Piriformis Syndrome/”Runner’s Butt”
A examined a women yesterday who complained of 10 months of hip and gluteal pain. She had been to medical doctors, chiropractors, physical therapists and acupunture. The MD gave a a shot in the hip bursae….diagnosis….hip bursitis. It helped a little. The Chiropractor told her her hips were twisted and adjusted her. That did not help. The acupuncturist did some needling and that did not help. Then she went for physical therapy…….28 times! Really………did the therapist think the 29th time would be the magical visit?
I began my exam by performing some routine orthopedic tests to rule out sciatica and low back nerve impingement. Results were negative. I then performed a seated Piriformis Syndrome stretch test. Bingo! Positive. I never would have guessed. I had her lay on her stomach and I palpated the hip region where the Piriformis muscle resides. Ouch! It was exquisitely tender and there was a noticeable “speed bump”/muscle spasm that when pressed recreated her symptoms.
I explained the condition to her and reviewed the proper treatment protocol. After providing her with information and pictures regarding her condition we decided to begin treatment immediately. Following the treatment session she immediately felt some relief she has not felt in 10 months. She asked why no one else had ever found that before. I explained that “you can not find something if you do not know what you are looking for”.
Piriformis Syndrome is classified a ‘Syndrome” because it has multiple symptoms and causes. Because no one had diagnosed her condition accurately she had been receiving treatment and therapy directed at the wrong region. Piriformis Syndrome is easy to diagnose and treat if you know what you are looking for. Piriformis Syndrome is common to runners I explained. Because I have been treating runners for 12 years and see this condition many times per week I have grown adept at recognizing it immediately and have researched the best possible treatments to get rid of it.
It is all too often that I see patient’s who have seen well intentioned doctors and therapists who unfortunately have little experience with runners and running injuries. This results in a typcial situation where the runners has to deal with a painful injury that inhibits them from doing the thing they love….running. Most of the time I can get the patient back to running within 2 weeks. It’s unfortunate that they do not find our running injury clinic sooner.
Dr. Runco is a US Navy Veteran, a Doctor of Chiropractic, the owner of the San Diego Running Institute and the Clinical Director of the San Diego Running Institute Sports Injury Clinic which has been in private practice since 2000. As an endurance athlete, he has competed in various 50+ mile races and various marathons and similar races around the region. He also teaches continuing education at various local colleges, and continues to extend his generosity and expertise to both Charitable Organizations and established Running Clubs and Groups around the Southern California Region. Dr. Runco specializes in Running Injuries, Shoes & Equipment and Endurance Training and continues to help athletes complete their goals both injury free and well-equipped. For more information, visit http://www.sdri.net or http://www.whateverybodyneeds.net
Inaugural Wildhorse Trail Half Marathon and 5K 2012
The Inaugural Wildhorse Trail Half Marathon went off without a hitch this past Sunday. 300 eager Half Marathon trail runners showed up at Otay Lakes to compete in this inaugural event. The weather was warm…..really warm. Only in San Diego on January 21 can you expect 75-80 degree weather! The runners went out in 2 waves and soon thereafter the 5k wave took off. We use waves in order to allow the faster runners to get out on the trail ahead of slower runners. This helps ensure less traffic and congestion on the scenic single track trails common in trail running. Many runners fell on the Wildhorse trail keeping our race doctor busy bandaging them all up. No one complained they just smiled while receiving first aid. For some reason our timing system went down causing us to go into emergency manual timing. This will be the last event that we time ourselves. From now on an outside company will be used to time all Dirt Devil races. The first place male crossed the finish at 1:24;10 while the last runner crossed at 3:32:40. We applaud all the runners that ran this challenging and difficult course (which by the way was 13.6 miles). The post-race party and awards ceremony was held downtown San Diego at The Corner. It was a good venue even though there were some glitches. It was the first time The Corner ever hosted an event like this. It is hard for Tavern owners to understand what it is like for 250 starving Half Marathoners to descend on your establishment demanding to all be fed at once. Now The Corner knows and promises to provide a much better experience next time. Thank you to all of our sponsors, The San Diego Running Institute, Merrell, FLUID and The Corner for helping this event be so special. Thank you to all the SDRI employees that helped make this event work and work well! A big thanks to our volunteers. We can not do it without you. I hope to see you all the the Foxy Half Marathon on April 22. for more info go to www.dirtdevilracing.com
