"X gon' give it to ya (what?!)" -DMX Runners rarely need fancy exercises, just a few drills tailored to their abilities and executed with precision. There are four instructions I give patients to help them perform their programs with precisionr Perform the exercise in a smooth, precise manner. Getting patients to slow down is the number one correction I give in the clinic (something most don't really like 😊). Squats. Marches. Carries. Bridges. Slow. Down. Most athletes rush their exercises,...
8 days ago • 2 min read
"You may tire of me as our December sun is setting 'cause I'm not who I used to be."-Death Cab for Cutie In the last Runners Zone Podcast, Chris mentioned the idea of looking back at your old content to discuss what you got wrong. With that in mind, I wanted to examine my most-viewed YouTube video, and what I would change if I made it today. While I still believe this video holds value, it would have been better if it had included more context on the research on bone healing. Today, let's...
15 days ago • 3 min read
At the end of July, I'm helping with a local local high school running camp with my friend Jeremy Hammer, owner of KC Endurance. This four-day camp is designed to bring runners together and sharpen their skills in training, injuries, nutrition, and mental health. There are a few key things I think all young runners should understand, which I'll be sharing with the camp. Basic health screenings High school runners must pass a preseason physical before being allowed to practice and compete....
about 1 month ago • 3 min read
"What you see is all there is."Daniel Kahneman It’s easy to talk to patients about exercises and training. But many running-related injuries are health problems masquerading as strength or training problems. Rehab pros must know how to screen for factors at play outside of orthopedics. And there's new research to help with just that. Where do we start? There is a growing body of evidence that metabolic factors influence bone stress injuries (and really all injuries). PTs are often the first...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
“It takes a while to hear a person’s story and for that person to tell it, and like most stories it bounces all over the place before you know what the plot really is.” Lori Gottlieb When I order a coffee, I want a coffee. Preferably, a single-origin pour-over from Kenya or Ethiopia. I don't want a conversation about politics, theology, or Andy Reid's unwillingness to move away from an RPO-style running game. I want coffee. Patients don't come to us looking for caffeine, but they do come with...
about 2 months ago • 3 min read
It can be hard to filter the massive amount of information that we (and our patients/athletes) contend with. In today's newsletter, you've got an exclusive video where I walk you through the differential diagnosis and management of a potential femoral shaft BSI. My goal is to give you a more realistic view of how rehab unfolds, rather than the spliced-up, in-your-face version you see on social. You can check out the case by clicking below 👇. I'd love your thoughts on one thing... I'm running...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Back in the summer of 2018, my family was getting ready to head out on I-70 West for a 5-day trip to Rocky Mountain National Park. As many business owners do, I doubled my workload in the weeks before our trip, leaving me exhausted and on the verge of illness. The habit of running myself into the ground before vacation had previously left me sick on trips to San Diego, Duluth, and Machias, Maine. Working myself to the point of sickness has led to good outcomes during the beginning of my...
2 months ago • 2 min read
"What you pay attention to grows"-Geneen Roth There's nothing more seductive than "curing" a patient's pain. When I first started working, I just wanted my patients to like me. And if you fix a patient's symptoms in one visit, they will happily sing your praises. But as time went on, I realized symptom responses vary drastically, and sometimes the pursuit of pain resolution does a long-term disservice to patients. It's all between your ears Pain is weird, and I'm not going to pretend I...
2 months ago • 2 min read
“Ye can not see the wood for trees.”-John Heywood Maybe we should treat all running injuries the same? In school, you learn that there are specific protocols necessary for improving VO2 max, tendon stiffness, or bone density. Specific prescriptions lead to specific adaptations. Zone two training builds mitochondrial density, explosive movements strengthen bone, and heavy slow resistance builds tendon stiffness. Science gives us the laser focus needed to get results! When you work with people...
3 months ago • 3 min read