Doc On The Run Podcast

What is subungual melanoma?

If you're a runner you may be wondering what in the world something like "subungual melanoma" has to do with running injuries. 

There are a couple of reasons. 

Subungual melanoma is commonly mistaken for a bruised toenail. What runner has never had a dark spot under the toenail?

Subungual melanoma is actually extremely deadly. You're not necessarily likely to get it, but there is a reason that this might be pertinent to you as a runner.

Repeated trauma from running and beating up your toes could possibly increase your odds of getting this form of cancer.

What is subungual melanoma? 

Well, that's what we're talking about today on the Doc On The Run Podcast. 

FHL Tenosynovitis vs Sesmoiditis

If you have pain under the big toe joint, it could be an injury called sesamoiditis. Sesamoid bones are like a pair of tiny little kneecaps under the big toe joint. They are about the size of kidney beans. If irritated enough, sesamoid can develop stress fractures.

Any inflammation of the sesamoid bones is called sesamoiditis. 

But pain in the sesamoid area can also result from inflammation of the tendon sheath that goes around the flexor tendon. The flexor tendon sheath is just a tube around the tendon that actually helps the tendon glide as your big toe moves up and down. 

The flexor tendon sheath is very close to the sesamoids.  Sometimes it is hard for a runner to tell the two conditions apart.

There's a big difference between the two conditions and a big difference between the way that you would treat them.

What's the difference between flexor hallucis longus tenosynovitis and sesamoiditis? 

Well, that's what we're talking about today on the Doc On The Run Podcast. 

697 Hallux rigidus shoe traits for runners

Work out now or do more workouts later

Most important tibial stress fracture detail is location

Andrea ran 3:09 in the Tokyo Marathon with calcaneal stress fracture!

Don’t ask when can I run after an injury… Ask how I can run

One of the worst questions you can ask any doctor is, "when can I run?" 

 

Believe it or not, I get these questions every single day...from total strangers.

 

They get injured and go to the doctor. The doctor says, "You can't run." Then they will call me and ask, "When can I run?" 

Why am I going to give you the magic answer, if I don't even know you?

There is a better way.

The best questions that you can come up with are the ones that direct your doctor to start thinking about how to help you get back to running a whole lot faster.

If you got a running injury and you're trying to figure out how to run and you go to the doctor, don't ask them when you can run, ask them how you can run. 

That's what we're talking about today on Doc On The Run Podcast. 

Plantar Plate Sprain and Deep Peroneal Neuritis

An interesting runner called me for a second opinion. He had a couple of things going on that created a pretty confusing picture.

He had a plantar plate sprains (at least he was told he had plantar plate injuries) because his MRI showed evidence of injuries to the plantar plate ligaments of toes two, three, and four.

He also had some nerve type symptoms. But on the bottom of the foot, he also had this very interesting ridge of callus.

So what was REALLY causing all of his trouble when he ran?

Today, on the Doc On The Run Podcast, we're talking about a runner with a plantar plate injury and deep perineal neuritis. 

Can I run every day on the Alter G treadmill?

I got a great question from a runner who wanted to start running on an Alter G Treadmill. What she said was:

"I've been getting out of the boot. I started running on an Alter G Treadmill, and everything's been going great. I feel good. I feel like a million bucks because I'm finally moving again. Is it okay for me to run every day?" 

What if you had a friend, who was not fit at all, who wanted to run a marathon? Imagine she wanted to do her very first marathon, and you were going to help her train? Would you tell her to run every single day?

Can I run every day on an Alter G Treadmill? 

Well, that's what we're talking about today on the Doc On The Run Podcast. 

Can I run after a spiral fracture of the fibula?

Today's question actually comes from Elizabeth who explained she rolled her ankle, and sustained a fracture of the fibula bone. She wanted to see if she could get some advice.

She said, "I'm a 27-year-old female. I twisted my ankle and I was rushed off for x-rays and discovered a spiral displaced fracture of my fibula in my ankle joint. I'm dying to get back on the road and going a bit stir crazy. It's been 10 or 11 weeks post-break now. I want to know if I will do damage by starting to run in increments to gain back some fitness and cardiovascular fitness or if it'll be okay.”

Can I run after a spiral fracture of the fibula? 

Well, that's what we're going to talk about today on the Doc On The Run Podcast.