Dr. Runco is a US Navy Veteran, a Doctor of Chiropractic, the owner of the San Diego Running Institute and the Clinical Director of the San Diego Running Institute Sports Injury Clinic which has been in private practice since 2000. As an endurance athlete, he has competed in various 50+ mile races and various marathons and similar races around the region. He also teaches continuing education at various local colleges, and continues to extend his generosity and expertise to both Charitable Organizations and established Running Clubs and Groups around the Southern California Region. Dr. Runco specializes in Running Injuries, Shoes & Equipment and Endurance Training and continues to help athletes complete their goals both injury free and well-equipped. For more information, visit http://www.sdri.net or http://www.whateverybodyneeds.net
Carlsbad Half Marathon and Marathon
Today is the Carlsbad Half Marathon and Marathon. Once again it dodged a bullet called rain. In typical fashion it rained the day prior to the race and spoiled a newcomer to San Diego called the Diva Dash. The Diva Dash is a women’s only 5K obstacle course run put on by some outside company from Boulder Colorado. They choose one of the worst times of year to debut their event in San Diego, right in the heart of rainy season. Somehow the Carlsbad Half Marathon always seems to miss the rain. It rains the night before or the day after but always seems to miss race day. The Carlsbad Half Marathon was my first running event and it poured the night before. Come race day, not a cloud in the sky.
Next weekend is the Inaugural Wildhorse Trail Half Marathon. This event is part of a Trail Half Series put on by my company, Dirt Devil Racing. This race is going to be awesome. I am hoping it does not rain but either way it is going to be fun. The issue with rain is it may turn it into a mud run. No worries, we won’t charge any extra for the mud! Even with rain most of the trail will be fine. There is one section though…..the mud can get kinda sticky. Runners will have to make their way through the mud and over a foot bridge. They will also have to come back through the mud a second time. This will definitely be interesting. Hopefully we can get a camera crew up there.
The Wildhorse Trail Half Marathon is the first in a series of trail half marathons. The second is on April 22 and is called the Foxy Trail Half Marathon followed by June’s Cougar Trail Half Marathon (watch out for those women 35+) and will culminate in the October extravaganza called the Raptor Ridge Trail Half Marathon. All of these races have great swag, awesome trails, cool medals and shirts and post race parties that rock. The big Half Marathons like Carlsbad are fine but you need to check out smaller events like theses trail half marathons. They are limited to 300 runners and have such a great feel to them. Easy parking, beautiful trails, great aid stations, nice medals and prizes along with affordable entry fees. Next time you are looking for a race consider doing one of these.
Dr. Runco is a US Navy Veteran, a Doctor of Chiropractic, the owner of the San Diego Running Institute and the Clinical Director of the San Diego Running Institute Sports Injury Clinic which has been in private practice since 2000. As an endurance athlete, he has competed in various 50+ mile races and various marathons and similar races around the region. He also teaches continuing education at various local colleges, and continues to extend his generosity and expertise to both Charitable Organizations and established Running Clubs and Groups around the Southern California Region. Dr. Runco specializes in Running Injuries, Shoes & Equipment and Endurance Training and continues to help athletes complete their goals both injury free and well-equipped. For more information, visit http://www.sdri.net or http://www.whateverybodyneeds.net
Barefoot Running Injuries
Do shoes cause injury? Does running barefoot or in Vibram Five Finger shoes prevent injury? How about minimalist running shoes? These are all hot topics in today’s running world. Hardly a run goes by that I do not overhear runners debating the advantages or disadvantages or barefoot style running. Most of these debates are based largely on emotion. Why runners are so emotionally charged about running barefoot I still do not understand. A shoe is an inanimate object that does not care whether you wear it or not. The street you run on cares little whether or not you are wearing a cinder-block on your foot or a Vibram. The truth is running shoes do not cause injury…..running does. Running injuries are a fact of life. I know….I know since you switched to your Vibrams you have not been injured. For someone else it was switching to the Newton Shoe and yet for another it was their tried and true Asics Kayano that prevented them from getting injured. The fact that
there are so many shoes out there is a testament to how many variations of runners and running styles we have out there. Not one product works for everyone nor one running style. To ignore this easily observable and obvious fact is ignorant. To debate the merits or downsidesof barefoot running without actually reading research papers on the subject is useless. There is no good evidence based in research that running barefoot or in Vibram Five Finger shoes will help you prevent injury. There is evidence that running in old school motion control shoes can predispose a runner to injury. There is no evidence that pronation causes or predisposes a runner to injury. There is mild evidence that EXCESSIVE pronation predisposes a runner to injury. There is also evidence that runners with very high arched feet are predisposed to certain injuries. There is evidence that women are predisposed to certain running injuries…..wearing a different shoe won’t change that variable!
