RunDoc discussed heel pain and its many causes as well as treatments
For more information on adult heel pain, click here!
For more information on pediatric heel pain, click here!
Geovany Soto and His Os Trigonum
10 years ago
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Friday, January 9, 2009
Cold Weather Slowing Your Runs?
In Texas, the saying goes that if you don’t like the weather; wait 5 minutes, it will change. This week alone it’s been 70 degrees and 24 degrees. No wonder the whole world is sniffling. Personally, I hate the cold. I’m a tiny person so I’m very cold intolerant. My bike goes inside on the trainer when the weather hits 40 degrees and I look like an Eskimo running. How do we keep motivated during the winter? Things seem to change for me when it’s cold outside. It seems much harder to get out of bed, much harder to run out the front door and a whole lot harder to finish a long run.
In spite of my obvious aversion to cold temperatures, I have trained for years all winter long. In Texas, this means crazy temperature swings. As a teen, in Rhode Island, it meant bitter cold and snow. In fact, I can remember as a high school cross country runner racing in snow and ice and wearing shorts (like an idiot). Training in the cold can make you tougher, but take some advice and dress for the elements. Thank God they finally invented cold weather gear that does not weigh a ton and make you look like you are ready for skiing, not running!
The real goal of cold weather running is to maintain motivation, not get too cold and not get too hot. Easier said then done! One solution to this is to just head indoors and stick to the treadmill. I absolutely despise running on treadmills much more than running in the cold, so unless it’s raining; I’m outside. In addition to the boredom, the repetitive motion of the treadmill can put you at risk for other injuries such as stress fractures. It’s best to have some variety.
The key to staying comfortable and cold weather condition is to be prepared for changing temperatures. Dress in layers and don’t be afraid to overdress. Wear a hat and gloves. I even pull out chemical finger warmers if it’s really cold. If it all possible try to run small loops somewhere near your car or a place where you can discard layers if you start to get hot. You don’t want to be nine miles from home and running with hat in hand, sweating with two jackets tied around your waist.
If you are overloaded with too many layers, you can just as easily overheat when it’s 30° outside. This will make you nuts because you will lose the energy needed to finish your run, just like a hot day, and you may become soaked with sweat be more prone to thermal injury such as frostbite. As soon as your run is over, do not stand around outside. Immediately change into dry clothing. Your core body temperature will drop precipitously immediately after a run. This is why they always shroud you in a blanket at the finish of a marathon, even when it’s hot outside.
Aside for making sure that your temperature is regulated, there are special environmental considerations when running outside in winter. If it happens to snow where you run, you obviously have to watch your step. Be very careful running on ice. Running on snow is easy, but ice will put you on your back before you know it. If you’re lucky it’ll just be an embarrassing fall, but you can get seriously injured this way.
Always wear a hat to keep your head warm. This can be a baseball-style cap, but once it gets colder than about 40° however, you will likely have to switch to a knitted cap that will do a better job of keeping your head warm. It likely goes without saying that you should avoid natural materials such as cotton, that retain moisture and can put your risk of getting too cold. Always use synthetic materials.
As a general rule, you can get away with shorts or tights and a long sleeve T-shirt when it’s in the 50s. If it drops down into the 40s, you need to add a hat, gloves and an additional layer on top. A vest is a nice addition. Once it gets down into the 30s, it’s better to stick with tights or pants and wear three layers on top, as well as hat and gloves. If you’re brave enough to run when it’s in the 20s, you might also want to wear a jacket on top of your many layers. Unless you really like to torture yourself, or live in Alaska, it’s probably better to just stay inside when the temperature drops into the teens.
Keep in mind, your body can become acclimatized to colder temperatures if exposed to them often. However, for people like most of us who are only rarely exposed to cold temperatures, they’re more likely to be a poor judge of when frostbite or other cold injuries are starting to set in. Use common sense. Texas weather is nutty, so the layered look is a must this time of year!
In spite of my obvious aversion to cold temperatures, I have trained for years all winter long. In Texas, this means crazy temperature swings. As a teen, in Rhode Island, it meant bitter cold and snow. In fact, I can remember as a high school cross country runner racing in snow and ice and wearing shorts (like an idiot). Training in the cold can make you tougher, but take some advice and dress for the elements. Thank God they finally invented cold weather gear that does not weigh a ton and make you look like you are ready for skiing, not running!
The real goal of cold weather running is to maintain motivation, not get too cold and not get too hot. Easier said then done! One solution to this is to just head indoors and stick to the treadmill. I absolutely despise running on treadmills much more than running in the cold, so unless it’s raining; I’m outside. In addition to the boredom, the repetitive motion of the treadmill can put you at risk for other injuries such as stress fractures. It’s best to have some variety.
