by Jay Dicharry. Running is pure. You may run for yourself, seeking to improve your time on your local neighborhood loop, or maybe simply to knock out the stresses of daily life. There are few other sports in the world in which you can compare yourself purely against the clock. It’s just you covering distance…
Category: Injury
Ask Sock Doc: Recurring Running and Walking Injuries, Morton’s “Toe,” and More
Q:I followed your advice and threw away my orthotics and started wearing zero drops. My chronic sacroiliac pain (previously treated with Cortisone) has been completely resolved and all the years of feet and leg pains are gone. But now that I need to see a podiatrist for a painful hammertoe. How do I find one…
How Runners Can Avoid Plantar Fasciitis: Go Minimalist or Barefoot
by Jim Hixson. If you have plantar fasciitis and have been told by a doctor to wear a stability shoe, orthotics, and never go barefoot, do yourself a favor and immediately switch to another doctor, preferably one who has read about how the foot functions, and not just knows all the names of the bones,…
Ask Sock Doc: Achilles Tendon Issues, Ditch the Orthotics, and Harmful Side-effects of Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs
Q: I switched to minimalist shoes some time ago, and in the beginning they really helped. Recovery time after long runs shortened, and constant issues I had with my IT band simply disappeared. Unfortunately something has gone badly wrong lately,and for whatever reason I’m getting constant problems with my Achilles tendon. I did a lot…
Open Letter to All Podiatrists: “Our Profession Needs to Keep an Open Mind in Regard to Shoes and Treating Running Injuries…”
The following excerpt is from an essay by Nicholas A. Campitelli, DPM, FACFAS that recently appeared on a popular podiatry forum and website: http://www.podiatrytoday.com/blogged/defending-my-position-orthoses. Dr. Campitelli, or as he likes to be known on his blog as Dr. Nick, does not represent the majority view and practice of most podiatrists who use orthotics as one…
Sock Doc’s View on Orthotics: Don’t Leave Home Wearing Them
It’s been well over a year since I’ve discussed orthotics. Orthotics, just like stretching, is an emotional and somewhat controversial topic because so many believe in their effectiveness for injury treatment and prevention. Others, such as myself, feel as though they either create, provoke, or hide a true problem. In an earlier article, “Are Orthotics…
Avoid Injury: Make Slow Transition to Barefoot-style Running Shoes
Barefoot running is back in the news. Or rather barefoot-style running shoes. It’s the kind of “news story” that has “legs”. Yet the media angle is often misleading. I will quote from the first sentence of the story that appeared on the International Business Times website earlier this week: “A recent study seems to indicate…
The Arch Isn’t a Nemesis for Runners: How The Foot Can Naturally Cure Plantar Fasciitis
A personal essay titled “The Mighty Arch: A Natural Cure for Plantar Fasciitis?” by Elf Martin on Softstar Shoe’s website recently caught our attention, and as a result, we posted a link to it on our Facebook page. Martin writes, “The explanation from the barefoot/minimalist shoe community is that arch supports act as a crutch…
Treating Running Injuries: Form vs Footwear
The following article was published in the January 2013 issue of Podiatry Management, by Dr. Nick Campitelli,DPM, FACFAS Podiatrist, Foot and Ankle Surgeon. It can also be found on his blog. As he states in an introductory note, “it was written on behalf of the American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine and I am honored…
Ask Sock Doc!
Dear Sock Doc: I am in the Army, so running has become a part of my life so to speak. I overpronate when I run, but only get shinsplints when I do a lot of miles a week or run everyday. I usually run every other day to avoid injuries).I recently purchased Brooks Pure…
You Don’t Have to Run in Pain: Second Installment of “Voice from the Running Shoe Store Floor”
An early adopter of minimalism, Jim Hixson was the former general manager of an independent running retail store in St. Louis, Missouri. In addition to currently being a running retail store consultant, Jim now writes a regular column for the Natural Running Center called “Voice From the Running Shoe Store Floor.” — NRC ***…
You Can Run a Marathon with Flat Feet, No Orthotics, and Minimalist Shoes — and without Injury
by Dr. Nick Campitelli. The debate continues amongst medical professionals, podiatrists, runners, and the media as to “Should we be running with supportive shoes with motion control?” For years the norm has been to support the arch with a custom or rigid orthotic to prevent overuse injury. This device was added to a cushioned running…
Shin Splints Explained for All Runners and Good News for Sufferers
This is Camille Herron’s second post for the Natural Running Center. Her first on how she became a world-class marathoner by adopting minimalism was exceptionally well-received by readers. Ms. Herron, who has a Masters Degree in Exercise Science, is the newest member of NRC’s advisory board. We would be remiss if we didn’t mention that…
Ask the Experts: What Are the Pros and Cons of Trigger-Point Therapy?