Let me explain where this all comes from. There is a school of thought…..an old school that believes the human body is unstable. They believe that by stabilizing it your will treat and prevent injuries. This is obviously incorrect as humans are naturally unstable and we live in an unstable environment. If your body was not suppose to move it would be one solid bone with no joints. We have 206 bones and hundreds of joints so that we can move…..in all directions and adapt to instability. By trying to use a shoe or an orthotic to prevent motion you most likely are opening yourself up to more problems. There is no evidence that stability shoes and especially motion control shoes will treat or prevent injury. None. This old school, medical train of thinking has pervaded our society and led us down a path to nowhere. Now these same folks are trying to discourage runners from going barefoot? Interesting. They claim this will lead to injury. mmmmm……we’ll see.
Dr. Runco is a US Navy Veteran, a Doctor of Chiropractic, the owner of the San Diego Running Institute and the Clinical Director of the San Diego Running Institute Sports Injury Clinic which has been in private practice since 2000. As an endurance athlete, he has competed in various 50+ mile races and various marathons and similar races around the region. He also teaches continuing education at various local colleges, and continues to extend his generosity and expertise to both Charitable Organizations and established Running Clubs and Groups around the Southern California Region. Dr. Runco specializes in Running Injuries, Shoes & Equipment and Endurance Training and continues to help athletes complete their goals both injury free and well-equipped. For more information, visit http://www.sdri.net or http://www.whateverybodyneeds.net
Wildhorse Trail Half Marathon
The Wildhorse Trail Half Marathon is only weeks away and is SOLD OUT! This promises to be a great race with lots of awesome swag including sweatshirt hoodies with race logo, custom medals with race logo, beanies with race logo and cool window decals for your car with the race logo and 13.1.
The Post race party will be cool too. It is downtown at a place called The Corner. There will be a special event award given to ALL that attend this Sunday brunch post race party. Brunch is $8. There will be a DJ and race awards will be given out here.
The next race in the Dirt Devil Series is the Foxy Half Marathon in April. April marks the end of San Diego’s rainy season and is always a warm and beautiful day. The Foxy Half winds around Lake Hodges and provides racers with great single and double track trail as well a terriffic finishing area. This race will SELL OUT to. Sign up early.
For more information on trail running check out http://www.sdri.net/races/san-diego-trail-runs/
For more information about trail running groups go to www.meetup.com/dirtdevils
For more information about great trail race events www.dirtdevilracing.com
Dr. Runco is a US Navy Veteran, a Doctor of Chiropractic, the owner of the San Diego Running Institute and the Clinical Director of the San Diego Running Institute Sports Injury Clinic which has been in private practice since 2000. As an endurance athlete, he has competed in various 50+ mile races and various marathons and similar races around the region. He also teaches continuing education at various local colleges, and continues to extend his generosity and expertise to both Charitable Organizations and established Running Clubs and Groups around the Southern California Region. Dr. Runco specializes in Running Injuries, Shoes & Equipment and Endurance Training and continues to help athletes complete their goals both injury free and well-equipped. For more information, visit http://www.sdri.net or http://www.whateverybodyneeds.net
Knee pain and Running
Knee pain is the most common pain that affects and limits long distance runners. Often runners go to their primary care doctor who proclaims “stop running, it’s bad for you.” Seriously doc, you got anything else? Running is not bad for you or your knees. Everyone should be able to run a little without knee pain. How about you perform a physical exam! What a concept. Do some biomechanical and Orthopedic testing to determine what structure in the knee is distressed. If you do not remember how to do these exams refer your patient to someone who does.
