When your doctor recommends surgery, there is one question most runners never ask.

But it may be the most important question of the entire conversation.

In this episode of the Doc On The Run Podcast, Dr. Christopher Segler explains why runners should not simply accept a recommendation for surgery without understanding how confident the surgeon is that the procedure will actually get them back to running.

Using a recent second-opinion strategy call with an experienced ultrarunner, Dr. Segler discusses how asking for a "guarantee" isn't really about demanding certainty—it's about understanding your surgeon's confidence, expectations, and reasoning.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• The one question most runners are afraid to ask before surgery

The goal is not simply having surgery.

The goal is choosing the treatment that gives you the best chance of getting back to running.