We have covered a litany of lower body, core and low back problems that are prevalent in the sport of ultrarunning. While those areas definitely take the brunt of the…

Unfortunately, after years of training and racing in the mountains, some of us have had to battle bone injuries—more specifically: stress fractures. If you have ever had a stress fracture, you know that the recovery is long and tedious. Here are some ways to keep your risk level low.

Having compressed discs in your neck and back is no fun. And if you are a runner, they can be downright debilitating. Compressed discs can cause numerous problems, but with the right exercises and postural corrections, there are solutions to resolve pain and discomfort so you can stay on the trails this spring.

Weakness and instability in the knees aren’t common, but something that I have seen in runners struggle with throughout my career.

Many runners have encountered IT band syndrome in their careers. Those who’ve had it know that it can be a debilitating injury that can keep you off the trail for a long time. Let’s take a look at what the IT band is, the factors that lead to IT band syndrome and how we treat it.

Sometimes, our running injuries don’t actually stem from running. They are triggered from things that we do in everyday life, and we don’t even realize it. While we spend a…

There are a lot of different reasons why a well-rounded strength program in the gym is important for an ultrarunner. Gone are the days when runners stayed away from the gym for fear of “bulking up.” Here is why lifting, and heavy lifting, are a definite “yes” in my book for ultrarunners.

I’ve worked with a lot of runners who have leg length discrepancies, which can certainly wreak havoc on an athlete. However, leg length differences can result from a few problems and cause a variety of symptoms. Here are some answers for those questioning their leg length and potential solutions for those struggling with an uneven gait.

Sometimes, the pain you’re feeling on the bottom of your foot is plantar fasciitis and sometimes it’s not. Here are some conditions that can masquerade as plantar fasciitis.

Like most shoes, low and zero drop shoes seem to work well for some and not so well for others. To be clear, this isn’t a rant against low drop shoes. I have run in them off and on over the years, and have had many athletes do well with them. However, I have also had to work with the problems they can cause, and get frustrated with the lack of choices in higher drop shoes.

The transverse abdominus and glutes are two very important muscle groups which are essential for good form in running and, when strengthened properly, can keep us from getting injured. I’ll explain how to activate them properly and two exercises that you can do to train them effectively.

Here are two questions we received that are timely right now in the world of ultrarunning and physical therapy: Using massage guns, rollers and other fascia tools in the middle of races…is it good or bad? After an ultra, how soon should you pick up training again if you are feeling good? 

How do you prepare for races that have 10k of climbing/descent when access to hilly terrain is limited? First, proper preparation, according to sound exercise physiology principles, helps ensure that our bodies don’t break down, and we get the maximum training benefits. I’ve broken this answer into two parts: training for ascending and training for long descents.

Primarily, there are two main issues that can lead to lower back tightness. The first is pelvic position and the second is a lack of proper core strength and control.

When we talk about calf muscles and the Achilles, it is important to understand the forces that are involved which can put those structures under excessive load, causing problems with running.