Running results in repetitive forces that are transmitted from the impact with the ground through the foot and ankle up to the knee. When colliding with the ground your foot performs a shock absorption maneuver called pronation. That is, your foot impacts the ground, your arch flattens while at the same time your ankle rolls inward. This movement called pronation is designed to help dissipate impact forces as well as propel you forward during normal running gait. As the ankle rolls inward your leg/Tibia follows while your knee flexes. The knee flexes in order to help dissipate impact forces as well as to spring you forward during normal running. While your knee is flexed and “unlocked” it is also rotating inward due to pronation at your foot and ankle.
Knee injuries arise for one of two reasons during running.
1. Your knee does not flex enough resulting in excessive impact forces and pain
2. Your foot and ankle are either not pronating enough or overpronating both of which result in abnormal biomechanics and knee pain.
Conditions associated with underpronation typically affect the outer leg, knee and hip. Some of these common running injuries are peroneal tendonitis, stress fractures of the tibia, Iliotibial band syndrome or ITBS and Piriformis Syndrome. Conditions that are related to overpronation usually affect the inner leg and knee. Some of these common running injuries are medial tibial stress syndrome of “Shin Splints”, Chondromalacia or “Runners Knee”, medial meniscus strain and medial collateral ligament strains.
In the world of medical diagnosis injuries can be attributed to either “too much”, “too little” or the “wrong kind”. Too much movement or overpronation can result in repetitive motion injuries. Too little or underpronation can result in impact related injuries due to an inability to dissipate impact forces. Running in the “wrong” kind of shoe or with the “wrong” kind of biomechanics can also result in knee injury. While it is difficult to always know what the wrong or right kind of shoe will be for you with proper measurements and assessment it is doable. Lately there has been a movement in the running community away from motion control shoes and towards minimalist shoes. While there is no evidence either way which is better for you it seems obvious that many runners have performed well in older style support shoes. The addition of minimalist shoes to the long distance running world will give runners even more choice when selecting their newest running shoe.
If you are suffering from knee pain and it is affecting your running seek a proper diagnosis from a qualified sports injury specialist who is also a runner. Most visits to primary care doctors are frustrating for runners because they are told to rest or stop running. This causes runners to avoid doctors altogether and instead rely on other runners, friends and running shoe store employees for medical advice. While sometimes the advice is good is is just as often bad. Everyone should be able to run without knee pain. By understanding the concepts of too much, too little or the wrong kind and applying it to the specific nature of ones injury a proper solution can be applied and allow the runner to return to their support injury and pain free.
Dr. Runco is a US Navy Veteran, a Doctor of Chiropractic, the owner of the San Diego Running Institute and the Clinical Director of the San Diego Running Institute Sports Injury Clinic which has been in private practice since 2000. As an endurance athlete, he has competed in various 50+ mile races and various marathons and similar races around the region. He also teaches continuing education at various local colleges, and continues to extend his generosity and expertise to both Charitable Organizations and established Running Clubs and Groups around the Southern California Region. Dr. Runco specializes in Running Injuries, Shoes & Equipment and Endurance Training and continues to help athletes complete their goals both injury free and well-equipped. For more information, visit http://www.sdri.net or http://www.whateverybodyneeds.net
Leg Length Discrepency and Knee Pain
I examined a young female triathlete yesterday. She complained of years of knee pain. She had been to doctors, had MRI’s (negative), been through months of physical therapy (no help) and to a chiropractor who took X-rays of her back and told her she was crooked. The Chiropractor told her her hip was twisted and adjusted her back. She said it would feel good but never seemed to last. As I performed her exam i noted that her left foot was 1/2 size bigger than her right and pronated twice as much. I also noted that her left hip was higher than her right and her spine appeared to have a curve in it. I mentioned these things to her and commented that she may have one leg longer than the other. She said that makes sense because when she gets her pants tailored they have to sew each side differently. I examined her knee and tested it with standard orthopedic tests. I found no issue. Then why does her knee always hurt when she runs?
