The Movement Mindset with Dr. Heather

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Soft tissue work ie. massage therapist (deep massage, sports specific or cupping) - with the Pandemic pretty much over and many restrictions lifted throughout the world, getting a massage by a licensed massage therapist is a strong option to help prevent running injuries. Look for a massage therapist who has experience working with athletes (specifically runners) as they will more than likely know how to do a psoas release since the hip flexors tend to cause the most problems for runners especially when they increase mileage & intensity.

 

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Dr. Heather runs a 3 Week Sports Chiropractic Telehealth Program all designed around fixing your pain naturally. Dr. Heather is an expert in her field and provides knowledgeable information through all of her videos. On her channel you will find various videos for runners, triathletes, weight lifters, skiers, cyclists and much more.

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I have seen several posts regarding knee pain so I thought maybe you would all appreciate a little free medical advice. The two most common knee pain/discomfort are IT band and patellofemoral tracking issues.

IT band pain is very common among runners and the pain is found on the outside of the knee. The iliotibial band is a thick band of fascia on the lateral aspect of the knee, extending from the outside of the pelvis, over the hip and knee, and inserting just below the knee. The band is crucial to stabilizing the knee during running, as it moves from behind the femur to the front of the femur during activity. The continual rubbing of the band over the lateral femoral epicondyle, combined with the repeated flexion and extension of the knee during running may cause the area to become inflamed. Pain is usually felt when the foot strikes the ground. Pain can pain be felt during or can intensify after activity or a few days after. For runners specifically, neuromuscular/gait training may be needed for success in muscular training interventions to ensure that those trained muscles are used properly in the mechanics of running. Strength training alone will not result in decrease in pain due to ITBS, however, gait training, on its own can result in running form modification that reduces the prevalence of risk factors.

Patellofemoral tracking aka runners' knees results from problems with the kneecap and femur. Pain may worsen with sitting, excessive use, or climbing and going down the stairs. The most common symptom is diffuse vague pain around the kneecap and localized pain focused behind the kneecap. The pain is usually achy and sometimes sharp. And you could experience the feeling of “giving way of the knee” with this condition as well. When looking at treatment other than rest and ice, we look at strengthening the quad muscle because in many cases it is weak. Specifically the vastus medialis muscles also known as your VMO. There’s an imbalance here between the four muscles that make up the quad which is why a majority of time strengthening the VMO will make the most difference. Other muscles that may aid in correcting the problem are - hip abductor, extensor and external rotator muscles. The final piece to assisting individuals who do suffer with this condition is looking at the biomechanics when running. A majority of individuals who have patellofemoral tracking issues are overpronators. This is where getting fitted properly for sneakers is so important and having customized insoles to help maintain proper balance between the foot/ankle & knee.

I hope everyone finds this information helpful and educational as that’s its purpose. Happy running everyone!

 

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How many are guilty of running through pain? Like real pain?

We have all been there. We start out, maybe we have some initial stiffness, tightness, even mild discomfort but we think “ah, it will die down as my body warms up”. And then, while we are on our run pain sets in. We think “I can tough this out”. Once we get home maybe the pain dies down even more and we think “ok, guess it was nothing”.

So this is what I want to address with everyone as we map out our race/event year...do not ignore the pain. Pay attention to it. Why? Because if we don’t it will lead to an injury that could wind up setting you back even further than you may realize.

Let’s look at all the races (virtual of course) that you did last year. Think of how many of those races did you have pain or discomfort somewhere in your body. Are you with me? This is the time to address those imbalances. Those weaknesses that lead to the injuries you sustained last year.

I have created 5 tips for runners to help keep everyone injury free so you can continue to do what you love without hesitation or worry. These were also designed for every type of runner - beginner or seasoned and regardless of age.

Tip #1 - Myofascial Release (aka. Foam Rolling or Massage Ball) Last week I wrote about the importance of myofascial work because it is actually the key in making sure you stay injury free. Many of you expressed having multiple areas of either tightness, pain and/or discomfort in response to the post. Now if you were to use a foam rolling or a massage ball AFTER (that’s very important to know) then you will see a decrease in those problematic areas

Tip #2 - Understanding the muscles involved in running Last year I wrote a post where I broke down the muscles involved in running. Everything from the low back/hip all the way down to the foot/ankle. Now you do not have to be an expert on anatomy or the physiology involved. But it is important to understand which muscle or muscle groups should be engaging and why. There is a science behind running. Once you know which muscles are not working correctly you can focus on correcting those muscle imbalances through various strength training exercises.

