Runners hear a lot of advice. I get to hear all about it in clinic every week. Some of it is helpful. A lot of it sounds right. And some of it sticks around long after it should. Most of the time the advice is meant to help and not hurt from training partners, friends, people who have been in your shoes (okay their shoes, but you know what I mean) BUT general advice doesn’t usually address what you have going on. It might feel like a good idea, but it might also make things

Hip flexors are one of those things runners love to blame. Tight hips. Short strides. Low back pain. Fexors are rarely the only issue, they play a meaningful role in how we run and how problems can start to show up. The hip flexors are a group of muscles that help advance the leg during running. After your foot leaves the ground, they help bring the thigh forward so you can take your next step. They also assist with pelvic and trunk control, helping manage the forces that tra

Photo by Alan Lam I love running. I hate telling people they can't run. Running is great exercise and it is so beneficial for both mental and physical health. But if you run long enough, chances are you will deal with pain or injury at some point. As a physical therapist who works with runners every day, these are the five most common questions runners ask about running injuries and answers that can help you to stay healthy and keep running. 1. "Why do my knees hurt when I ru

Sometimes the first few minutes of a run feel stiff or painful, but after a mile or two the discomfort settles down and the run actually feels better. What does this mean? As a running physical therapist working with runners in Atlanta, this is something I hear fairly often: “If the pain goes away during the run, is it okay to keep running?” In many cases, the answer is yes, but with the right modifications. It depends on the type of tissue involved and how the pain behaves d

Runners are really good at brushing off pain or discomfort and convincing themselves they are fine even when they are in pain. Its because as runners we are taught to push through things. That’s part of the sport. Long runs get uncomfortable. Workouts get hard. There are days where nothing feels great but you get it done anyway and that’s often where progress happens. remember the saying, "no pain, no gain?" But somewhere along the way, that mindset gets doesn't make sense an