Here is the part I just do not get. You go to a physical therapist who tells you your muscles are tight or weak or too strong. They never seem to explain why a muscle is too tight, weak or strong. You go to a Chiropractor who tells you your hip is twisted and you have a curved spine. They never explain why your hip is twisted or your spine is curved. You see, our bodies respond to the forces imposed on them. Muscles do not just get “too tight”. Hips do not just “rotate”. They do this for a reason. They are adaptions to abnormal or asymmetric forces imposed on our bodies. If you are born with one leg longer than the other, one foot bigger than the other, one leg rotated more than another or any other common abnormality than you will have muscular and bony adaption to that abnormality. Having one leg longer than another is common. In fact it is found in about 75% of the population. What is not common is running long distance. When you have legs of different sizes this causes increased stress on one side of your body and can result in knee and/or hip pain that seems to have no explanation! It is not enough to simply tell a patient “your hamstrings are tight”. You must understand the body, how it compensates and supply a means for the patient to achieve balance.
Running imposes 3x the stress on your joints that walking does. These forces are repeated 3000x per mile. Abnormal, excessive or asymmmetric forces that are repeated 3000x per mile over many miles will result in excessive strain on muscles and joints and result in compensation and strain. Only by finding the asymmetry and correcting it can you ever hope to rid someone of this biomechanical injury.
Dr. Runco is a US Navy Veteran, a Doctor of Chiropractic, the owner of the San Diego Running Institute and the Clinical Director of the San Diego Running Institute Sports Injury Clinic which has been in private practice since 2000. As an endurance athlete, he has competed in various 50+ mile races and various marathons and similar races around the region. He also teaches continuing education at various local colleges, and continues to extend his generosity and expertise to both Charitable Organizations and established Running Clubs and Groups around the Southern California Region. Dr. Runco specializes in Running Injuries, Shoes & Equipment and Endurance Training and continues to help athletes complete their goals both injury free and well-equipped. For more information, visit http://www.sdri.net or http://www.whateverybodyneeds.net
Running Injuries
Running injuries happen to all of us……eventually. If you run far enough, fast enough or do not get enough recovery time you will get injured. Often it is hard to know the difference between normal aches and pains and an actual injury. When can you run with an injury? When should you rest? How long? These are all common questions that are difficult to answer simply because not all running injuries are the same. Also, different body areas take different times to heal based on their physiology and the degree of the injury. For example;
Muscle strains. Muscle has a high degree of blood flow. When it gets injured your body has no trouble supplying it with healing oxygen and nutrients which allow it to recover and repair quickly. Simple musclestrains will typically respond to rest and be better within two weeks. However, a second degree muscle strain may require 3-4 weeks before it is ok to run again. This is because a 2nd degree strain is a muscle tear. Picture your skin being torn. It would lake longer to repair that a scrape would right?
Tendon: Tendons take longer to heal than muscle because they have less blood supply. Typical tendon strains will take from 2-4 weeks to heal. 2nd degree tendon strains can take 3-6 months of no running to heal correctly. I have treated many hamstring origin tendon tears and have seen them take this long. Very frustrating to the runner.
Bone: Bone actually heals pretty fast due to a large blood supply. Stress fractures and hairline fractures will usually heal with 6-8 weeks.
Ligament: Ligaments have even less blood supply than tendons. Ligaments do not typically tear due to running with few exceptions. Ligament tears can occur under the 2nd metatarsal in the foot. This is problematic as this is the area you push of when running. This injury requires 3-6 months to heal and if the ligament ruptures will require surgery.
Cartilage: Cartilage has even less blood supply than ligaments. Cartilage when damaged typically will not heal and may require surgery. There are exceptions such as the meniscus in the knee. We have successfully repaired meniscus without surgery. Damaged cartilage will result in arthritis. Prevention is your best option. Try taking the recommended amount of Glucosamine and Chondroiten Sulfate for prevention.
Runners are “trained” to think all running injuries are simple muscle strains. They think if they rub it, stretch it, strengthen it, get new shoes etc. their pain will go away. Often the pain is not muscular in nature and is affecting body tissues that do not respond to the above described treatment. Seeking help and advice from a professional who also runs can not and should not be underestimated.
