Do you follow #fitspo?  The popular “fitspo” hashtag on Instagram could actually influence you to be less fit, more dissatisfied with your body, and less happy overall. A study examined the effect of “fitspiration” images viewed via Instagram on mood, body dissatisfaction, and exercise behavior in young women.1 The 108 female participants were between theContinue reading "#fitspo is #sh*tspo"

Gait analysis is an important part of running rehabilitation. A clinician who is trained in running gait analysis can help a patient recover from an injury and even help to minimize future injury risk.  Gait analysis is used to assess how a runner loads certain joints and tissue while going through the running gait cycle.Continue reading "Gait retraining is helpful!"

I have a confession.  At times during the pandemic, I have been inconsistent with my running. There have been many days that I just don’t feel like it. The stress of rethinking the normal flow of life has left me tired and worn down. Keeping my family safe, changing jobs, and isolating from people outsideContinue reading "Rage running"

I recently asked myself the question, “How do toxic messages and myths about running and health get handed down through the generations? The answer is bigger than the sport of running. At vulnerable ages, girls are absorbing popular culture around them, which includes being exposed to society’s ideal standards of beauty: white, thin, heterosexual, conventionallyContinue reading "Sexualization of women in sport"

Tracking weekly mileage is deeply ingrained in running culture. But the amount of mileage that allows a runner to stay healthy and get faster is a moving target. What was good for you last week may not be what your body can handle the next week. So how do you find your running sweet spot?Continue reading "A better way to track training"

Who doesn't love a good infographic? Thanks to Dr. Nicola Keay and Health4Performance.com, which works to raise awareness about Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S). RED-S occurs when an athlete doesn't meet energy demands with energy intake. Over-training and/or under-fueling can create a relative energy deficit. As the infographic shows, having low energy availability canContinue reading "RED-S infographic!"

While I stay in my home and distance myself from others, I have had a lot of time to think. My mind often goes to the sport I love - running. I’ve realized something recently that I already knew but haven’t yet gotten down on paper. Running itself hasn’t kept me connected to the sportContinue reading "Isolation Introspection: Women who have helped shape me as a PT"

Runners often put a lot of effort toward avoiding injuries. Things like stretching, yoga, and strengthening come to mind. But if your brain continues to run once your legs have stopped, you could be setting yourself up for failure. A new study shows how we think can protect us - or predispose us - toContinue reading "How ‘passion’ can help – or harm – your running"

I ran cross country and track at the Division 1 collegiate level and it is fair to say I was obsessed with running. I meticulously logged my miles, iced my legs, stretched my muscles, and overanalyzed every workout. I wanted to do everything perfectly in the name of being the best. I now know IContinue reading "My story of training with RED-S"

There is a lot of discussion in the news lately about Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S). RED-S has dangerous, long-term consequences to the health of both female and male athletes. In order to navigate the complexities of sport, body image and self-worth, the support and guidance an athlete has is critical to avoid theContinue reading "What is RED-S?"