Doc On The Run Podcast

How can a bone stress reaction turn into malunion from running?

I was just talking to a runner over webcam who had been researching metatarsal stress fractures, but heard something about a "malunion" and knew that a fracture malunion was a really bad thing. 

He had been diagnosed with a stress reaction in one of his metatarsals. 

If you continue to stress a metatarsal stress reaction enough, it can progress to a full-on metatarsal fracture. 

So, he wanted to know, "If I run on my stress reaction, is it going to turn into a malunion?"

How can a bone stress reaction turn into a malunion, from running? 

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

 

Treating Injuries is fast but treating runners is slow

Many years ago when I was first in practice, I met someone who was a doctor, and who was a runner herself. She liked to treat runners and she happened to make a lot of money. A whole lot of money!

I was very impressed with her, so I actually flew across the country to spend one day in her office following her around to see exactly what she does to make so much money working with runners. 

There was one particular visit with one runner, which really struck me.  

Right before we walked into the treatment room, the doctor spun around, looked at me and said, "Okay, this guy's a runner. He has plantar fasciitis. I'm going to show you how to treat plantar fasciitis in a runner in under a minute."

The encounter was nothing like I expected...

Treating injuries is fast, but treating runners is slow. 

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

How does a displaced fracture heal naturally without medical treatment?

Today's episode comes from one of the YouTube viewers Doc On The Run YouTube channel who had watched one of the videos on fractures. He asked a great question.

This is from Saif. What he said was, 

"Thank you for such a short and effective, informative video. My question was, does displaced fracture heal naturally without medical treatment? And the thought process was that how did our ancestors and primitives heal without medical care or deal with these displaced fractures?"

How does a displaced fracture heal naturally without medical treatment? 

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

Should I run with a pad for plantar plate sprain?

Today's episode actually comes from a question sent in by Melissa. 

She signed up for the Plantar Plate Masterclass and she asked a very specific question.

She asked:

Should I run with a pad for a plantar plate sprain? 

Great question!  And that's what we're talking about today on the Doc On The Run Podcast. 

When will insurance pay for a bone stimulator to help my metatarsal fracture?

What if you could be out on a run, sun on your face, running two weeks ahead of schedule, faster than what you thought, or what some doctor told you? 

That would be amazing, right?

Let me tell you that neither me, nor anyone, can promise you that a bone stimulator, snake oil, or fairy dust is going to make that happen.

However, it is true that bone stimulators have been shown to actually speed up fracture healing significantly, particularly problematic fractures.

The question I get all the time from runners with metatarsal fractures is, "Well, okay, if a bone stimulator might help, will my insurance company pay for a bone stimulator to speed up a metatarsal fracture, stress fracture, or some other fracture that's really inhibiting a quick return to running?"

When will an insurance company pay for my bone stimulator to help my metatarsal fracture?

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

2 Ingredients for recovering from any overtraining injury faster

Everyday I help runners who are stuck by giving them a different perspective during a second opinion call. 

When we get on the call, we do a couple of things to get focused in the right direction and get them unstuck.

1) We figure out what their real goal is with running, not with injury. What race did you sign up for? How fast do you want to run? What are your long term goals with running? 

2) If those are the goals you really want to achieve, how is your present injury interfering with those goals?

What astonishes me is that many of the times when I talk to these athletes and I ask them what they're doing to work toward those goals, they are doing nothing. They tell me they are not running. They are losing all of their fitness. They are very frustrated.

Today on the Doc On The Run Podcast we're talking about two ingredients for recovering from any overtraining injury faster.

The 3 biggest mistake runners make with ankle sprains

Ankle sprains are probably the most common musculoskeletal injury affecting runners. It is really easy to roll an ankle and find yourself limping, unable to run.

You might have sprained your ankle tripping on a root or rock when you're out running on a trail.

Maybe you were wearing some fancy shoes going out to dinner and you stepped on a little reflector on a crosswalk, twisting your ankle. 

No matter how you injure the ankle, if your ankle is painful and swollen it is definitely going to interfere with your running.

What are the three biggest mistakes runners make with ankle sprains? 

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

3 steps every injured runner is missing

In this episode, we're talking about three mistakes I see almost every runner make when they call me for help.

Let's be clear, runners do not call me when they are on their run and first start getting foot pain. 

More often, aching runners go see a doctor, talk to a running buddy, or seek information online to get a rough idea of what's going on.

When those steps don't help, it is my job to help them figure out which mistake they are making.

What are the three steps every injured runner is missing when they call me and ask for help? 

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

Do I recommend ankle braces for runners?

A couple of weeks ago, I was invited to give some lectures at the Heartland Podiatry Conference in Des Moines, Iowa.  The conference organizers asked me to give an entire "Doc On The Run session" during which I presented five lectures back to back...all on how doctors could approach treatment of  injured runners differently. 

During the attendee question and answer session, a doctor asked: 

"Do you use ankle braces for ankle sprains, and under what circumstances would you recommend braces for recovering runners?

This question came out of what's called Conservative Management of Ankle Sprains in Runners Who Want to Run. 

Do I recommend ankle braces for runners? 

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

Will I be able to run after a ruptured Achilles Tendon?

If you have trouble with your Achilles tendon and a doctor told you that you might actually rupture it and tear completely if you continue to run, you should probably be worried.

If you are anxious about your Achilles, stay with me.

I have some good news and some bad news.

A recovering runner in the Runners Aid Station asked me...

“If I rupture my Achilles tendon, if I just ignore the tendinosis, if I just block out the pain, continue to run, continue to train, and then it does rupture, would I be able to run after it heals?”

Great question...

Will I be able to run after a ruptured Achilles tendon? 

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