Protecting Your Foot Health No Matter Your Skill Level

Here’s a look at some foot health tips that will apply to your running situation no matter your skill level:

1. Gradual Increases – If you’re training for your first marathon or simply looking to set a PR in your latest race, it’s imperative that you move slowly towards those goals. Pushing yourself too hard too quickly is a recipe for an overstress injury. Don’t up your mileage 40% over the course of a week, because you may be overloading your feet and ankles. Take things slowly when working towards a new goal, and give yourself plenty of time to train for that upcoming race so that you aren’t forced to increase your mileage too quickly.

2. Manage Injuries – You don’t want to ignore a new foot or ankle injury, no matter your skill level. Pushing through discomfort or an injury will only continue to put strain on a weakened area, meaning you are at a heightened risk of making the injury worse. Tissue tears can grow and inflammation tends to persist if you continue to stress the area, so be sure to proactively treat the problem with a combination of rest, physical therapy, gentle stretching exercises and a gradual return to activity. If you need professional help overcoming a new foot or ankle injury, consult with a specialist like Dr. Silverman.

3. Improve Your Recovery Period – One oft-overlooked aspect of successful running is your recovery period. You need to help your body recover correctly so that it is ready for the next run. You can work to improve your recovery period by doing the following:

• Stretch after your run has ended to maintain laxity in your muscles and soft tissues.
• Drink plenty of water after your run.
• Consume a healthy diet to fuel tissue recovery.
• Get at least seven hours of uninterrupted sleep.

4. Crosstrain –  Finally, to enhance your running routine, make sure that running isn’t the only exercise activity that you’re pursuing. Participating in other activities will test different muscle groups that will only serve to improve your running form, your stride or your endurance. Crosstraining can also help you avoid overstress injuries because you won’t always be working the same muscle groups. Do right by your body by challenging it in different ways, and you may notice that your running fitness improves!

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Why Do My Feet Hurt When Running?

We’re going to provide you with some tips for treating foot issues that become more noticeable when running, but remember that this is just general advice. For treatment tailored to your individual diagnosis and needs, head to a foot specialist’s office in your area.

If your feet are bothering you during or after a run, the first thing you’ll want to do is give them some time away from high-impact activity. It’s very possible that you’re dealing with an overstress-related injury, and giving your feet some time off from stressful activity may be all you need. Give your feet a few days or a week off and see how they respond with a short run after they’ve had some time to recover.

In the meantime, you don’t need to sit on your couch. You can still pursue other types of exercise that aren’t as hard on your feet, like swimming or cycling. Find ways to get your heart rate up and improve your circulation while you’re letting your feet heal.

There’s also the possibility that you’re dealing with an injury that requires a little more proactive treatment, like plantar fasciitis or Achilles tendonitis. In these instances, your feet would likely respond better to some active treatments like physical therapy, stretching exercises, anti-inflammatory medications and a heat/ice regimen. Again, knowing exactly what you’re dealing with and targeting it with these active treatments can yield the best results, so consider syncing up with a foot and ankle specialist.

Finally, if foot pain during or after a run has become chronic or severe, your best bet is to consult with a medical expert. It’s possible that you suffered an acute injury like a foot fracture or a tear to one of the soft tissues in your foot. That doesn’t mean that surgery is always necessary, but you don’t want to waste any time pursuing treatments that may not prove successful. Failing to take the right steps can lead to worsening pain and can make it harder to treat the underlying issue.

The post What To Do When Running Hurts Your Feet? appeared first on Lance Silverman, MD - Orthopedic Foot & Ankle Surgeon.

According to a new study published in the Journal of Orthopedic and Sports Physical Therapy, you can actually put less stress on your knee by running faster. To test their hypothesis, researchers asked a group of recreational runners to run 1000 meters at three different speeds – 5 mph, 7.3 mph and 9.8 mph. Analysts tracked knee impact and stress ratings throughout the run, and they concluded:

• Although knee stress with each individual stride increased with running speed, overall stress to the knee was 30 percent less at the faster speed because of the lower number of strides needed to cover the same distance.

• “At faster speeds, runners tend to have better hip biomechanics, which leads to reduced loads on the knee. In addition, at faster speeds you are more likely to be on your forefoot, which decreases cumulative load to the knee, especially the kneecap,” said Dr. Michael Fredericson of the Stanford Running Clinic.

• Individuals who run for longer distances at slower speeds, especially when fatigued, are at a greater risk of overuse injury to the knee.

“Our results suggest that runners could be more prone to injuries to the front of the knee region at slower running speeds,” the authors wrote.

While the findings are encouraging, that doesn’t necessarily mean your should always try to run at a faster speed. A similar study out of Denmark found that the extra individual stride workload needed to move at a faster speed meant more stress was exerted on your lower leg and foot, which potentially left runners exposed to Achilles or plantar fascia injury.

In the end, the authors concluded that knee injuries are less likely to be associated with a increase in running speed; instead, distance is likely to be the determining factor. On the flip side, lower-leg and foot injuries may increase as speed increases.

Dr. Silverman comments

This is a great study for those who want to know which parts of their leg are shouldering the stress of a run.

If you are having knee pain, consider running at a faster speed with a forefoot stride. If you have midfoot or Achilles discomfort, try slowing the pace down a bit.

And as always, don’t overdo it. Overuse injuries are one of the top reasons people end up in my office. Work your way up to longer distances, and if you feel pain, stop right away.

Related source: Triathlete Europe

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