Tip #3 - Rest/Recovery In another post I wrote about the importance of rest and recovery days factored into your training schedule. Now there is a lot of debate over the topic. Recovery days are seen as days where you might choose a different activity like a yoga workout or a hike or it’s more a core workout or it’s your day to focus more on flexibility/mobility work. An actual rest day is a day of no activity other than daily life activities. If you are new to running you may benefit more from an actual rest day. And if you are a seasoned runner you may benefit more from a recovery day or a combination of the two depending on what type of event you are training for.

Tip #4 - Proper shoe fitting and gait analysis. Probably about 6 months ago I wrote about what a gait analysis is and how proper footwear is extremely important to help prevent injuries from settin

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I think so many of us are scared when we start running again. We suddenly think - that if we increase my mileage too much too soon, will my knees, hips and even my back start to show signs of pain/discomfort especially if we are overweight or older or returning from an injury.

As someone who does work with a host of runners, including novice and beginners as well as those returning from an injury here is what I would recommend….

1) Pace yourself. Start slow and combine your run with a few minutes of walking. Example run the flats, walk the hills and run downs and repeat. This is also great in helping you focus more on your breathing which will help in keeping your heart rate at a nice even pace.

2) Know your limitations. When you first start back check in with yourself like I know knees can act up after the knee so I need to be mindful that once I get home I do a little self care like stretching, foam rolling and maybe an epsom salt bath

3)Don’t run everyday. Make sure you are getting in proper recovery days to allow your body a chance to heal

4) Look at your nutrition. Understanding the importance of decreasing foods that naturally increase inflammation in our bodies will also help with muscle recovery along with proper hydration.

5) Include some flexibility and mobility exercises into your weekly routine to help decrease the chance of too much soreness or a potential injury from stepping in. So many of us have a foam roller at home, get to know how to use it properly. A foam roller is great at breaking up the soft tissue to help increase our flexibility and mobility. Then look at following a solid stretching routine. I encourage my runners to incorporate yoga into their weekly routines as well.

6) Make sure to train your muscle imbalances. Now if you have seen some of my posts I do mention this as it is an important training tool. Understanding which of our muscles are over engaging vs the weaker ones helps in making our overall run experience an enjoyable one. Adding swimming into the mix is also another powerful training tool as it helps with making the ankles stronger and allows for the glutes/hamstrings/quads to really fire versus our hip flexors.

 

I am sure I could add a few more to the list but those would be my top 6 for you. If you have any specific questions book a call with me 

 

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In 2020 I helped 45 people become Pain Free 

 

In 2021 I helped 150 people become Pain Free 

 

This year (2022) I plan to help 300 people become Pain Free 

 

You might be asking yourself HOW was I able to help all those people finally become PAIN FREE and get back to the activity they LOVED to do.   I will let you in on a little secret 

 

What I discovered after serving people in person for over 20 years in private practice was that it wasn’t the actual physical adjustment that made people better.   It was the soft tissue work, corrective exercise and sports specific strengthening exercises that allowed people to recover in under a 3 week period of time.  

 

Let me share with you some amazing stories from real people all who had met me on social media and where hands down skipictial that a program like this could indeed work.

 

Bee met me 7 days prior to an ultra run (100K) and was having extreme hip pain.  In 7 days I was able to get her running pain free so she could attend her event that very same weekend and complete 80miles of that race.  The best part, her recovery was super fast thanks to everything we had done over those 7 days. 

 

Jeanne had bought, I kid you not, over 100 pairs of sneakers and still was suffering with plantar fasciitis.  After 5mins on a video chat with me, she knew she could trust me.  She was back to running in less than 2 wks and has gone on to complete several ½ & full marathons including Chicago.  

 

Sam met me 1 month shy of embarking upon an amazing run journey which was to run 230km across Australia when his knee pain set in.  Not knowing what to expect, he was overjoyed when knee pain stopped in under 3 weeks of working together.  He has not had a problem since.  

 

The list of people I could mention would take up way too much space here. But all of them had a common theme….they wanted to continue to do the activity they loved most but were worried about causing further damage or pain to the injured area.  They needed help.  And that’s how they found me.  

 

What I provide them:

👉 Key insight into WHY they were experiencing the pain

👉 WHERE the pain was stemming from (the root cause)

👉 HOW we would fix the pain by designing a customized plan

 

Why they choose me: 

👉 Over 20 years of experience as a sports chiropractor

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I may have talked about tennis elbow before but lately I have seen a few posts expressing pain/discomfort when lifting in the elbow. So I figured I would address it again and give everyone some helpful suggestions on some things you could do to help rid yourself of this pain.

 

What is tennis elbow?

Tennis elbow which is known as lateral epicondylitis is a painful condition that occurs when tendons in your elbow are overloaded and inflamed, usually by repetitive motions of the wrist and arm. Tennis elbow is felt mainly outside of the elbow (the lateral epicondyle) where the tendons of the forearm meet.

 

How do I know if I have tennis elbow?

