This week I listened to the Physio Edge podcast with David Pope. His guest was Canadian Physiotherapist Blaise Dubois….Blaise works in Quebec City and specializes in running prehab and rehab. Blaise had strong views on both running rehab and shoe choice (lets just say he did not like “big bulky shoesss”).

There were some great lessons to be learnt as well as a few that I know are still hotly debated. Next time you are out for a run consider the following:

1. Try getting a minimalist shoe. Reduce your training load and start on a track if possible. Your mechanics will be forced to improve. ie less, heal contact, reduced ground contact time.

2. Get on a treadmill and try running bare foot. Get a sense of how it feels. Where are you landing? are you heavier on one side? Try to get in-tune with your body.

3. Following from #3, take out the headphones and focus on your body.  You will start to pick up on areas of weakness or tightness more quickly. Hopefully you will be more aware of when to decrease or increase load depending on how the body feels.

4. Can you increase your cadence (steps/minute)? Count every right step, you should be between 85 and 95 per minute. There is some debate to this but if your running at 70-75 you will probably want to increase your cadence!

5. can you comfortably stand on one leg and stay stacked through your trunk and hip? If you can’t, you probably won’t be doing it when you are running either. Start working on your single leg balance to improve trunk and hip motor control.

***if you are in pain when running you probably need a more detailed assessment to find exactly what is causing the pain (what is the driver) but these ideas are good place to start***

Thanks for reading

Dave Carter