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Function over fashion
Looking Good Is NOT Better Than Feeling Good. Especially when it comes to running shoes.
When it comes to shoes, I have been just as shallow as the next person. I crammed my feet into flats, wedges, pumps and the coolest running shoes you’ve EVER seen. And you know where that got me? Bunion city. At the ripe old age of 22. If you don’t believe me…. Forget it. I’m not showing you my feet.
You see I thought that my shoes needed to look good and my feet would just figure it out. Especially when it came to running or gym shoes. But here is my POS (public service announcement): STOP BUYING SHOES JUST BECAUSE THEY LOOK COOL. Unless they feel like a million bucks, you are kidding yourself if you think your body will just magically adapt to the shoes and not creak and groan the entire time.
What are some common mistakes with buying running shoes?
Fashion over function. If your shoes aren’t the right shoes for the job or for your body, it does NOT matter how cool they look. Orthotics only help so much.
Assuming your size. Have you had your foot measured lately? There are lots of reasons why the feet change size throughout our lives. You probably aren’t the exact same size you were 10 years ago. Shoe companies also vary sizes so if it’s a brand you have not tried, you might be surprised by your size.
Buying shoes too small. Women are notorious for this. It’s like we are afraid to say “I’m of Norwegian descent so send those 10.5 Reeboks down this way.” Be proud of your big feet because big feet mean a bigger base.
Shopping at the wrong time of day. If you are planning to go on a full shoe journey at your local running store, find your perfect shoe and ask lots of questions, don’t go at the peak shopping hours. Don’t show up at 11:00 on a Saturday and expect to get the same shopping experience as if you were to show up at 3:00 on a Monday.
So how do you find the perfect running shoe for YOUR body?
Get assessed. If you are shopping for a new pair of shoes due to an injury, the shoes may not be the fix. If you are concerned about old injuries or selecting a shoe for your body and biomechanics, make an appointment with your local physio or chiropractor.
Try on ALL the shoes. Go to your local running store, show them your hooves and explain your goals. Try on the shoes they bring out for you, even if your fashionista brain is screaming ‘you won’t catch me dead in these.’ My experience with running stores is that these people care deeply about people’s feet and have lots of training. They will be able to find a good shoe for you.
Stop ordering your shoes online. Support your local running store and actually try on the shoes before you buy them. You might pay a little more for the shoe but you will get so much more help learning about your shoes and your feet by talking to someone who cares. Bezoes does not care how flat your arch is.
Bottomline: Your feet deserve better than just cool.
Hips: Exercises Every Runner Should Be Doing - Part 2
Hip exercises that every runner should be doing
This is Part 2 of a 6 parts series covering the exercises that Every Runner Should Be Doing.
Missed the Part 1: Lower Leg Training? Find it here: Lower Leg Exercises for Runners
All runners should have 1-2 strength sessions per week if they want to run faster and further while remaining injury-free.
Here are the exercise categories I start all my runners with:
Lower Legs
Hips and Thighs
Core
Compound Movements (integrating the trunk and lower body)
Upper Body Exercises
Foot Strength
The HIPS are the power generators when you run.
They are what propel you forward and keep you upright. They work HARD on your runs.
In order to prepare your hips for running, I use the exercises below to build strength and endurance.
Here are some of the specific exercises I recommend to my running patients to help prepare them for the demands of running:
HIPS and thighs
Hip Flexor Training
The hip flexors are responsible to lift your thighs every step. This is especially important for uphill running.
Glute and hamstring Work
The Glutes and Hamstrings are part of what we refer to as the ‘Posterior Chain’, which is extremely involved in running. Having strong glutes and hamstrings makes you a better runner.
The truth is…
In reality, you do not need to be doing THESE exercises. There are literally thousands of exercises you can choose from, these are just the ones that I like to see my patients and clients doing. But you should be doing SOME form of strength training. Both for injury prevention AND to improve your performance.
In general, I recommend some form of:
Lower Leg Specific Training
Hip Specific Training
Core Training (primarily “anti-rotation” or '“anti-movement“ exercises)
Compound Movements emphasizing the Posterior Chain Strength Exercises (glutes and hamstrings)
Basic Upper Body Strength exercises (1-2 pressing and pulling exercises)
Foot Strength
Cover all these bases and you are bound to feel better and run with more confidence
NEXT UP: Part 3 - Core training
Author: Dr Mark Murdoch, Chiropractor and Co-Founder at Base Camp Sport and Spine in Vernon, BC.
Mark Murdoch is a Doctor of Chiropractic with a Master’s Degree in Sports Medicine.
Contact: drmurdoch@basecampclinic.com
Instagram: Base.Camp.Doc
Training for Backpacking
Is it worth training for your backpacking trip? Here is what I recommend if you have a big backpacking trip coming up and you want to get the most of it.
Prepping for the West Coast Trail?
Let me ask you this.
When is the last time you hiked 75 km over 5 days with 25% of your weight strapped to your back?
My guess is that it has been a while.
Whether you are planning to trek the WCT or any other ambitious adventure, you are planning to push yourself. That is part of the experience and part of what makes it memorable.
