November 2, 2011
Whether its strategies to prevent and/or treat injuries, proper running form or shoe selection chiropractors are an invaluable source to runners. Join us today for our newest weekly series, “Wellness Wednesday with Dr. Cox.”
Dr. Sheena Cox is the owner of Cox Chiropractic Wellness Center with offices located in Norfolk and Chesapeake, Virginia. Cox Chiropractic Wellness Center uses clinical and scientifically proven knowledge to provide proper healthcare to prevent, treat, and heal disorders of the spine and other spinal related issues. Each Wednesday from Noon – 1 p.m. EST, Dr. Cox will answer all your running related questions. Simply post your questions on our Facebook page!
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October 26, 2011
Whether its strategies to prevent and/or treat injuries, proper running form or shoe selection chiropractors are an invaluable source to runners. That’s why we’re excited to launch our newest weekly series, “Wellness Wednesday with Dr. Cox.”
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September 10, 2011
September is National Yoga Month, a national observance designated by the Department of Health and Human Services. The observance was created to build awareness of yoga’s proven health benefits and inspire youths and adults to take responsibility for their well-being by focusing on prevention and healthy lifestyle choices.
I’ve always been a fan of yoga. I started practicing about the same I started running as a way to help me stretch out after running and increase my flexibility. But I was also practicing for the psychological benefits. I was going through a really rough patch and yoga helped me to decrease my anxiety, give me focus and provide clarity.
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June 5, 2011
Two years ago when I started running, I read (and heard) horror stories about chafing. Fortunately, for the past two years I’ve been chaff-free. That all changed about two months ago. In my post “If you can’t stand the heat, you’re not prepared”, I mentioned that I’m perpetually dehydrated. This issue caught up with me.
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April 21, 2011
While scrolling through Facebook in class today, a friend’s status caught my attention. Her update: “WebMD says shin splits can take 3-6 months to heal. That’s a long time not to be able 2 run. #torture”
I haven’t had a serious case of shin splints in over six years. No matter how much time elapses, I can’t forget the pain and discomfort they cause. Honestly, I would rather someone pluck all of my nose hairs and eye lashes out one-by-one daily than have to deal with shin splints. It’s a nagging injury that is hard to treat.
If you aren’t familiar with shin splints lucky you , here are a couple of facts about the lower leg pain.
1. Shin splints are usually categorized as an overuse injury, and they start when you suddenly increase the distance or intensity of your workout.
2. People who overpronate or have flat feet are usually more prone to the injury. However, it they can also result from a tight achilles tendon or weak ankle muscles.
How to treat shin splits:
1. Stop Running or decrease your runs – Yeah, that’s not exactly the news that most of us want to hear. But, the last time I had shin splints, I had to decrease my mileage and start swimming and doing low impact workouts. Runner’s World also recommends switching to cross-training as alternative as well.
2. Ice – Icing your shins is a key step because it will help reduce the pain and swelling. Do it for 20-30 minutes a day until the pain is gone.
3. Tape - I ran across this shin splint treatment on the Runner’s World website. Their advice is to use Kinesio tape to tape your arches and lower leg as a way to take some of the pressure off of your shins. I’ve blogged about kinesio tape before, and you can see my review here. Although I don’t want to advocate taping as a long-term treatment, it is one of the best treatments that I have used to deal with my own injuries. Check out the Runner’s World article on taping here.
4. Stretch – Since a tight Achilles tendon can cause shin splints, it’s good to stretch your achilles and the muscles in your lower leg. Check out these stretches from Spark People that specifically target these areas.
All right ladies, how many of you guys have had shin splints? How did you treat them?
March 6, 2011
Monday was a beautiful day in NYC. I tied up my Asics and stepped outside for a quick run before getting my day started. Less than half a mile into the run, the pain in my knee was so uncomfortable that I had to cut my run short and return home. What is the cause of the knee pain? ITBS!
ITBS not to be confused with IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) stands for Illiotibial Band Syndrome, and is an overuse injury that is characterized by pain on the outside of the knee. The iliotibial band is a band of tissue that begins at the outside of the pelvis and extends to the outside part of the knee. It helps stabilize the knee, and if it becomes tight and short, the band rubs on the bone of your leg and becomes irritated.
