Running remains one of the most popular forms of aerobic exercise due to its’ effectiveness and minimal equipment costs and entry fees. The majority of runners will sustain a running related injury at some point in their careers limiting their ability to train or compete. Training errors, increases in a runner’s volume (frequency, duration, terrain,...
In our previous blog posts we have discussed the variety of interventions available to reduce the high injury rates seen among both novice and experienced runners. Many of these interventions are designed to reduce the loading forces across the lower body at foot strike and push off. In our Boulder Physical Therapy practice we commonly...
One of the greatest misconceptions in the treatment of musculoskeletal injuries is using interventions to create symmetry in the body between right and left sides. Asymmetry is often the norm vs. the exception but we function very well in life and sport with these asymmetries. Small asymmetries should be accepted while larger asymmetries should be...
Running injuries remain a common problem for the vast majority of runners. Many of these athletes report a loss of training days or competition due to a current or previous injury. Contributing factors include muscle weakness, decreased mobility, and training errors. Progressing training volumes (frequency, intensity, duration, terrain) too quickly prevent the tissues from properly adapting...
Similar to Sasquatch and the Loch Ness Monster science may also be putting another myth to rest. In our previous posts, we have written on the lack of data supporting the idea running leads to wear and tear or arthritis. In fact, some research has shown running may have a protective effect on joints with...
Running is one of the most popular forms of exercise due to its’ accessibility, low equipment cost, and health benefits. As running popularity continues to grow, unfortunately so do the number of runners who miss a training session or competition due to injury. These runners are not alone; as research has reported up to 90%...
There is currently a lack of consensus on the “ideal’ running form among running experts and researchers. There are pros and cons to many running variables including foot strike, but one area of agreement includes the reduction of forces at foot strike. Our previous blogs have described the importance of reducing vertical amplitude, peak forces,...
Running remains one of our country’s most popular forms of exercise. This is no more evident than here in Boulder where our citizens have been consistently voted one of the fittest cities in America. Runners of all ages can be seen exercising on our city’s paths, trails, and sidewalks. In our previous blog post we...
Patellofemoral pain, commonly referred to as runner’s knee, is one of the most common reasons patients seek care in Physical Therapy clinics. In short, the symptoms are caused by abnormal forces between the knee cap and thigh bone. The condition is effectively treated by Physical Therapy interventions including manual therapy, exercise, and gait retraining. The...
Low back pain continues to be a common source of pain, loss of function, and in some cases disability. A portion of this weight on our society and medical system is the over emphasis on imaging findings including disc injury or degenerative disc disease as the source of a patient’s symptoms. Unfortunately, there is an...