Doc On The Run Podcast

You are only one step away

Almost all runners who call me just need to take one step to change course. My job on that call is to help you identify and recognize the step you are missing.

Every run begins with one step. Right now, you are doing one of two things. Either you are getting stronger. Or you are getting weaker. You are never staying the same. That is the biggest problem with recovering from an injury.

Doctors typically tell you to stop running and then you get stuck in a trap of decreasing fitness, increasing stiffness and you actually become more prone to re-injury.  

Most recovering runners are missing the key step that will change everything.   

Today the Doc On The Run Podcast, we’re talking about how you’re only one step away.

4 Steps to Achilles tendon rupture when running

This morning I was on a telemedicine call talking to a recovering runner, from my inner circle coaching private group. This guy was having some trouble and tenderness in his Achilles Tendon. 

We talked about his plan for running tomorrow. It turns out he had a plan of actually going and running on a winding, hilly trail. 

If you have Achilles tendon pain and want to make it worse, do 4 things in succession. 

Because Achilles ruptures happens when you take 4 very specific steps in a specific way.  Those 4 Steps put your aching Achilles Tendon at risk of further injury.

Today on the Doc On The Run podcast, we're talking about the 4 steps to Achilles tendon rupture when running.

#337 Running injury testing 1 2 3

As an injured runner who wanted to run the worst piece of advice of I ever received from a doctor, was, “Go run and see how you feel.” 

Sometimes, we as doctors take what we think will work for most people in and we apply it to everyone, including runners.

But walking is not running. If you check yourself and do a little self evaluation you can be more confident you won’t hurt yourself and have a setback.

Today on the Doc On The Run podcast, we're talking about how running injury testing is as simple as 1 2 3. 

Running injuries caused by running during isolation

Earlier today, I was doing a telemedicine call with a runner who has been injured. She actually mentioned that she thought she might have started getting this injury back when the whole COVID shutdown happened.

 

Because she started running with a mask.

 

She started trying to stay away from people and she was socially isolating.

 

Today on the Doc on the run Podcast, we're talking about how you need to be careful when you're dodging other runners out on a run during this period of social isolation. 

Time does not heal running injuries

"Time heals all wounds.”  Or at least that is the saying. 

 

The medically speaking I can tell you that is completely false when it comes to running injuries. It does take time to heal running injuries, but a tincture of time is not enough. 

 

I just spoke to an injured runner so I helped over a telemedicine visit. Her question was,  

 

"I sprained my ankle two months ago and I still have pain. Is this normal?"

 

The answer is no. It's not normal to have pain anytime, much less two months after you sprain your ankle running on a trail.

 

Today on the Doc On The Run podcast, we're talking about how time does not heal running injuries.

Achilles injury healed then got a stress fracture

I just got off a coaching call with a guy who I've talked to a number of times over the years with a number of different running injuries and this guy is not a new runner. He actually is a running coach and he understands how to train and what to do to make sure that he decreases his risk of getting an over-training injury by recovering appropriately after all of his workouts, so this guy is not a novice. But running injuries are a fact of life, if you are going to be a lifelong runner. You are always pushing to see if you can get stronger and faster and in the course of that process, it is easy to get an over-training injury. That happens. Today on the Doc On The Run podcast, we're talking about how someone can heal an Achilles tendon injury and then get a stress fracture.

What is capsulitis in the big toe joint

Today on the Doc On The Run Podcast, we're talking about what is capsulitis in the big toe joint. Yesterday, I was seeing someone who is a long-time athlete and she had pain in the big toe joint and she was given a diagnosis of capsulitis.

I was seeing her for a second opinion and when we started talking, she was a little dismayed because she said that she was given this diagnosis of capsulitis and she felt a little bit like it wasn't a real thing, it wasn't a real problem, and I have talked about this some with other conditions like metatarsalgia where you get a diagnosis of metatarsalgia and that means basically pain somewhere in the area around the metatarsal, which is sort of like going to the neurologist and getting a diagnosis of a headache.

3 Neuroma treatment considerations for minimalist runners

I just got a telemedicine call with a runner who had a question about neuroma treatment for somebody who likes to use minimalist shoes. And he had a really good question. 

He said he went and saw another doctor who made a couple of recommendations, but he was a little concerned about the neuroma treatment options that were given to him.

Runners have to realize that runners are different. And I don't think most runners should want to jump to a drastic neuroma treatment, especially not when the neuroma is first beginning. 

Today on the Doc On The Run Podcast, we're talking about 3 Neuroma treatment considerations for minimalist runners.

Secret to healing like a pro runner

When pro runners get running injures, they get different treatment. 

Elite athletes and professional athletes all have, if not better medical care, they certainly have more consistent follow up, earlier interventions and better access to medical specialists than the average person. 

So we know that something is different when someone is a professional athlete. 

But its not just better, faster care, it is also the approach pro runners take to the recovery process that helps them accelerate their recovery from a running injury. 

Today on the Doc On The Run Podcast, we're talking about the secret to healing like a pro runner.

3 times a runner should NOT get an MRI for stress fracture

This past weekend, I was giving a lecture at a medical conference. It was the International Foot and Ankle Foundation Conference that was supposed to be in Las Vegas, but it ended up being an online conference as many of these conferences are these days. But in any event, it's a large medical conference where doctors, foot and ankle surgeons, podiatrist, where they all go to get continuing medical education credits to maintain their licenses and learn new techniques.

 

Today on the Doc On The Run Podcast, we're talking about the three times a runner should not get an MRI for a stress fracture.