What is a Hoka? Is it the Right Running Shoe For Me?

What is a Hoka? Great question.

It turns out that even though they have been in the marketplace since 2010, the average runner, and definitely the average person, has not been introduced to the Hoka One One.

This is a revolutionary running shoe that looks absolutely ridiculous at first glance but the wow factor is in the fit and feel.  They are hugely popular in the ultradistance running community and are now starting to trend in the marathon category. The company will tell you that the Hoka was not developed to counteract the minimalist trend, but this is a maximalist shoe. They also hate that term!

Truly this is an innovative design that cushions and rocks the foot forward like a semi-wheel like construction. They have a very light EVA material with exceptional rebound and a meta-rocker midsole geometry that encourages a smoother ride and faster transition to the forefoot. A running shoe with tons of cushioning with dynamic control. Sounds too good to be true! It was recently chosen as the Editor’s Choice in Runner’s World. The company was acquired by Deckers Outdoors in 2013 and they brought them from the fringe into the limelight.

Is Hoka the shoe for you? Another great question. Like every other shoe, they are not for everyone.  There is no “one best shoe” and the average runner will scoff at the look but love the feel! They are not always the answer for runners who have repetitive stress injuries and are currently wearing minimalist shoes.  I have seen forefoot instability wear out the shoe outsole very quickly due to actually accentuating the unstable ride.

This is a great shoe for runners who are looking for an energetic yet cushioned ride. They encourage natural gait while protecting you from the concrete jungle.

The Hoka One One is worth taking a look and introducing yourself to the new shoe on the block. I think they will be here to stay. And I think we will see many more shoe type hitting the market in the next few years to try to answer the demand for more cushioning and yet stability. Hmmm....fun times in the running industry!

Why Do My Shins Hurt After I Run?

I ran the Lake Grapevine Runners and Walkers Double Trouble 5K/10K duo this weekend. Fun! Crazy weather! It started out at 78 degrees and was down to 52 when we finished the 10K portion.  Got to love a good cold front! A good time was had by all, and it’s great to see everyone out at the lake.

My funny story for the day was that one of the runners sidled up next to me and asked, “Why do you think my shins hurt after I run?” and “How come they don’t hurt when I’m running?” Of course, my first reaction was “It depends….”, and “Good question. Let me catch my breath and I might have an intelligent answer for you.”

Here was my answer:

Your shins can hurt after running for a variety of reasons. The most common is a shin splint. This is actually a term commonly used to describe medial tibial stress syndrome.  What? Yes, stress causes pain along your shin bone and can even cause a stress fracture. In the early stages the painis actually myositis (irriation of the muscle that runs along the shin bone) and this will “warm up” when you run. Stress fractures don’t “warm up.”

Why does this happen? Most common reason is either worn out running shoes or inappropriate shoes to start with. If you have a very high arch, you need a more cushioned shoe. If you have a flat or low arched foot, you need a more stable shoe. Lots of times you just need to part with your old beloved super worn-out running shoes.

Other reasons can be a change in surface like going from the treadmill to concrete. Or a rapid increase in training mileage or increased speed.

When is it time to stop the home remedies and go to the doctor?

Pain 5-7/10 or in a pinpoint spot can indicated a stress fracture!

Pain that has lasted more than a few weeks with rest, ice and over-the-counter anti-inflammatories.

Lastly, if you have changed shoes, tried stretching and icing and still have pain daily….time to come in for a visit.

Some people need help buying shoes, some people need functional foot orthotics to re-align their gait and some people need to rehab their injury with physical therapy.

So the take home point is that your shins shouldn’t hurt after you run!! If they do, you should take a look at you shoes and training patterns! When in doubt, give us a call so we can take a look and make your shin pain go away!

FAANT gave away cute little Body Glide buddies for your gym bag at the race! Adorable!

The Mezamashii Run Project: Test Drive a Pair of Mizuno Running Shoes

Mizuno is looking for a few passionate runner to test drive, and they hope, embrace their shoes. The word "Mezamashii" means brilliant or eye-opening. They want you to have that kind of fantastic run! If you are a passionate runner or triathlete, like most of my readers, then apply to be part of the project. What do you have to lose except maybe an exceptional running experience. (I am need to emphasize the I am not endorsing or being paid by their project, but I like the idea. Test drive and decide for yourself)

 

To apply to join the project, click here and then click on apply for an invite on the top right of the screen.

 

Good Luck....

Spring is in the Air in DFW...Time to Dust Off the Running and Cycling Shoes!

So Spring is in the air in the DFW area! Time to dust off your bike and running shoes and head outside. Forego the treadmill or the trainer for fresh air! Yea!

So if you are like me, it’s also time for new running shoes. The battered winter pair have had it! How long are running shoes good for? About 500 miles or six months, whichever comes first! Now an aside about the recent craze in minimalist shoes, just because they are “minimal control and cushion” does not mean that they last longer and don’t need to be replaced. In fact, I found my more minimal shoes seem to wear out faster.

So you haven’t reached the 500 miles or six month expiration date because you have been lazy the last few months of winter? Please at least decontaminate your shoes! Take a spray anti-fungal (my favorite is Mycomist) or use a shoe sterilizer (like Steri-Shoe) and get rid of the cooties that have been growing in those idle shoes. Don't have something to decontaminate your shoes? Stop by Healthy Steps and they can hook you up! This is especially important for cycling shoes that have been sitting in the closet or garage all winter. Cultures of these kinds of shoes show fungus among us, as well as, staph, strep and nasty pseudomonas bacteria!

Also time to take a look at the sock collection. Socks don’t last forever and tend to shrink. If your socks are too small, you can get black toenails and even lose toenails just from the pressure of the socks! If your socks are more than a year old, toss them and buy yourself a spring treat of new socks!