I first developed ITBS while training for the NYC marathon, and I am bit disappointed that it has stuck around for so long – even after I decreased my mileage. I am not sure how many of you guys are dealing with ITBS, so I decided to share how I am treating the injury. Keep in mind, you can use some of these tips to treat Runner’s Knee as well. But first a disclaimer…I am not a doctor. If you are having serious knee pain, please stop reading and go see a doctor.
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January 11, 2010
This past week, the United States experienced some highly unusual weather and cold temps. “Global freezing” as I heard it coined, has taken the country by storm with massive snow storms and extremely low temps. Even Florida fell victim to the freezing!
Whenever weather gets into extreme temperatures, runners and outdoor athletes have to be especially careful and pay more attention to safety rather than just getting in a good workout. Although we’re all driven and are dedicated to the running game, we also need to use our noggin and some common sense. Here’s a few tips to stay safe during the next few months of cold and snowy weather.
Temperature and Wind Chill
The stronger the wind, the more it will penetrate through your clothes. We’ve talked several times before about the importance of wearing the proper layers and protection. One thing to take into consideration is that your movement creates wind chill because it increases air movement past your body. If the temperature goes below zero or the wind chill is below minus 20, opt for the treadmill. Any brand of cold or winter gear should do the trick.
Your Hands, Feet and Head
About 30 percent of your body heat escapes through your hands and feet. There are several brands of running gloves and mittens to help keep your hands warm and insulated. Choose gloves for milder temps and mittens for colder conditions. Keeping your feet warm, shouldn’t be that much of a problem. The bigger issue is keeping them dry from snow or puddles of melted snow. What you don’t want are sweaty feet, which can increase the chances of blisters or other fungal issues. If you are running through water, consider a different type of running shoe for trail running. About 40 percent of your body heat is lost through your head. Wearing a scull cap will help prevent heat loss, but if it’s really cold, opt for a face mask or a scarf over your mouth to warm the air you breathe and to protect your face.
Layers and Overdressing
When facing the cold temps, I think most people have the tendency to overdress, not realizing that their body heat will increase along their run. A good rule of thumb is to dress 20 degrees warmer than the actual temperature outside. Start with a thin layer of a wicking material. Add an outer layer of breathable material that will protect you against wind and precipitation, while it still lets out heat and moisture to prevent overheating and chilling. For the really cold temps, add a middle layer such as a fleece jacket for added insulation.
Watch for Frostbite
Be sure to keep an eye on your fingers, toes, ears and nose. They may feel numb at first, but they should warm up a few minutes into your run. If you notice a patch of hard, pale, cold skin, you may have frostbite and you should get out of the cold immediately and slowly warm the affected area. Do NOT take a hot shower, as it could send your body into shock. If the numbness continues, see a doctor immediately.
Protect Your Eyes
The snow can cause blindness so invest in polarized lenses to avoid the glaring sun if your area gets lots of snow.
Get Out of Wet Clothes Immediately
I actually made this mistake the other day. I ran at the gym, went outside in the cold temps, then went to the salon….in my wet gym clothes. I ended up sitting under the dryer for an hour with my NorthFace jacket on trying to warm up. If you get wet from rain, snow or sweat in cold temperatures, you’re at an increased risk for hypothermia (this is what happens when your body temperature lowers). If you’re wet change your clothes and get into warm shelter as quickly as possible. If you suspect hypothermia (intense shivering, loss of coordination, slurred speech and fatigue) seek emergency medical care.
Keep Hydrated
Even if you are in cold weather, you’re still sweating and losing fluids. Cold air also has a drying effect, which can increase the risk of dehydration. Drink plenty of water or a sports drink before, during and after your run.
August 24, 2009
My first ChiRun was about as difficult as trying to pat your head and rub your belly at the same time. My inability to grasp the running concept right out the gate made me think about how difficult it can be to keep your mind and body in tune while staying relaxed- the general premise of ChiRunning. My inaugural run also showed me why ChiRunning can be effective, so I have decided to stick with it. To help me find my Chi, I’m reading Chi Running by Danny Dreyer.
Posture
“When your posture is aligned properly, your structure is supporting the weight of your body instead of your muscles having to do it.”
- ChiRunning
Overall, the most difficult challenge was keeping my shoulders, hips and feet aligned. My typical running posture if very upright, I keep my abs tight and chest out. My shoulders and arms always remain relaxed and by keeping my abs tight, I feel as though I am taking pressure off of my back. By running this way, I am supporting my weight with my muscles. The adjustments I had to make were to relax my shoulders more and stop poking out my chest. My upper body was screaming “What are you doing?” throughout the entire run. Not only did this not feel natural, but it was hard to maintain. In addition, I didn’t know what to do with my arms. How do they fit in with this new “relaxed” posture? At one point, I just let them fling around by my side.