Dr. Runco is a US Navy Veteran, a Doctor of Chiropractic, the owner of the San Diego Running Institute and the Clinical Director of the San Diego Running Institute Sports Injury Clinic which has been in private practice since 2000. As an endurance athlete, he has competed in various 50+ mile races and various marathons and similar races around the region. He also teaches continuing education at various local colleges, and continues to extend his generosity and expertise to both Charitable Organizations and established Running Clubs and Groups around the Southern California Region. Dr. Runco specializes in Running Injuries, Shoes & Equipment and Endurance Training and continues to help athletes complete their goals both injury free and well-equipped. For more information, visit http://www.sdri.net or http://www.whateverybodyneeds.net
Metatarsalgia and pain in your feet
I was working in my running store yesterday because 2 of my employees were away. It has been awhile since I have worked the floor of the San Diego Running Institute helping customers. I was amazed at how many people showed up asking questions pertaining to their injuries. I guess it is unsettling that someone would show up at a running store and ask a stranger who may or may not have any actual knowledge about their injury what they should do about it. Example; a women comes into the store and wants metatarsal pads for her shoes because she thinks it will help her metatarsalgia. I happened to be available and attempted to help her. She did not know I was a doctor and have very specific knowledge of her condition. She told me she had seen an orthopedic surgeon 5 months ago and he told her to buy an insert and cut a hole in it right under where her toe hurt. Since there was not insert in her shoe I asked her had she tried that (by the way that is an asinine thing to tell someone to do. It would not work and even if it did why would the orthopedic doctor not have done it for her?) She said she had never done it. I asked why she then wanted metatarsal pads if she had not even tried what the doctor had told her to do. She really could not answer that either. I got inserts out for her to try in her shoe and I show her how to place metatarsal pads. I was stunned when she then almost started arguing with me about whether or not the metatarsal pads would help and should she just buy the insole and cut a hole underneath where her pain is. What the……..!? I said, Didn’t the doctor tell you to do that 5 months ago? She said yes. I said, why didn’t you do it then? The I said, You came here and asked for metatarsal pads so I showed you how to use them. If you want to buy an insole and cut a hole in it that is fine with me. The fact is you have a pain in your foot that has been there for 5 months and you have not done anything about it. You say it’s getting worse and your limping around on it. You need to try something and you should be at least trying what your doctor told you to do………..or not. You can listen to me and try placing these metatarsal pads correctly. After a long conversation with her husband she decided to purchase the $20 metatarsal pads and no insole.
I was not really inclined to help this person even though I have specific knowledge of her condition. She was not even trying what her doctor told her to do even though her problem was worsening. Most shoe store employees would have no real knowledge of her condition and would have sold her new shoes, insoles and anything else they could even though none of it would have helped her.
Metatarsalgia. Definition: Pain beneath the metatarsal joints. Anatomy: There is bone, muscle and ligament. If you have Metatarsalgia then you have pain in either the bone, muscle or ligament in the area. Bone: You could have a stress fracture or worse yet something called avascular necrosis. That is bone death and your bone could literally collapse. Do you really think cutting a hole in the orthotic or placing metatarsal pads will help that? Muscle: You could have a muscle strain. That would have gotten better with time. It is highly unlikely you have a muscle strain. Ligament: you could have a torn ligament. It happens all the time. Ligament sprain or tears are a common cause of metatarsalgia. If you have this you may need to immobilize your foot. Walking on a ligament sprain will only worsen it. You may even need surgery! Do you think going to a shoe store and asking some random person what you should do about your foot pain is a good idea? Do you actually think most employees in running stores have enough knowledge to know the difference between a bone problem versus a ligament problem and do you want to put your health in their hands? I encourage anyone who reads this that has a foot problem (or any other) to go to a qualified professional with your problem and get an accurate and educated opinion and diagnosis. If you are not satisfied with their opinion get another one. The moron who told the women to cut a hole in her insert beneath where the pain is should have their license stripped. Maybe it is because of crappy doctors like that that people go to running stores for advice in the first place.
