FitSugar

How to Avoid Foot Pain Caused by Running

FitSugar — Tue, 15 May 2007 09:30:00 PDT

According to the website Cool Running your feet pound the ground some 800 times when running just a mile. That's a lot of pounding!!! So you want to be sure to take care of your feet, especially if you are new to running. Rookies tend to experience more shin splints, blisters ankle sprains and other injuries than veteran runners (but those veterans had to start somewhere, right?).

Here are some ways to help you protect your feet and ankles that will hopefully help you stay injury and blister free.

Warm up: A few Sun Salutations will get your blood flowing before a run. Or try walking briskly or running slowly for 5 minutes, followed by gently stretching your leg muscles.
Buy good running shoes: Look for good shock absorption and construction that will provide stability and cushioning to the foot. Buy shoes at the end of the day when the foot is the largest. Here's a list of running sneaks that podiatrists recommend.
Keep your feet friction free: To avoid blisters, make sure your shoes fit well and try Thorlo's "blister-proof" socks. Give these socks a try, and in general keep in mind that nylon socks tend to be more abrasive than cotton. Try lubricating the friction prone spots with vaseline, and if that just sounds too icky try powder.

There's more, so

Strengthen your ankles: Weak ankles make you unstable on uneven surfaces, like trail running, and more prone to sprains. Try writing the ankle alphabet daily 3 to 5 times. This movement will strengthen your ankle joint through a wide range of motion.
Stretch your calves: Tight calves can really disrupt the foot's ability to function properly. Make sure to stretch your calves out after you run. I love holding the downward facing dog pose for 10 slow breaths to get this done.
Listen to your body: If you are experiencing pain in your feet, ankles or knees, slow it down a bit or take a couple of days off. Remember, ice can be your friend in these occasions and can help decrease inflammation and promote healing.

Hope these tips help keep your feet happy, because if your feet aren't happy you're going to be miserable.

Listen to Your Running

Susi May — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 14:30:50 PDT

Now that the weather is taking a slow turn toward lovely, I am all about running outside. But before you leave the treadmill behind for good this Spring, I suggest you listen to your running. Ditching the headphones for your indoor workout and using your ears to learn about your running gait could save you from developing overuse injuries. On your self-diagnostic run, you want to listen for two things: an uneven gait and heavy impact. It's much easier to hear these things on a treadmill (think of the machine as your running laboratory) than outdoors, and it's safer, too.

The sounds of your footfalls on the treadmill belt can indicate if you have an asymmetrical running pattern and are landing harder on one foot. While none of us are perfectly even, a marked difference can lead to injuries from your low back to your feet. Pay attention to the sounds of each foot striking the belt, and if you hear (and feel) one side coming down louder, then chances are high you're working one leg significantly more than the other. Altering your running gait is difficult and can lead to other injuries, so instead of tweaking your feet, I suggest your play with your pelvis. Focus on your core moving evenly through space as you run. If you imagine your pelvis being pushed from behind to propel you forward your legs will follow and hopefully they will follow more evenly.

Aside from listening to the rhythm of your feet, check the volume of your foot strikes - the lighter the better. If you're pounding into the belt, the solution to your problem is once again your core. Support your torso, lifting through your low abs, and see if you can run with stealth. Work these five core exercises into your strength-training regimen; they are great for runners and will help you decrease both the volume and impact of your foot strike.

So experiment with running sans music next time you're on the 'mill and let us know how it goes.

Before a Run, to Stretch or Not?

Susi May — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 12:50:03 PST

I have never been a fan of stretching before a run and prefer a dynamic warmup instead. I like to get my blood moving first and save the stretching for a post-run treat. I also feel like stretching a cold muscle can lead to pulls and tears in the tissue. There's another camp that feels quite the opposite: that not stretching before running can cause muscle injury. Well a new study proves us all wrong.

Orthopaedic surgeon Danial Perelas designed the stretching study involving 2,729 runners all with weekly mileage over 10 miles. The runners were assigned to either a stretching or non-stretching group, which required some participants to change their warmup routine and either add stretching or skip it. Unfortunately, the change in routine, rather than stretching or skipping the stretching, proved to be the biggest liability. Runners who altered their routine were more likely to suffer injury. Stretching before a run doesn't prevent injury, but it doesn't really cause it either; what matters most is what your body is used to.

How do you warm up before a run?

