Calcaneal Fat Pad Injury

There are many causes of heel pain. One of the less familiar sources of injury to the heel is to the calcaneal fat pad. This injury can be mistaken for plantar fasciitis, but is a completely different entity.

Ouch, Hamstring Strains

Wednesday is track day for me. Intervals, anaerobic intensity and intense pain are the order of the day. This particular day however, I was running late

The Miracle Cure

Runners can entertain each other for hours talking about the symptoms and effects of various leg injuries and ailments. Useful treatments, however, tend to amount to one thing: RICE.

Sacroiliac Joint Syndrome

You innocently bend over to pick something off the floor and suddenly— low back pain! Examination by your doctor reveals that you haven’t got a disk injury or a hip problem and your blood work doesn’t demonstrate any inflammatory arthritic conditions, yet you still don’t have a diagnosis. What could this be?

Exercise Related Transient Abdominal Pain (ETAP) AKA “Stitches”

1.What is it?
ETAP or stitches are pain in the abdominal area that can occur during certain activities such as running. Studies of ETAP have indicated that up to 69% of runners may experience these painful episodes.
2.What are the causes/predisposing factors of ETAP?
ETAP is widely believed to be due to spasm or irritation of the […]

Bummed

It is hardly unusual to experience what some have called post-marathon depression. You have spent months (maybe years) preparing for that marathon goal and, regardless of how it went, it’s over now, and you’re wondering what comes next. It’s a perfectly normal feeling when the crystal clarity of a specific goal gives way to vague […]

Abdominal Muscle Strain

1. What is it?
An abdominal muscle strain is an excessive stretching or tearing of one or more of the four abdominal muscles. These muscles are the rectus abdominus (the “six pack” muscle in the front of the abdomen), internal oblique, external oblique and transverses abdominus muscles.
2. What are the causes/predisposing factors of injury?
Causes of injury vary. […]

Physically Speaking: Rotator Cuff

1. What is it?
The rotator cuff is made up of the four muscles (supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, and subscapularis) and their tendons that attach the upper arm to the shoulder blade.
These muscles allow for movement of the shoulder, which is the most mobile joint in the body, and provide stability by helping to hold […]

And Now for Something Completely Different: Heel Spurs!

1. What is it?
A heel spur is a bony growth or calcification that begins at the bottom of the heel and extends forward towards the toes.
2. What are the causes/predisposing factors of injury?
People with chronic plantar fasciitis seem to be more prone to heel spurs. A tight plantar fascia, heel cord or calve muscles may promote […]

The Joys of Cross Training

The only thing worse than running… is not running. But sometimes that’s the only answer when it comes to injury recovery. About two weeks ago my patellar tendon decided it really wanted a rest (the patellar tendon is attached to the shin and kneecap, which when inflamed causes a tightness and often sharp ache […]

The Worst Part of Running

I know, I know. We’re not supposed to hate anything about running, right? Certainly if you put it on a ledger the assets would far outnumber the debits. But if you peered into the deepest recesses of your most secret thoughts you would find something about our chosen sport that you despise.
No? OK, it’s just […]

Achilles Tendonitis

1. What is it?
The Achilles tendon is the common attachment point for the calf muscles to the heel. It is the thickest and strongest tendon in the body (it is also the most frequently ruptured tendon too). Achilles tendonitis is usually due to overuse from repetitive micro-trauma causing inflammation. Achilles tendonitis accounts […]

Winning the Injury Marathon

Distance runners are patient people. We have to run for hours to reach our goal. We train for months for one race. We know to pace ourselves for the long haul.
You won’t find too many of us trying an all-out sprint halfway through a race, just to see how it feels. Nor will you find […]

Running is (Not!) Too Hard on the Body - Part II

Article Summary: The second in a two-part series that offers hope to runners who’ve given up on running because of injuries, or who are close to giving up because of pain and injuries, or who are new to running and want to avoid injuries.
In part one, I shared that I, like many runners, had a […]

Running is (Not!) Too Hard on the Body - Part I

Article Summary: Part one of a two-part series that offers hope to runners who’ve given up on running because of injuries, or who are close to giving up because of pain and injuries, or who are new to running and want to avoid injuries.
Have you ever met someone who said they had to quit running […]

Muscle Cramps

Article Summary: Describes what muscle cramps are, what brings them on, what the symptoms are for muscle cramps, and what can be done to prevent and treat them.

1. What is it?
A muscle cramp is a painful, sustained involuntary contraction of a muscle. A cramp can last for seconds to minutes or longer and most commonly […]

The Best Way to Strengthen Your VMOs

My running has been plagued by bad patella tracking and therefore knee pain. Poor patella tracking is typically due to weak Vastus Medialis Oblique (VMO) muscles and tight quads. I have tried doing many different VMO exercises but they came up short. I did many leg extensions and leg presses and even though the VMO […]

Chondromalacia, It’s a Mouthful

1. What is it?
Chondromalacia is the destruction of the cartilage under the kneecap. Normally this cartilage is smooth and allows a gliding motion of the kneecap over the femur. However, with certain knee problems, the kneecap may not track smoothly over the femur. The result is that the areas in contact with […]

Pes Anserine … What?

Pes Anserine Bursitis/Tendonitis, that’s what.
1. What is it?
This injury occurs where three muscles come together and attach to the tibia bone on the medial side of the knee, just below the knee joint. The three muscles are the gracilis, sartorius and semitendinosis.
These muscles and the bursa associated with them can be subjected […]

Thoughts on a Month of Slack

So, I’ve essentially taken a little bit more than a month “off,” thanks to a little bout of “plantar fascitis,” about which you can read much more on the site.
And I’m having kind of a hard time getting back on track. I don’t think it’s lack of desire, or lack of willpower—there’s nothing so much […]

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