Clear sign that you may be experiencing tennis elbow is the location of the pain which will be pinpointed to the outside of the elbow (not the inside) and you are noticing pain when gripping an object like a bar or dumbbell.

 

Some things you can do to help rid yourself of this pain -

If it’s a acute then yes you need to decrease the inflammation by using ice, rest and if needed take an anti-inflammatory (please make sure to check with your physician as well)

If it’s beyond the 72 hour mark meaning it’s no longer in the acute phase you use this protocol to help you

1) Ice cup massage - take a small dixie cup, fill it with water and let it freeze overnight; then take the frozen cup of ice and rub it directly on your extensors. You could add some pressure as you rub the ice on the area. Do this for about 5mins or until the area gets cold

2) Take biofreeze or icy hot or any topical muscle rub and massage it into the extensors. This might be easier to have a friend or loved one do. Make sure to add some pressure as you do this. Massage out the area for about 5mins

Repeat step one

Repeat step two

 

3) Stretch out the forearms - stretch out the extensors by fully extending your arm out in front with palm down then flex the wrist and add a little bit of pressure from the opposite hand. Repeat 5 times and hold for 5 secs

 

Minimize any other actions that may be contributing to the tennis elbow like typing, chopping vegetables, writing with a pencil, texting, ie.

 

Once the inflammation has gone down and the pain has decreased it’s time to start strengthening the grip strength. The simplest way to do this is to squeeze a tennis ball repeatedly in your hand for at least 5mins a day.

The last thing you could do is strengthen your grip by using a rice bucket - simply fill a 5 gallon container with about 20 pounds of white rice (do not eat the rice afterwards) and do various wrist strengthening exercises with the hand inside the bucket. What happens here is the forearm now hows to work against resistance while strengthening the wrist at the same time

 

I am hoping this helps my fellow female lifters and if you have any additional questions drop some comments below.

 

PS....Don't forget to grab your

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If you are like me you’ve seen this word thrown around in various running groups and may have wondered what it is. VO2Max stands for maximal oxygen uptake and it's a training tool used by a fitness professional to determine an athlete’s capacity to sustain exercise.

Now you might be thinking but I just started running so why would I want to know this information. Well if you have dreams of running a half or full marathon or maybe even one day doing an ultra run or even a triathlon then knowing your VO2Max will help you when it comes to designing your training program. What we are looking at is your aerobic endurance capacity here. How much oxygen can an individual utilize during intense exercise.

In order to find out your VO2Max you would have to do one of these things:

You would go to a facility that specifically tests for VO2MAx by connecting you to a computer along with an apparatus that measures the amount of air you exhale. More than likely you will either be on a treadmill where the intensity will be increased until you can not go any further. The computer will measure the volume of carbon dioxide and oxygen of the air you expired during the test.

An indirect way to figure out your VO2Max would be to walk as fast as you can for 1 mile. Note the amount of time it takes to complete the mile and then take the heart rate. Next is to use this calculation VO2 = (HR x SV) x a-vO2 …. HR = Heart Rate and SV = Stroke Volume and a-vO2 represents the oxygen in the muscle cells & the the volume of oxygen that is released.

 

As you continue to train/run your VO2Max will naturally increase. You will notice this when you look back and say to yourself “wow I am not out of breath after a mile or two”. The muscles in your body will respond accordingly meaning you won’t feel exhausted after the run. These are signs that you are increasing your aerobic capacity which ultimately means your VO2Max has increased as well.

 

If you want some more tips on training/preparing for your next up and coming race drop some comments below

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Now that ski season is in full swing and we are gearing up to hit some of those all time favorite spots. Let’s make sure your bodies are truly ready to handle the conditions of the mountain. I have written some posts on ankle strength/mobility, the importance of balance training, understanding the need to have strong hamstrings in addition to your quads and having upper body strength as an important need especially in case you were to encounter a fall. But if we were to put this all together we begin to understand why proprioception work is so important for a skier.

What is proprioception?

Proprioception, sometimes also called kinesthesia, is the body’s ability to sense its location, movements, and actions. It’s basically a continuous loop of feedback between sensory receptors throughout your body and your nervous system. Proprioception is the body’s ability to receive input through receptors in the skin, muscles and joints, and transfer the information to the brain through the nervous system so that the body can sense itself.

Something I should point out as it relates to skiers and snowboarders more here….Kinesthetic awareness is the conscious effort to react to the situation, whereas proprioception is an unconscious or subconscious brain process.

Take an example of a skier moving through different types of terrain; the skier’s body acts subconsciously to stay upright while their mind processes the upcoming terrain of bumps, trees, and steeps and makes the appropriate adjustments. The light bulb should have gone off in your head because now it would make sense why balance, single leg and plyometric exercises would become an important addition to your pre/post-season training program.

