absorption
Pain on the bottom of the heel (Plantar Heel Pain) is a complex problem with variable diagnoses and explanations. And, with variable diagnoses there should be variations in treatment. Unfortunately, the common treatment recommendations do not recognize such variability. Not all pain on the bottom of the heel is the same and not all pain…
Read MoreHeel Whip When Running
There is a growing body of evidence among healthcare professionals to suggest the way we run contributes to the risk of a repetitive use injury, and that gait retraining is an effective intervention for managing repetitive use injuries. There is less consensus and much debate on which movement faults are more important. Common movements that…
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