And last, but never least, it’s time for girls to take a long look at their jog bra collection. Just like socks, these bra tops need to be replaced about once a year if you expect any supports for “the girls”.

Enjoy this first taste of spring coming to Dallas-Fort Worth….who knows, next week it could snow; but my money is on spring is here to stay! Enjoy it before the sultry summer descends upon us!

11 Common Sense Tips to Run Injury Free!

My patients in my Grapevine, TX office are always asking me: “Why do some runners always seem to be hurt and others can run forever and never sidelined?” Great question!!

Amby Burfoot tried to answer that question in an article in Runner’s World in March 2010. He states that George Sheehan, MD, the medical editor of Runner’s World in the 1970’s, felt that one in 100 people were “motor geniuses” and never got hurt. The rest of us were destined to be injury plagued from time to time.

Ralph Waldo Emerson stated “that there is a crack in everything God has made,” meaning that nothing is perfect and that can be translated to runners as well!

An extensive review of the medical literature by Burfoot reveals a great number of papers on running injuries, but no conclusions. It turns out that running injuries can be caused by being female (funny), being male (more likely), being old, being young, pronating too much, pronating too little, training too much, training too little, having new shoes, having old shoes, and it goes on…..

So what can we conclude? Most of us will get hurt at some time during our running career! So what can we do to prevent major, career threatening injuries?

1. Know Your Limits. This is a hard one. Some people cannot tolerate long distance running year after year. I’ve seen this in my office all too often. Some people try again and again to get to the marathon distance, but just keep getting hurt. Everyone has a threshold. Learn yours. Follow the rules and avoid too much, too soon, too fast syndrome! If you get to 15 miles and get hurt every time, maybe your body is trying to tell you something. Work on your 5K time instead of trying to attempt a marathon yet again.
2. Listen to Your Body. I give this advice every time I talk to a group of runners. Many do not listen. If you get out of bed feeling like you got run over by a train, perhaps a little rest in is order; not a long run! Most injuries do not spontaneously occur; they start with little aches and pains. Ironman triathletes are the worse! Do not “train through the pain”. That’s just plain stupid (and yes, I’ve tried to do it too!)
3. Consider Shortening Your Stride. I have to admit, I hadn’t really thought of this advice until I read Amby Burfoot’s article. It makes sense. Overstriding increases stress, so shortening your stride will soften the landing when you run. I think this is also why the recent “barefoot” or “minimalist” craze has taken a string hold. It’s hard to overstride in minimalist shoes!
4. Strength Training Can Help. One thing that has been shown to decrease running injuries is strength training. This is especially true in women. Core strength training twice a week can really help you avoid the doctors office and prolonged time on the couch.
5. Ice is your Friend! See my video on first aid for tendonitis, rest and repeat every time you have an ache or pain. A little rest, ice, compression and elevation goes a long way!
6. The Surface Makes a Difference. Here’s great tip: Don’t always run on the right side of the road facing traffic! It allows you to see the cars coming at you, but here in Texas, it means you always run on a slight slant that causes a functional leg length discrepancy. (And don’t try to make up for it by putting a lift in your left shoe- that’s stupid too!) Also try to vary your surfaces, one day on the road, one day on the track, perhaps a treadmill day or a day on the golf course. Trails are also a good thing to put in the mix. The same thing, at the same speed, on the same surface all the time can quickly add up to an injury.
7. Too Hard, Too Often is a Recipe for Disaster! When I was younger (about a thousand years ago) I used to “race into shape”. Not a great plan unless you are a gifted teenager! Too much speed work or too much racing beats the heck out of your body. Always follow a hard day with an easy one, or two if you are over 35!
8. Stretch. I’m not going to debate the value of stretching. I’ve done that in other articles. I know there are some people who think stretching is bad. I’m not one of them! All I know is that runners that are tight get hurt a heck of a lot more than those that are flexible.
9. Cross training is not a Bad Word! When I turned 40 (yes, about 5 seconds ago), I took up triathlon. Why? Because I knew as a thin female runner, getting older, I needed to cross train to keep up my aerobic fitness and decrease the stress on my body. This lead to a love of swimming and eventually an Ironman. Who says you can’t evolve as an endurance junkie? Seriously though, swimming, biking, the elliptical, circuit weight training….These all help to maintain your fitness and change up the stressors n your body.
10. Shoes Make a Difference! Find the shoe that works for you. Your podiatrist or a good experienced shoe sales person can help you, but bottom line….get a shoe that fits and is the correct type for your foot type. The reason there are a million shoes are on the market, and growing, is that there is not one perfect running shoe (although this doesn’t stop people from asking for it!)
11. Orthotics Can Help! I realize that many people are shying away from corrective orthotic and trying to embrace the minimalist wave. Not everyone can run barefoot and not everyone needs orthotics. If you continue to have similar injuries over and over, what’s the definition of insanity? Doing the same thing over and over, yet expecting a different outcome! If you are one of those biomechanically perfect gazelles, more power to you! But most of us could use a little help in that department. In many cases, you can correct some biomechanical problems with strengthening and stretching, but let’s face it….most of us are too lazy to do the work to correct our biomechanical imbalances. Orthotics can help. Think of them as eye glasses for your feet. The majority of us could benefit from a tire realignment!

Best advice I can give: listen to your body, increase slowly and have a plan! If you are one of those oft injury plagued runners, take a look at these tips. Are you following the guideline? If so, take a spin in triathlon! It has saved a lot of weekend warriors…….

Thanks to Amby Burfoot and his crew. I have liberally borrowed from their content and just put in my two cents worth. If you want to read his article, “The 10 Laws of Injury Prevention” you can find it in the March 2010 edition of Runner’s World.