When dealing with injuries or injury prevention, we need to focus on the whole chain, the whole kinematic chain. How the foot/ankle move affects the forces at the knee which then affects the rotation patterns at the hip which then affects the relationship between the pelvis, sacrum and lumbar spine.

Several studies have shown that athletes with better proprioception are less likely to sustain ankle sprain injuries. Which again is why this is an important style of training that should be added into everyone’s training programs. Balance training programs are known to be effective, apparently through enhancing neural processing of sensory signals. Another strategy is to enhance those sensory signals. Athlete’s footwear (ie. sneakers or ski boots) substantially impact their performance through sensory feedback. Hence the reason why you might want more Ankle Flex in a ski boot (see my prior post on Ankle Flex).

So you might be thinking what are some good exercises to help me train my proprioception better? I have attached a video for everyone which goes through some exercises designed around enhancing your proprioception. Some of the exercises are designed for the beginner while others are more advanced. Please leave a comment below if you are wondering which exercises are appropriate for you. (Disclosure - if you have an injury or

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By now you may have read one of my weekly posts or multiple of them where I talk, educate or discuss some of the common injuries that beginner or novice runners may experience. Recently I went live 3 days in a row where I discussed one of the most common injuries a majority of people are complaining about or suffering with, Shin Splints. On the second and third day I talked about how working the entire kinematic chain will be your key in helping you resolve this problem.

Let me break it down for you.

Running is a single leg sport which means each leg needs to be able to work independently throughout the entire gait cycle. The gait cycle starts when one foot makes contact with the ground and ends when that same foot contacts the ground again. Once you understand the term gait cycle then you can begin to have a better understanding of how to resolve the problem.

This is something I addressed which is to have a gait analysis done or have a professional like a running coach or physical therapist or sports medicine doctor who works with runners review video of you running from the back and the side. Knowing if you pronate, supinate, have high arches, flat feet, if you hinge forward in your run, how the heel strikes the ground or which part of your foot strikes the ground first will give you answers on how to make the necessary changes to prevent an injury from setting in. This will also provide you with better insight as to which running sneaker will be best for you.

Finding your muscle imbalances, compensation patterns or weaknesses before strength training. This is another key component. Reason being if we start strengthening muscle groups before addressing the imbalances then we are going to create more compensation patterns which could lead to more injuries down the road.

So this means looking at the muscles that surround our core, our hips, our thighs and our lower leg. The importance of flexibility and mobility work prior to strengthening the muscles. This piece of the puzzle I think gets overlooked. Knowing when to stretch, the type of stretching to do (passive, active or resistance) helps improve our run. Which then can aid with mobility of the entire kinematic chain along with the use of some soft tissue work. This helps with increasing speed, pace, stride length and overall enjoyability of the run itself.

If you have any specific questions about how working your entire kinematic chain will benefit your run performance, drop a comment below 👇

 

Check out this video on Ankle Strengthening Exercises

 

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Have you ever suffered with shin splints? ✋

Throughout the whole Pandemic and even now, Shin Splints seems to be the #1 problem people are asking about. Their question is “how to fix them”.  For some the answer is simple because the initial course of action is to rest, ice, compress and massage out the area. But for others these little muscles come back with vengeance making one believe that their shin splints will never go away.

Not sure if you caught what I said above but I did say “muscles”. There are two muscles that can cause shin splints which is why it is important to determine first if it’s an anterior shin splint or a posterior shin splint. Even though the initial course of action may be the same regardless of an anterior or posterior shin splint, it’s the course of action you take after that initial phase. This will also play apart in your running gait.

So what do I mean by that 😕

Having a gait analysis done at your local running shoe store will add great value, insight to what is happening when the foot strikes the ground. This is why it becomes important to know if we pronate, supinate, have reduced dorsiflexion of the foot or if we are a heavy heel striker. Now here is where the gait analysis plays an even greater role in understanding how to rid yourself of shin splints. By watching someone run, we don’t just look at the feet, we look at the pelvis, the hips, how the upper leg and lower leg are moving throughout the entire run cycle. This helps us in figuring out why the shin splint is recurring.

Understand that shin splints are an overuse injury because many times we do increase our intensity, our mileage too quickly but it doesn’t mean nor should it mean that you can’t continue to run. If you have specific questions about your shin splints, leave a comment below 👇

 

Shin Splints Part 1

 

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Dr. Heather runs a 3 Week Sports Chiropractic Telehealth Program all designed around fixing your pain naturally. Dr. Heather is an expert in her field and provides knowledgeable information through all of her videos. On her channel you will find various videos for runners, triathletes, weight lifters, skiers, cyclists and much more.

 

To visit the Ask Doctor Heather website, click the link below:

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