Mind
“Like a meditation practice, the training of the mind and body in ChiRunning is more relaxing than letting the mind wander.”
- ChiRunning
Training your mind to not wander has to be an art. I’ve tried to do this when running, during yoga and while praying. I have yet to succeed. If I am not thinking about something, solving a problem or brainstorming while I am running, I feel as though I’m not doing a good job of multi-tasking. Sometimes I’m so consumed with my thoughts, that I am not paying attention to my surroundings. This is definitely a habit I need to break.
Relaxation
My stress level has gone from a 3 to a 9 over the past couple of weeks and my PMS is not helping. Physically, I can feel the tension in my shoulders, neck and head. It seemed like the more I tried to relax my shoulders during my run, the more they ached. At one point, the tension felt like it was spreading from my shoulders to my lower back. Again this may be part PMS, but a lot of it is stress.
As I continue to learn ChiRunning, I am focusing on my form, meditation and speed. Any ChiRunners have any tips to help me? Any advice on meditation?
July 29, 2009
Are pronate, stride and supination a part of your vocabulary? As a runner I regularly use these words. Ok, I lied. These are words I learned once I started getting serious about running and blogging about my running experiences. Here are a few words to add to your running vocabulary. You can think of them as the SAT words of running; if you know and use them, you will effectively improve your running and post better times.
1. Gait is a person’s running cycle; essentially the events that occur when one foot first makes initial contact with the ground until it touches down again. The gait cycle can be broken down into four phases: stance, swing, second stance, and the second swing.
Why it’s important: Well, analyzing your gait helps you make minor adjustments to your posture that make you more relaxed during running as well as prevent injuries. You can have your gait analyzed at most running stores. I highly recommend this if you have any pain during running.
2. Pronate - “Do you pronate?” This question just sounds like the beginning of a dirty joke. Runners who have a normal pronation roll their feet from the outside of their heels to the inside of their arches while running. Over pronaters, those with flat feet, roll more than they need to. This results in them placing unneeded pressure on their big and second toes as they push off of the ground. Conversely, under pronators, those with high arches, roll off of the outside of their feet. All of the pressure is placed on their outside toes.
Why it’s important: Shock Absorbancy! For those of you who are over or under pronaters, your feet are not absorbing shock properly. This is easily corrected with the proper running shoes.
3. Supination – Supination occurs as the foot is placed on the ground and prepares to push off. In this movement, the foot rolls out and underpronates. You can tell that you supinate if your shoes are worn on the outer edges.
Why it’s Important: Supination can result in pain on the outside of your knee, heel pain and tendinitis in your achilles. Believe me, these are all very painful. Again, this can be corrected with proper running shoes and small adjustments to your posture.
4. Stride is the distance covered during a gait. We measure stride in rate (number of steps per minute) and length. Honestly, I’ve never analyzed my stride, and from what I’ve read, most experts think you should run with your natural stride. I will say that when I “hit my stride”, I’m pushing off of the ground rather powerfully, but not over extending myself.
These are just a few technical words to get you started. Later this week, I will break down more running jargon to help your become fluent in Running!
July 27, 2009
Who knew that running could be so complicated. It seems as if you should just be able to go out and run. Well, many mistakes that we make as runners actually have consequences that can take a toll on our bodies.
1. Tight Shoulders and arms – Loosen up! Be sure to relax your shoulders as you run. Tight shoulder lead to back and shoulder pain. Also, relax your arms and hands. Never run with clenched fist. Use your arms to propel you forward. The faster you pump your arms, the faster you run!
2. Wear proper shoes – A friend once told me that one of his friends ran a 10k in Sketchers. Although this guy may have been fashionable (or maybe not), this was certainly not a good idea. You need shoes with good arch supports and that absorb the shock of running. So, if there is one piece of equipment you need to invest in as a runner, it is good shoes. Go to you local running store and ask them to fit you for running shoes.
3.
Stretch! – Touching your toes and doing a quick hip stretch does not count as a proper stretch. I know this from experience. Let me add that I am not the most limber person. My brother, the body builder, still can’t believe that I am not flexible enough to stick my head between my legs. But, I KNOW that stretching helps prevent injuries and tight muscles. Here is a
link to a great article on stretches for runners.