Mistakes That Could Ruin Your Morning Workout

Jenny Sugar — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:50:47 PST

If you work or go to school full time, getting your sweat on in the wee hours of the morn is probably the only time you can fit it in. Kudos to you for resisting the urge to hit the snooze button and skip out. Make setting your alarm and pulling yourself out of bed worth all the effort and avoid these morning exercise mistakes.

Not eating: It's super early, but you need to eat in order to fuel your workout. Munch on something small while you're getting ready, like half a banana or half a piece of toast with a little peanut butter. You'll not only avoid the gnawing hunger pangs, but you'll also have an extra pep in your step to exercise harder or longer than you would on an empty stomach. When you get home, you can enjoy your usual breakfast, which is always something to look forward to.
Loading up on fiber: While it's important to eat a little something, you don't want to load up on bulky fiber that can make you feel too full or upset your stomach.
Not hydrating: Aside from food, you also need water. Definitely don't down half a gallon before you hit the gym because too much water can cause cramping, but make sure you sip a short glass of H2O while enjoying your small snack.
Not laying your outfit out the night before: You don't have oodles of time in the morning, so don't take away from your exercise time by scrambling to find your missing sock. Plan your outfit before you go to bed so you can just slip it on and go.

Keep reading for more morning exercise mistakes to avoid.

Keep Running: Prevent Plantar Fasciitis With These Tips

Susi May — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 03:06:42 PST

From pounding the pavement running to spending a day in fashionable shoes that lack proper support, feet take a beating. If you're training for a race this Spring and upping your mileage, it pays to show your peds some love. You can do some preventive prehab to avoid coming down with a case of plantar fasciitis. This painful condition, which can be common in new runners and affects women more than men, occurs when the the fibrous band that runs from the heel bone to the base of the toes stretches too far and tears. These micro tears cause inflammation of the fascia and the tissues surrounding it, making every footstep painful and abruptly stalling your training schedule. If you're experiencing some unexplainable heel pain, try these methods to keep plantar fasciitis at bay.

Winter Running Woe: Numb Toes

Jenny Sugar — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:02:06 PST

If you'd rather skip a run than hit the treadmill, then there's no doubt you're continuing with your outdoor runs even through this brisk and snowy Winter weather. That doesn't mean you're not dealing with some discomfort along the way. I've given you some tips on how to beat burning lungs, but if it's your feet that are bothering you, here are some ways to avoid numb toes.

First, consider your socks. You can't get away with wearing the same thin, ankle-length wicking socks you sported in the warmer months. Splurge on some thicker knee-highs; socks made of wool will keep your feet warm and dry. Be sure your socks aren't too tight as that can cut off circulation (go up a size to be sure). You can also try compression socks to improve circulation in your feet and legs.

If you're already wearing thicker socks, you'll probably want to go up half a size in your sneaks to accommodate the extra fabric. If you don't, the snug fit of your shoe might be the sole cause of your tingling feeling. Choose sneakers designed for colder, wetter weather (think waterproof Gore-tex) to protect your toes from the snow. Tie your shoes slightly looser because as you warm up, your feet will swell, and too-tight laces can cause that annoying numb sensation.

Continue reading for more tips on avoiding numb feet.

RX For Shin Splints: Ice Massage

Susi May — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 11:39:21 PST

Shin splints are the bane of many new runners. The tight calves that accompany mileage increases can spell pain for the lower leg. If running causes any discomfort, take time off to allow your shin splints to heal. But you need not sit idle on the sidelines while you recuperate: ice massages help, too. A serious runner, my Equinox trainer reminded me of the healing combo of ice and massage to decrease the inflammation around the tibia (anatomy speak for shin), caused by this overuse injury. The technique is simple, but first you need to make the ultimate tool: the icing cup!

Make Your Own Icing Cup
Used in gyms and physical therapy clinics, an icing cup protects your fingers from freezing and provides a perfectly sized contact point for massaging troubled spots. Take six Dixie cups, fill them with water, and freeze. When it comes time to ice, peel back the paper and begin the massage.

The Massage
Starting by your foot, place your icing cup on the outside of your shin, on the tibialis anterior muscle. Making long strokes toward your knee, massage the muscle with an amount of pressure that feels good. Mix up your massage strokes and try small circular patterns, once again starting at the ankle and working up toward the knee. After five minutes of massaging, finish your 20-minute icing cycle with 15 minutes of static icing by placing an ice pack (or frozen peas or corn) on your shin. Aim to massage and ice twice a day.

If you're not up for an ice massage, you can always show your shins some foam roller love. Do keep stretching your calf muscles, and once the pain diminishes try these easy exercises to strengthen the tibialis anterior.