The key to staying comfortable and cold weather condition is to be prepared for changing temperatures. Dress in layers and don’t be afraid to overdress. Wear a hat and gloves. I even pull out chemical finger warmers if it’s really cold. If it all possible try to run small loops somewhere near your car or a place where you can discard layers if you start to get hot. You don’t want to be nine miles from home and running with hat in hand, sweating with two jackets tied around your waist.
If you are overloaded with too many layers, you can just as easily overheat when it’s 30° outside. This will make you nuts because you will lose the energy needed to finish your run, just like a hot day, and you may become soaked with sweat be more prone to thermal injury such as frostbite. As soon as your run is over, do not stand around outside. Immediately change into dry clothing. Your core body temperature will drop precipitously immediately after a run. This is why they always shroud you in a blanket at the finish of a marathon, even when it’s hot outside.
Aside for making sure that your temperature is regulated, there are special environmental considerations when running outside in winter. If it happens to snow where you run, you obviously have to watch your step. Be very careful running on ice. Running on snow is easy, but ice will put you on your back before you know it. If you’re lucky it’ll just be an embarrassing fall, but you can get seriously injured this way.
Always wear a hat to keep your head warm. This can be a baseball-style cap, but once it gets colder than about 40° however, you will likely have to switch to a knitted cap that will do a better job of keeping your head warm. It likely goes without saying that you should avoid natural materials such as cotton, that retain moisture and can put your risk of getting too cold. Always use synthetic materials.
As a general rule, you can get away with shorts or tights and a long sleeve T-shirt when it’s in the 50s. If it drops down into the 40s, you need to add a hat, gloves and an additional layer on top. A vest is a nice addition. Once it gets down into the 30s, it’s better to stick with tights or pants and wear three layers on top, as well as hat and gloves. If you’re brave enough to run when it’s in the 20s, you might also want to wear a jacket on top of your many layers. Unless you really like to torture yourself, or live in Alaska, it’s probably better to just stay inside when the temperature drops into the teens.
Keep in mind, your body can become acclimatized to colder temperatures if exposed to them often. However, for people like most of us who are only rarely exposed to cold temperatures, they’re more likely to be a poor judge of when frostbite or other cold injuries are starting to set in. Use common sense. Texas weather is nutty, so the layered look is a must this time of year!
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Walking Program to Kick Start New Year's Resolution
Many of our patients, much like their estimated 75 million obese neighbors, are stuck in a never-ending, life-threatening cycle: Obesity aggravates the pain in their feet; sore feet make it almost impossible to exercise for weight loss; and without exercise, their weight continues to increase which puts them at risk for worsening of diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke and other life threatening diseases.
It’s the New Year and more than 50% of New Year’s resolutions have something to do with weight loss. This includes a resolution to exercise on a regular basis. Do not let foot pain thwart your resolution to exercise! The best way to break the pain cycle is to seek help from your podiatrist. Often simply placing you in the correct shoes with arch supports or custom foot orthotics will decrease your foot pain and fast track your resolution to exercise.
Many of our patients have not exercised in years, so they have many questions on how to get started. Before starting any program, it is important to discuss exercise with your doctor to see if you have any restrictions due to heart disease, diabetes, or arthritis. Get a physical! It’s a great way to start off the year. After your physical, visit your podiatrist to discuss your foot and ankle aches and pains.
There is no perfect exercise program for anyone, but if you are more than 20 pounds overweight, I recommend you start with a walking program that also has a strength and flexibility component worked in. What does that mean? Start with walking, not running, and add stretching and a little weight training to balance your program. If you need help with program specifics, consult a personal trainer or physical therapist.
Walking really is the easiest and least expensive exercise program that can be done indoors or outdoors; and this can progress to a running program as you lose weight and get healthier.
Did you know that inactivity is the second leading preventable cause of death in the United States, second only to tobacco use?
Need more motivation? Here are six great reasons other than the obvious physical fitness improvements to start a walking program:
1. Walking prevents type 2 diabetes. The Diabetes Prevention Program showed that walking 150 minutes per week and losing just 7% of your body weight (12-15 pounds) can reduce your risk of diabetes by 58%.
2. Walking strengthens your heart. In one study, mortality rates among men who walked less than one mile per day were nearly twice that among those who walked more than two miles per day. Women in one study who walked three hours or more per week reduced their risk of a heart attack or other coronary event by 35% compared with women who did not walk.