Patrick writes: After looking at some of the Sock-Doc’s videos on the Natural Running Center site and trying to find out how to deal with some pains on both the inside and the outside of my right knee, it appears to me that there is similarity between Dr Gangemi’s methods and Trigger-Point Therapy. Is this accurate?…
New Study Examined Forefoot Striking vs. Heel Striking (Guess Which Runners Get Injured More Often?)
On a regular basis, health and fitness journalist Gretchen Reynolds, who contributes to the Well Blog of the New York Times, has done a stellar job writing about the information, studies, and reports emerging rom the frontlines of exercise research. The topics are timely, and she is able to expertly highlight the salient facts. Best…
Avoid Overtraining! — Keeping Your Body Healthy Means Active Rest and Recovery
Laura Bergmann is living example of a home-schooled athlete and teacher. I met Laura two years ago when we were both spreading the word on fitness in our small town of Shepherdstown, West Virginia. She was not excited about running since it often led to discomfort. Yet, in time she changed her gait; it eventually…
Injury-Free Running Is Easier Than It Seems
“A man’s errors are his portals of discovery” — James Joyce In the aftermath of Chris McDougall’s article on natural running in the New York Times, I’ve been flattered by the emails from around the globe of runners sharing their stories of recovery and discovery. Here is my own personal story in even greater detail….
Sciatica, More than a Pain in the Butt, and Why It’s Often Misdiagnosed; Real Culprit is Piriformis Syndrome
Dr. Stephen Gangemi, aka the “Sock Doc” discusses some natural and effective ways to deal with low back, hip, and leg pain as well as what is known as piriformis syndrome. Also, Dr. Gangemi discusses sciatica – how it is often misdiagnosed and how it can be treated.– NRC In this video I discuss…
Ask the Experts: Dealing with Sore Calves and Achilles Tendon Discomfort
Dear Mark, I follow your site and blog and your writings have been a powerful influence in getting me to start running again at age 48. After many years and many injuries I finally heeded to the doctors’ advice that “running causes injuries” and “running is not for everyone.” Doctors and experts told me that…
Alter-G Treadmill: The Ultimate in Rehab, Recovery and Even Training
Rick Meyers, owner of NRC affiliate store, The Runner’s Sole, is a serious-minded ultra runner. It’s not that all ultra runners aren’t serious about their pastime, it’s just that Rick takes it up a few notches. He approaches 24-hour runs as most runners would confront a 10K. Last month, he competed in the National 24…
Learning from Pain: A Runner’s Lament
by Jim Everhart. Can we make pain our friend? The so-called King of One-Liners, Henny Youngman, had a famous riff on the medical profession that included my all-time favorite line on pain management: “I went to the doctor myself and I said, ‘Doc, it hurts when I do that.’” Youngman raised an arm. “The Doc …
Minimalist Shoes, Barefoot Running, and Metatarsal Stress Fractures
by Danny Dreyer. Running barefoot will strengthen the intrinsic muscles of your feet, making them more stable. And, it may give you a feeling of running differently. But, it won’t somehow automatically undo all your worst movement habits or change them for the better. Pete Larson, the Runblogger, has recently posted a comment on the…
Ask the Experts: Ankle Pain Caused by Going from Treadmill to Road
Question: I am transitioning to a minimalist running lifestyle and am definitely very comfortable with a mid/forefront strike at this point and have been loving my new minimalist trail shoes. Unfortunately, when I went from treadmill running to roads with the nicer weather this past spring, I think I put too much stress on my…
How Barefoot Running Finally Cured a Barefoot-Book Author
by Roy M. Wallack. When a publisher offered me the opportunity to write a book about barefoot running in the spring of 2010 (which was published in May as “Barefoot Running Step by Step,” co-written with barefoot pioneer Ken Bob Saxton) , a happy irony was that it helped me avoid a knee operation and…
Running in Minimalist Shoes, But Still Injured? — It Could be Your Diet!
by Dr. Steve Gangemi ( aka Sock Doc). One of the most common questions I have been asked is, “Sock Doc, I’m running in minimalist shoes (or barefoot), but I’m still injured – why?” This question tells me one thing – runners think that if you get out of your over- supportive, cushioned running shoes…