Running
Body Proportions – Musculoskeletal Pain – Sports Performance
The importance of knowing how tall we are is somewhat obvious. What is less obvious is the importance of knowing the proportionality of our vertical height. The ideal proportionality of a human body’s stature was defined by Leonardo da Vinci. The “Vitruvian Man” or “drawing of proportions of man” is the ideal human proportions…
Read MorePain on Bottom of Heel: Too Much Big Toe Motion
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. For example, the universal suggested treatment for plantar heel pain is calf stretching and stretching of…
Read MoreAging Muscles & Tendons: Achilles/Calf Strain
As we age muscles and tendons will change. Calf muscles in older individuals are weaker, smaller, shorter, less stiff, and not as coordinated. Older athletes may experience greater incidence of injuries (Tauton 2003, McKean 2006). Two most common repetitive use injuries in older runners are Achilles tendonopathy and strained calf muscle (Marti 1988). A…
Read MoreGait Analysis – Gait Training for Achilles Tendon Pain
The manner you walk or run can be one of the contributing factors to the development of Achilles tendon problems. If you are experiencing pain in the Achilles when walking or running working with your Physical Therapists and using slow motion video analysis the following model can provide a beginning point to solve the problem.…
Read MoreMugged – Smacked and Common Sense: Exercise In Dark Outdoors
The short dark day of winter pose a challenge for the exercise enthusiast who prefers to exercise out doors. Most everyone has some fear walking/running in the dark. There are justifiable concerns related to safety. On the positive side there can be significant benefits and rewards from getting outside in the dark winter days and…
Read MoreShould you stretch it out – Pain too loose too stiff?
Generally, there are one of two scenarios related to musculoskeletal pain and injury. Either there is not enough movement or there is too much movement. If a muscle is in spasm, if a joint is stuck, or if a muscle-tendon unit has adaptively shortened in length are all examples of not having enough movement. If…
Read MoreStiffness – Resistance to Change: Good or Bad?
In the realm of health and fitness, the term stiffness often has a bad connotation. In reality, being stiff can have positive benefits. When something is stiff, it is difficult to change. When the range of motion of a joint is limited, it is also described as stiff. There is an optimal range of motion…
Read MoreSelfish Athlete Syndrome
Irish Runner and double Olympic medial winner Noel Carroll said “Runners may make better lovers but sometimes (there’re) lousy spouses”. Exercising for health is different from training for a marathon, Ironman Triathlon, or double-century bike ride. Exercising for health requires 3 hours a week. Training for competitive sports can require 14 plus hours a…
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…
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