3. Walking is good for your brain. In a study on walking and cognitive function, researchers found that women who walked the equivalent of an easy pace at least 1.5 hours per week had significantly better cognitive function and less cognitive decline than women who walked less than 40 minutes per week. Think about that!
4. Walking is good for your bones. Research shows that postmenopausal women who walk approximately one mile each day have higher whole-body bone density than women who walk shorter distances, and walking is also effective in slowing the rate of bone loss from the legs.
5. Walking helps alleviate symptoms of depression. Walking for 30 minutes, three to five times per week for 12 weeks reduced symptoms of depression as measured with a standard depression questionnaire by 47%.
6. Walking reduces the risk of breast and colon cancer. Women who performed the equivalent of one hour and 15 minutes to two and a half hours per week of brisk walking had an 18% decreased risk of breast cancer compared with inactive women. Many studies have shown that exercise can prevent colon cancer and even if an individual person develops colon cancer, the benefits of exercise appear to continue both by increasing quality of life and reducing mortality.
I don’t know if we’ve convinced you yet, but a walking program is a great way to start the New Year! Write down your fitness goals. Put a sticky note on your bathroom mirror that asks, “Did you exercise today?” or a picture of yourself 20+ pounds lighter. Come visit Janet at Healthy Steps and get a new pair of shoes to start your program. (She gives great advice as well). Make 2009 your year to keep your New Years resolution and become your ideal self!
Walk or Run Happy! Moving in the Right Direction!!
It’s the New Year and more than 50% of New Year’s resolutions have something to do with weight loss. This includes a resolution to exercise on a regular basis. Do not let foot pain thwart your resolution to exercise! The best way to break the pain cycle is to seek help from your podiatrist. Often simply placing you in the correct shoes with arch supports or custom foot orthotics will decrease your foot pain and fast track your resolution to exercise.
Many of our patients have not exercised in years, so they have many questions on how to get started. Before starting any program, it is important to discuss exercise with your doctor to see if you have any restrictions due to heart disease, diabetes, or arthritis. Get a physical! It’s a great way to start off the year. After your physical, visit your podiatrist to discuss your foot and ankle aches and pains.
There is no perfect exercise program for anyone, but if you are more than 20 pounds overweight, I recommend you start with a walking program that also has a strength and flexibility component worked in. What does that mean? Start with walking, not running, and add stretching and a little weight training to balance your program. If you need help with program specifics, consult a personal trainer or physical therapist.
Walking really is the easiest and least expensive exercise program that can be done indoors or outdoors; and this can progress to a running program as you lose weight and get healthier.
Did you know that inactivity is the second leading preventable cause of death in the United States, second only to tobacco use?
Need more motivation? Here are six great reasons other than the obvious physical fitness improvements to start a walking program:
1. Walking prevents type 2 diabetes. The Diabetes Prevention Program showed that walking 150 minutes per week and losing just 7% of your body weight (12-15 pounds) can reduce your risk of diabetes by 58%.
2. Walking strengthens your heart. In one study, mortality rates among men who walked less than one mile per day were nearly twice that among those who walked more than two miles per day. Women in one study who walked three hours or more per week reduced their risk of a heart attack or other coronary event by 35% compared with women who did not walk.
3. Walking is good for your brain. In a study on walking and cognitive function, researchers found that women who walked the equivalent of an easy pace at least 1.5 hours per week had significantly better cognitive function and less cognitive decline than women who walked less than 40 minutes per week. Think about that!
4. Walking is good for your bones. Research shows that postmenopausal women who walk approximately one mile each day have higher whole-body bone density than women who walk shorter distances, and walking is also effective in slowing the rate of bone loss from the legs.
5. Walking helps alleviate symptoms of depression. Walking for 30 minutes, three to five times per week for 12 weeks reduced symptoms of depression as measured with a standard depression questionnaire by 47%.
6. Walking reduces the risk of breast and colon cancer. Women who performed the equivalent of one hour and 15 minutes to two and a half hours per week of brisk walking had an 18% decreased risk of breast cancer compared with inactive women. Many studies have shown that exercise can prevent colon cancer and even if an individual person develops colon cancer, the benefits of exercise appear to continue both by increasing quality of life and reducing mortality.
I don’t know if we’ve convinced you yet, but a walking program is a great way to start the New Year! Write down your fitness goals. Put a sticky note on your bathroom mirror that asks, “Did you exercise today?” or a picture of yourself 20+ pounds lighter. Come visit Janet at Healthy Steps and get a new pair of shoes to start your program. (She gives great advice as well). Make 2009 your year to keep your New Years resolution and become your ideal self!
Walk or Run Happy! Moving in the Right Direction!!
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