High Heels Can Give You Barbie Feet

Jenny Sugar — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 12:41:45 PST

High heels. You either love them or hate them, but you can't deny they are chic. We love the height boost and illusion of longer legs they offer, but we do realize they're not the best things for our feet. Unfortunately, recent research shows that these lovely shoes may be worse than previously thought.

In a study of longtime high heel wearers, published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, researchers found wearing heels actually shortens the fibers of the calf muscle, making the Achilles tendon stiffen instead of flex when walking. High heels keep feet in a pointed position, so even when habitual high heel wearers (those who wore heels at least 40 hours a week) slipped off the pumps, their feet were so used to walking with the heels raised that it became the new norm for their muscles and joints - think permanent Barbie feet. The constantly engaged calve suffers from serious muscle fatigue, but switching abruptly from heels to flat shoes, like sneakers, puts stiletto wearers at a greater risk for injury.

Keep reading to find out what you can do to heal your heel-wearing legs.

Ways to Keep Knee Pain at Bay

Susi May — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 02:25:56 PST

When a good workout leaves my muscles sore, I know I'm getting stronger every day and revel in the pain. But when a long run leaves me with achy knees, I'm reminded that I'm getting a little bit older and a little more creaky. Unfortunately, my knees have been talking back a lot lately - just another reminder that as your age increases so does the amount of time you need to spend doing body maintenance. A long run requires a long yoga session and hours on the bike translate into time spent stretching and strengthening. With all that in mind, here's my happy knee to-do list:

Roll it: I roll my iliotibial bands religiously (here's more details on rolling the ITB). The ITB is a band of fascia that runs from the outside of the pelvis to just below the knee. Unlike muscle, fascia is not very flexible - I call it the body's shrink wrap. Using a foam roller and slowly rolling out this band can do wonders for knee pain by adding a little length to the tightened band. Turn the 60-minute guilty pleasure of your fave reality TV show into body time and roll out your legs in front of the boob tube.
Stretch 'em: Tight hamstrings and calves, both of which cross over the back of the knee joint, can yank on the joint, pulling it out of alignment. Keep your hamstrings loose with these stretches and stretch your calves regularly, especially if you run, is imperative to keeping you on the road. As you age, it's important to hold your stretches for a little bit longer to reap the benefits. Increase the time in the stretch to 45 seconds to a minute.
Strengthen: Strong hips make for a happy runner, and at least two times a week I work my glute meds, the stabilizing muscles on the outside of the pelvis. Strong glute meds decrease the sway of the pelvis, cutting down on both low back and knee pain. I do two to three sets of 20 side-stepping squats with a theraband.

With a little TLC and common sense, you can prevent many problems of the weekend warrior. If your pain doesn't go away with time off and rest, make an appointment with a physical therapist. Having a trained professional diagnose an injury early on can prevent it from becoming a chronic condition.

Brad Pitt Breaks From Award Season to Talk Marriage, Family, and Smoking Grass

Lauren Turner — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:27:53 PST

Brad Pitt's baby blues are front and center on the cover of the latest issue of The Hollywood Reporter. He just received a best actor Oscar nomination for Moneyball, which is also up for best picture alongside his Tree of Life. First, though, he'll hit the red carpet at this weekend's Screen Actors Guild Awards, where he's in the running for best actor. Brad took a break from award season, which has already garnered him a New York Film Critics Circle statue, to talk to the publication about family, a rough patch in his life, and the real story behind the cane. Here's more from Brad Pitt in The Hollywood Reporter:

On smoking weed: "I got really sick of myself at the end of the 1990s: I was hiding out from the celebrity thing; I was smoking way too much dope; I was sitting on the couch and just turning into a doughnut; and I really got irritated with myself. But that feeling of unease was growing and one night I just said, ‘This is a waste.’ I just quit. I stopped grass then - I mean, pretty much - and decided to get off the couch."
On marrying Angelina: "We’d actually like to, and it seems to mean more and more to our kids. We made this declaration some time ago that we weren’t going to do it till everyone can. But I don’t think we’ll be able to hold out. It means so much to my kids, and they ask a lot. And it means something to me, too, to make that kind of commitment. I’m not going to go any further, but to be in love with someone and be raising a family with someone and want to make that commitment and not be able to is ludicrous, just ludicrous."
On his leg injury: "I was just walking in our backyard, on a hill, carrying my daughter, and I slipped - and it was those parental instincts: me or her. And she’s fine."