Simple injury prevention tip 6...Treadmill running

Today, here in central Indiana we received 9 inches of new snow. This is great to look at and for skiing. Alas, here in central Indiana we don't have any ski slopes nearby. Running outside is going to difficult and will drive most of us to the dreaded treadmill. I decided that I would remind everybody of some common treadmill running/walking mistakes which can lead to injury. This is especially true if you don't run on a treadmill often. There is a tendency when running on the treadmill, to run the same pace for the entire run. This doesn't happen when running outside. We are constantly varying our pace for wind, curbs, terrain and stop lights. Another common mistake is to run an entire workout on an incline. It is very rare to find a 5 mile uphill at 5% incline. Furthermore, when running on the treadmill the trail leg travels further backwards thus increasing the load on the Achilles and 1st toe. On an incline, those forces are even greater which will significantly increase the risk of injury. We advise our clients to avoid sustained inclines and vary the pace frequently during the workout. The treadmill still beats trying to run outside in poor footing.

The neutral shoe quest

If you are looking for a neutral shoe for fitting an orthotic, it just got harder to find. I just got to check out the New Balance 1063 and I am somewhat disappointed once again. In my opinion, the 1063 is nowhere near the feel of the 1061. The 1063 now has a large crash pad resting on a Mizuno like midsole. In my opinion, if you weigh more than 130 pounds and heel strike on the outside edge of your heel, this type of crash pad will increase the angle of heel strike (supination or lateral heel strike). This could contribute to lateral hip, knee pain or shin splint symptoms. It will also likely change the effectiveness of your 400$ orthotic. We try to fit our clients in a running shoe with a more traditional midsole without a large soft crash pad. If you have a neutral shoe that works for you, please share in a comment below. Thanks
Check out my previous thoughts on this topic: Retro Shoes / Soft Crash Pad /Neutral shoes

Darn rocks

My New Year began with a feeling of being well rested. I just completed my downtime month and started my January training with a couple of nice long runs. I was thinking about running a couple winter cross country races. That all came to a screeching halt on Sunday. I had decided that I would go out for a nice easy 3 miler on my favorite trail. After about a half mile I felt a sharp pain in my ankle dove to the ground. Yep, I rolled my ankle. After a few choice expletives, I looked back to see what I got me. I expected to see an unknown stick or root. No, it was a perfect round rock in the middle of my beautiful dirt trail and it didn't belong there. I promptly threw it back into the creek. I have no ligament issues, no severe swelling and no knee issues. I am fairly confident I strained my Peroneal Brevis. This can be a serious injury if it is not treated carefully.

So, time for me to try to listen to my own medicine! I will be hitting the ice bucket, iontophoresis and kinesio tape. No running until pain-free with everyday activities. Time to hit the pool!