Dr. Runco is a US Navy Veteran, a Doctor of Chiropractic, the owner of the San Diego Running Institute and the Clinical Director of the San Diego Running Institute Sports Injury Clinic which has been in private practice since 2000. As an endurance athlete, he has competed in various 50+ mile races and various marathons and similar races around the region. He also teaches continuing education at various local colleges, and continues to extend his generosity and expertise to both Charitable Organizations and established Running Clubs and Groups around the Southern California Region. Dr. Runco specializes in Running Injuries, Shoes & Equipment and Endurance Training and continues to help athletes complete their goals both injury free and well-equipped. For more information, visit http://www.sdri.net or http://www.whateverybodyneeds.net
Natural Running, Barefoot Running and Minimalist Shoes
I remember the days not so long ago when every runner proclaimed they needed motion control shoes. Customers used to come into my store explaining that they “over-” and needed “more stability”. Evidently no one overpronates any more. Instead of stability the answer is minimalist. “Do you have the toe shoes”, customers ask. “I heard they make you run better”. It would not be so frustrating except the same shoe companies that convinced you that stability was your friend and that motion control was the answer to all of your running woes are now touting the benefits of minimalist running shoes. They are all jumping on the bandwagon and trying to get in on the “barefoot” running craze. By the way very few runners are running barefoot. Instead they are wearing Vibram 5 Fingers or a running shoe with a low heel to toe ratio and minimal padding. IF YOU ARE WEARING SOMETHING ON YOUR FEET, ANYTHING, THEN YOU ARE NOT RUNNING BAREFOOT! When it all boils down anything you wear on your foot is a from of protection. The question is do you want alot of protection or a little.
Traditional running shoes have lots of padding and various densities of foam to provide protection from the ground. Trail running shoes often have rock plates and sticky rubber bottoms so that you get better traction. Recently shoe companies have offered us minimal running shoes. These have much less padding and are therefore lighter weight. Proponents of these types of shoes are now trying to convince everyone that these shoes will make them run more naturally and therefore reduce their risk of injury. These are false and unjustified claims. So while it use to be motion control that was going to save us now it is the opposite.
Running form is dictated mostly by your speed. When we classify gait we have to take speed into account. During walking gait it would be unnatural to land on your midfoot or toes. During walking gait it would be natural to heel strike. Walking progresses to jogging slowly. As we begin to pick up speed your gait should naturally change. As speed increases so should forward lean as well as ankle, knee and hip flexion. You should natural heel strike less. Jogging progresses to running. As we shift from jogging to running speed increases. As speed increases your form should naturally change. As you run faster your forward lean may increase and flexion at your ankles, knees and hips will increase to help absorb the increase in shock that accompanies running gait. During running it would be natural for your foot strike to change to more of a heel-midfoot strike. Running progresses to sprinting. As you increase your speed to achieve a sprint your form should naturally change. As you sprint your forward lean will increase and so will flexion at your ankles, knees and hips to help absorb and dissipate the increase shock that accompanies sprinting. I DON’T CARE WHAT SHOE YOU WEAR. THESE CHANGES WILL AND DO NATURALLY OCCUR. Try it for yourself. Go outside and walk for 50 meters. Take note of your form. Now jog 50 meters slowly. Take note of your form. Now run. See how your form changes. Now break into a sprint.
Your form will change naturally regardless of shoe wear. Some shoes may be better depending on your speed! Are you a jogger?Are you a runner? Do you run 5K distance but jog marathons? Possibly different shoes for different distances may be appropriate. Wearing a shoe that is comfortable and feels like a natural extension of your foot will help you run more naturally. Because really, what is natural. If you are a jogger who jogs a marathon in 5:30 then your natural form will look remarkably different than the runner who crushes a marathon in 2:58. Should a 5:30 marathoner try to emulate the form of a 2:58 marathoner. I think not.
Many companies and so called “experts” try to take advantage of the running population by proclaiming to be able to prevent injury and increase performance. Usually they are hawking a book, training program or gimmick. Often these concept sound good on the surface but are not actually based in fact and have little if any real evidence to support their claims. Most runners would do themselves a world of good simply by choosing a comfortable shoe and a running form that is appropriate for their speed.
Dr. Runco is a US Navy Veteran, a Doctor of Chiropractic, the owner of the San Diego Running Institute and the Clinical Director of the San Diego Running Institute Sports Injury Clinic which has been in private practice since 2000. As an endurance athlete, he has competed in various 50+ mile races and various marathons and similar races around the region. He also teaches continuing education at various local colleges, and continues to extend his generosity and expertise to both Charitable Organizations and established Running Clubs and Groups around the Southern California Region. Dr. Runco specializes in Running Injuries, Shoes & Equipment and Endurance Training and continues to help athletes complete their goals both injury free and well-equipped. For more information, visit http://www.sdri.net or http://www.whateverybodyneeds.net