Safety
Putting 40lb on your back while you climb ladders and walk through the wilderness for hours to days on end is an inherently dangerous activity. Despite our common fears, bears and mountain lions are rarely an issue. Rolled ankles, knee sprains and falling on your wrists are much more common.
Being strong will help prevent the rigours of hiking and backpacking from wearing you down. Injuries happen much more often when you are tired and worn out than when you are fresh.
Access
If you are fitter, you can go further. Part of the reason I hike in the first place is to explore areas I have never been to. If you are more fit, you don’t look at the next hill and think “uh oh… this is going to suck”, you think “I wonder what is over the next rise?”
Being fitter lets you go further. Full stop.
Enjoyment
But what if 40lb was no big deal? What if you were so used to lifting heavy things and pushing your body, that a few days with a bit of extra weight didn’t even phase you?
The fitter you are, the less tired you are at the end of the day and the more you enjoy the trip. The more jokes you can make, and the more memories you will have.
How to train for backpacking:
Training for Backpacking can be broken down into 3 primary goals:
Hiking-Specific Endurance (put in the miles)
Cardiovascular Conditioning (aerobic base)
Leg Strength (get strong on one leg)
BONUS: basic upper body strength
Hiking Endurance
The first aspect of training for backpacking is obvious: get outside and put in some kilometres with some weight on your back. IT DOES NOT NEED TO BE MORE WEIGHT THAN YOU WILL BE HIKING WITH. If you are new to backpacking, even a few pounds in your back will go a long way in prepping you for your trip.
Recommendation: hike every week or every odd week, progressing your distance or time by 10-15% each trip.
Cardiovascular Conditioning: Building your Aerobic Base
If I could make one single recommendation for every person who reads this write-up, it would be this: spend 30-45 minutes twice per week doing low-moderate intensity cardio. For most of my clients, we use a heart rate monitor, aiming for continuous cardio at 135-155 beats per minute.
Recommendation: hike, run, cycle, swim, or any other steady-state activity keeping your heart rate between 135-155 beats per minute for 30-45 minutes, 1-2 times per week
Leg Strength
The stronger your legs, the better off you will be. This is especially true when you factor in a 40lb pack and walking along the side of a mountain.
Recommendation: 1-2 sessions per week of the following exercises in the 8-12 rep range (keep 1-2 reps in reserve)
BONUS: Basic Upper-Body Strength
While this one isn’t 100% necessary, having some upper body strength can make the whole trip more enjoyable.
Leg Strength Exercises
Fundamental Exercises:
Goblet Squat
Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat
Split Stance Deadlift
Accessory Exercises
Calf Raise: 5-15 reps per direction for 1-5 sets
Hip Flexor March: 5-10 reps per side for 3-5 sets
Simple Upper-Body Strength
Upper Body Row: 8-12 reps per side for 1-3 sets
Upper Body Press: 9-12 reps per side for 1-3 sets
Author: Dr Mark Murdoch, Chiropractor and Co-Founder at Base Camp Sport and Spine in Vernon, BC.
Mark Murdoch is a Doctor of Chiropractic with a Master’s Degree in Sports Medicine.
Contact: drmurdoch@basecampclinic.com
Instagram: Base.Camp.Doc
Lower Leg: Exercises Every Runner Should Be Doing - Part 1
Lower Leg Exercises that Every Runner Should Be Doing for injury prevention and performance
This is Part 1 of a 6 Part Series covering Exercises Every Runner Shoulder Be Doing
Running is great.
It truly is.
Running is good for you.
Runners have less disease and higher pain tolerance than non-runners.
BUT…
Running is NOT a complete activity on its’ own.
Running has one of the highest injury rates of all physical activities, with rates ranging from less than 5% to OVER 80% of runners getting injured every year. Whoa.
This is, at least in part, because runners LOVE TO RUN. Combine that with the natural human desire to improve and progress. Unfortunately, that combo can often lead to overdoing things. Too much, too soon, without preparation.
In order to combat this, you have two options:
Run Less (unlikely)
Increase your Capacity
Personally, out of the two options above, I think that Increasing your Capacity is much more enticing. In order to increase your resilience to injury, strength training is essential. On top of making you a faster runner, it also makes you more durable. Here are the exercise categories I start all my runners with:
Lower Legs
Hips and Thighs
Core
Compound Movements (integrating the trunk and lower body)
Upper Body Exercises
Here are some of the specific exercises I recommend to my running patients to help prepare them for the demands of running:
Part 1: LOWER LEG
Calf Raises
The calves absorb MULTIPLE TIMES your body weight in force every step while running. Preparing your calves for this is extremely important.
Tibialis Anterior (Toe) Raises
Your Tibialis Anterior is a muscle on the front of your shin. It controls how quickly your toes are lowered to the ground on every single step, and works really hard when you are running.
I lied to you… You don’t have to do these exercises…
In reality, you do not need to be doing THESE exercises. There are literally thousands of exercises you can choose from, these are just the ones that I like to see my patients and clients doing. But you should be doing SOME form of strength training. Both for injury prevention AND to improve your performance.
