#739 When to add weight bearing exercise with stress reaction

Today’s episode comes from a YouTube viewer who posted a question,

“I have a low risk grade stress reaction in my posterior tibia. Interestingly, there is some research discussing the benefits of weight bearing bone building exercise once tolerated pain free, like hops jumps and step ups. Do you have any advice on when and how to integrate these types of exercises into a rehabilitation program?”

When is it okay to add weight bearing exercises when you’ve had a bone injury like a stress reaction?

That is what we are talking about today on the Doc On The Run Podcast.

#735 Bedrest is like Chemo for Runners

One of the most powerful ways to reduce stress and strain on any piece of injured tissue is to get completely off of your feet. Bedrest can do that.

I was talking with a runner recently who asked a great question,

“Should I just do bed rest?”

I answered,

“Bed rest is like chemo for runners.”

With chemotherapy, we’re basically giving you a powerful drug.

But is it going to kill the tumor first, or is it going to kill the patient first?

Bed rest is like chemotherapy for runners, and that’s what we’re talking about today on the Doc On The Run Podcast.

#733 Doctors goal with fracture boot vs your goal with boot

If you want to run as soon as possible after an injury, you may need aggressive treatment like immobilization in a cast or a fracture walking boot.

When I lecture at medical conferences, I talk a lot about why I believe fracture walking boots are over-prescribed, overused and often used way too long in many injured runners for common overtraining injuries.

In talking to another runner the other day, I was thinking about the specific goals that are in conflict between you and your doctor.

Today on the Doc On The Run Podcast we’re talking about doctor’s goals when they give you a fracture walking boot versus your goals when you’re wearing a fracture walking boot and you’re a runner.

#731 Running allergy and injury recovery

Have you ever been to the doctor and heard this, “You must be allergic to running because you get injured every time you go running.”

A recovering runner and I were on a call talking about how she could get back to running and how to “just go for a run” without getting re-injured.

We were talking about this approach of getting her running fitness back now, and returning to running faster without just sitting around waiting.

She told me something I had never heard.

Today on the Doc On The Run Podcast we’re talking about running allergies and injury recovery.

#729 Logical vs. Psychological barrier to healing running injuries

I just had a discussion with a really interesting patient. He was a pro triathlete. He had some difficulty getting past a particular injury.

We were talking about all of the ways that you can encounter barriers to healing. And how you can start making progress in spite of them.

We were talking about two different things, logical and psychological barriers.

What’s the difference between logical versus psychological barriers to healing injuries in runners?

Well, that’s what we’re talking about today on the Doc On The Run Podcast.

#724 Traumatic disappointment and delayed healing

I was just on a call with an interesting elite athlete, and he’s been injured.

He had one particular injury in his foot and then started having a completely different injury, as soon as that injury in his foot was starting to heal.

We were talking about how disappointment can lead to more and more setbacks.

The phrase he used struck me.

He said, “I think it might be traumatic disappointment.”

What is traumatic disappointment and what kind of effect can it have on delayed healing in an injured runner?

Well, that’s what we’re talking about today on the Doc On The Run Podcast.

#721 Most valuable stretches after a running injury

Everybody’s short on time. This is true for runners in training, but it’s also true for injured runners.

If you’re trying to make progress as fast as possible, you really have to do the things that will give you the most progress in the least amount of time.

Many runners I talk to on a second opinion consultation webcam call really want to know which stretches will help them. Specifically, which two or three stretches will help the most.

What are the most valuable stretches you can do after a running injury?

Well, that’s what we’re talking about today on the Doc On The Run Podcast.

#501 Worst way to tell a stress reaction from a stress fracture

I lecture at medical conferences about stress fractures, trying to teach physicians the difference between a stress response, a stress reaction, which is basically an irritated and inflamed metatarsal bone, and a stress fracture where there’s actually a crack that can cause real trouble. One of the questions doctors ask me is what’s the best way and the worst way to tell a stress reaction from a stress fracture, because it does make a difference. What is the worst way to tell a stress reaction from a stress fracture? Well, that’s what we’re talking about today on the Doc On The Run podcast.

#469 Is it better to go barefoot with a stress fracture?

This episode comes from a question from a runner I saw in person during a second opinion house call.
She had a metatarsal stress fracture and felt like it was more comfortable when she was barefoot.
The more you can reduce the stress and strain to the injured metatarsal bone and the healing stress fracture the faster it will heal.
The types of shoes you wear during the recovery can change those stresses for better or worse depending upon which shoes you are wearing.
You need to focus on protecting and healing that metatarsal stress fracture if you want to get back to running as fast as possible.
Today on the Doc on the Run Podcast, we’re talking about whether or not it is better to go barefoot with a stress fracture.

#394 Questions runners should ask doctor during a telemedicine visit

Just this morning I was interviewed on a television program about telemedicine. Since I have been doing telemedicine for a little more than 10 years they invited me to come on as an expert to talk about the changes in telemedicine resulting from the pandemic.

During the interview, we were discussing all the different ways telemedicine can be more helpful than in-office visits. At the end, I was asked an interesting question, and I remembered that I actually created a check-list years ago for runners to actually take to their in-person doctor visits. That same list can help make telemedicine visits more helpful as well.

Today on the Doc On The Run podcast, we’re talking about why you need to make a list for your telemedicine visit.