Priscah Jeptoe is a Kenyan distance-runner who specialises in the marathon. She has won marathons in New York, Paris, Turin, and London in 2013, and has a PB of 2:20:14. I met Jeptoe in 2011, she’s tiny!…but what a fantastic runner. However the thing that most people comment on is her ‘running form’. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHU5BPjyweo There has…
Shin splints (or Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome, or ‘MTSS’) is one of the most common injuries seen in runners. It can affect both new and experienced runners, but is most commonly seen in novices. Shin splints has been poorly understood over the years and a great deal of common misconceptions exist regarding its aetiology (cause).…
Choosing your marathon shoe Runners are confused by current running shoe recommendations. There is a common belief that to run further we need more cushioning and/or motion control. Although cushioning and motion control can be useful in certain instances, in terms of marathon performance, the key is going to be weight (as light as possible), whilst maintaining…
Running research findings take considerable time to be passed down and reflected in the work of Physios, trainers, coaches and Runners. This is probably why so many of the comm only held beliefs at this moment in time are best described as myths. I’m going to talk you through some of the most common myths…
Here’s a short yet interesting piece written by Craig Payne over at Running Research Junkie. MTSS is one of the most common running injuries i see, and risk factors can be multifactoral. Personally i like ‘quick-fixes’ like medial shoe wedging during the acute/ reactive stages of an initial bout of shin splints. For more persistent…
Improving running form can mean fewer injuries and improved running performance… but what about shoes? Shoe designs are becoming more minimalist, aiming to encourage us to run with a more natural or efficient running form. Are shoes important? If shoes can potentially help us to run better then should we alter our footwear before or…
Help my calves are sore! I get a lot of questions each week about calf soreness caused by running. Most often runners are describing general soreness that doesn’t particularly stop them from running. They have no history of trauma or injury but just seem to be prone to sore calves. This type of calf soreness…
Over the next couple of weeks we’re going to be discussing a series of minimalist running topics and giving you some pointers on how and why you might want to make the switch to minimalist shoes. Barefoot and Minimalist 2013 looks set to be the year of the minimalist shoe. New designs are set to…
We’re still only a few weeks into the new year and my Running Injury clinics have been busy! People are increasing mileage in preparation for spring races and are getting injured. This got me thinking that now would be a great time to re-post a recent blog post I wrote a couple of weeks ago…
Get strong in January to improve your running The winter months are the perfect time to work on strength and conditioning- come race season you’ll really reap the benefits.The glute muscles provide vital control and power around the pelvis, controlling many key components of running biomechanics. Efficient running relies on good glute strength and control.…
A post about ‘warming-up’ seemed fitting given that we are soon to be in the depths of winter. I’m afraid its not just a case of eating a few extra mince pies this christmas to ensure a bit of extra insulation into the new year! Decent warm-up is particularly important in the colder months and bad…