In general, I recommend some form of:
Lower Leg Specific Training
Hip Specific Training
Core Training (primarily “anti-rotation” or '“anti-movement“ exercises)
Compound Movements emphasizing the Posterior Chain Strength Exercises (glutes and hamstrings)
Basic Upper Body Strength exercises (1-2 pressing and pulling exercises)
Foot Strength
Cover all these bases and you are bound to feel better and run with more confidence
NEXT UP: Part 2 - hips and glutes
Author: Dr Mark Murdoch, Chiropractor and Co-Founder at Base Camp Sport and Spine in Vernon, BC.
Mark Murdoch is a Doctor of Chiropractic with a Master’s Degree in Sports Medicine.
Contact: drmurdoch@basecampclinic.com
Instagram: Base.Camp.Doc
References:
Pain Processing https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32849117/
Ultramarathoner pain threshold https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29966771/
Running and all-cause mortality https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31685526/
Running and longevity https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28365296/
Is your Breathing on Point?
How to check if your breathing is optimized for performance
As a Chiropractor in Vernon, I see a lot of runners. I am sure this is the same for most Vernon Chiropractors and Physiotherapists, but this is something that is often overlooked. In this article, Dr Alex Hueston shares his experience transitioning from road running in his training to a trail race.
Written by Dr. Alex Hueston. Chiropractor at Young Health Management in Duncan, BC (Vancouver Island). www.younghealthmgmt.com
Breath in, Breath out . . . Sounds simple right?!
Yes and no. Today in this post we are going to talk about the power of your breath and how in my chiropractic treatments I use breathing techniques to help a lot of my patients with various types of pain.
When we are talking about breathing we can divide breathing into two categories: diaphragmatic breathing and accessory breathing. Accessory breathing refers to the use of the accessory ventilation musculature (scalene, the sternocleidomastoid, the pectoralis major, the trapezius, and the external intercostals). This type of breathing is designed to be used in physically and emotionally stressful environments.
How do I know if I am breathing with my accessory muscles?
When these muscles are used, we will see the chest and shoulders rise. This may be why when we get scared we get the feeling our heart is jumping out of our chest as we are likely rapidly recruiting these muscles. With the rise in chronic stress in the population, more and more people are breathing via stress pathways leading to tension-like symptoms in their upper back, shoulders, the neck that can even cause headaches called tension headaches.
How can I improve my breathing?
The good news is there are many health disciplines that can coach people with their breathing from chiropractors and physical therapists to kinesiologists and yoga instructors.
Today I am going to go through a step-by-step strategy on how to perform diaphragmatic breathing. With the use of diaphragmatic breathing, we can see a potential decrease in heart rate and blood pressure, relaxation-related hormonal changes and improvements in core stabilization.
Let’s get started!
Step-by-Step Diaphragmatic Breathing
Beginning Diaphragmatic Breathing
Start by lying down on your back in a comfortable position. You may have your head and legs supported if you prefer.
Place one hand on your chest and the other hand over your belly button.
Inhale through your nose, draw your breath down to your stomach and you should feel your stomach/abdomen push up into your bottom hand while your chest remains still.
Exhaling you should then feel your abdomen drop back down to the floor while your chest continues to remain still.
Repeat this sequence for up to 5-10 minutes at a time. You can perform this exercise multiple times a day.
Advanced Diaphragmatic Breathing
If you can have been performing the above breathing exercise, I encourage you try advancing to what I call “360-degree breathing”
Breathing Into Your Sides
Lying down as you were previously, place your hands now on the lowest rib at your side so your thumbs and pointing towards your back and your remaining fingers are pointing towards your belly button.
When inhaling, visualize and feel your abdomen push out into your hands while your chest remains still.
When exhaling, bring your abdomen back to the starting position.
Perform this for at least 10 consecutive repetitions
Breathing Into Your Back
Lying down as you were previously, place your hands now so they are behind your back between your hip and ribs
When inhaling, visualize and feel your abdomen apply pressure on your hands increasing the pressure of your back on the floor. Make sure your chest remains still.
When exhaling, release that pressure and return to the starting position.
Typically this is easier to feel with a longer, deep breath.
360-Degree Breathing
You have now felt all the directions your breath can move through diaphragmatic breathing and now it is time to try to breathe into all these directions at once.
If you need feedback it may help to loosely put a belt around the level of your belly button. When inhaling, visualize putting equal pressure on the belt from all directions. Again the chest should remain still throughout.
Practice, Practice, Practice
Like all exercises, breathing takes patience and consistent practice to build up a mind-body connection. The more often you practice on your breath, the more natural it will become and the more often you will find yourself using it in your daily life.
I hope this exercise helped you today and if you are looking for help with your road to recovery book an appointment for an initial assessment and treatment with myself or another member of the Young Health Management team.
Author:
Dr. Alex Hueston is a Chiropractor in Duncan, BC at the Young Health Management clinic. www.younghealthmgmt.com
How running injuries happen