As the snows melts many of us will return to the amazing Boulder trail system for our training runs. This popular form of exercise comes with tremendous health benefits, but can also place some runners at risk for running injuries such as knee pain. Patellofemoral Pain (pain on the front of the knee) is the...
The human foot is a remarkable structure of 26 bones and 30+ joints integral to both walking and running. The foot must be able to both flatten (pronate) and absorb the forces of the body, as well as, become rigid (supinate) in preparation for propelling us forward. This balance of mobility and stability is accomplished...
In running, performance is easily quantified as the fastest time over a given distance. The runners with the fastest times often have the best ability to utilize oxygen (VO2 max), process metabolites and substances involved in energy utilization (lactate threshold), and the most efficient running form. Efficiency in running is described as running economy, similar...
Last year an estimated 30 million people ran at least 50 days for exercise and health benefits (Running USA). The fastest growing segment of the running community includes older adults who gain impressive cardiovascular, muscle, bone, and mental health benefits compared to their sedentary peers. In addition, contrary to popular but incorrect old...
Running has increased in popularity over the last decade among both recreational and professional athletes. With this increase in popularity trends have emerged from shoe wear to running mechanics in an attempt to reduce the incidence of running injuries. Unfortunately, the risk of injury in running has not changed much despite this added attention by...
Plantar Fasciitis is a common overuse condition affecting many runners in Boulder. Authors report it is the 3rd most common running related injury and total costs involving plantar fasciitis cost over 375 million dollars per year (Taunton et al. 2002). Much of these costs can be attributed to the chronic nature of the condition reaching...
The iliotibial band is a long track of fascia and connective tissue running from the lateral hip muscles including the tensor fascia lata down to the lateral aspect of the knee. Contrary to popular belief and utilization, foam rolling is ineffective at changing the length or flexibility of this structure secondary to its’ density and...
Runners older than 50 years old have shown the greatest increase in participation rates among long distance runners. In a previous post we described the impact of aging on running speed. In each decade after age 40 a runner will lose approximately 10% of their VO2 max due to changes in their musculoskeletal and cardiovascular...
Our prior posts on dynamic warm ups have highlighted the benefits of these exercises on injury prevention and sports performance. Conversely, static stretching has been associated with decreased performance due to a reduction in the ability of the stretched muscle to contract and perform dynamically during sport movements. Clearly, the best option for both pro...
Hydration, electrolytes, salt and pickle water are all common internet solutions for muscle cramping. These remedies are based off the assumption that muscle cramping is secondary to imbalances in electrolyes (potassium, sodium) or hydration levels. In particular, when athletes are dehydrated there is a decrease in the water content, concentrating many elements in the bloodstream...