đ Desk Ergonomics for Your Home Work Station đ
â Ergonomic Errors No More⌠Watch my QUICK video tutorial and rock a good body posture at your home desk. Check out my photos, too.
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â Ergonomic Errors No More⌠Watch my QUICK video tutorial and rock a good body posture at your home desk. Check out my photos, too.
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|
Choosing the Right Running Shoe
There are numerous choices one has to make when purchasing a running shoe. From more basic things like heft/weight, aesthetics, and stability/neutral/motion-control to more nuanced choices like materials of the sole, foot-bed, and upper it can become a complicated choice.
The running shoe manufacturers spend significant amounts of money trying to develop a better shoe in all definitions of the word: better performance, better injury prevention, and better cost. I believe they do this all with good intent. But here is the secret: when it comes to choosing the best shoe for you, none of the above matters.
Yes, that statement was made to get your attention, and there are some small studies that have shown there can be some influence of shoes on injuries, but these are small and/or poorly designed and their conclusions do not hold water (very well…yet)1-4. (Authorâs note: if you are interested in honest & rigorous evaluations of all running-related research, please frequent runresearchjunkie.com).
However, there is one particular factor that can and does influence your rate of injury, and therefore something critical to remember when buying a running shoe: comfort5. Thatâs right, if a running shoe is comfortable it has a significant effect on your rate of running injury. Multiple studies that have looked at the usage of different shoe-types, orthotics, and the subjectsâ personal preference (based upon comfort and innate running gait) and they have concluded that the best indicator of fit and injury prevention is the simplest, over-looked answer of comfort. The current thought process is that our brain (via the nerves/nerve endings in our feet and lower extremities) can sense when a shoe allows for us to run with our most natural and most efficient gait (termed âpreferred movement pathâ). Researchers are calling this innate sense of best-fit our âcomfort filterâ. While there is work to do on this front, the literature supports this method over any other to choose a running shoe. In support of this concept, research presented at recent conferences suggest that individual differences (among runners) are critical. This bears on the effect of the drop of the shoe, the âheftâ of the shoe (minimal vs maximal)6,7.
It would be wonderful if we had a standardized, objective, and validated method for measuring critical components of gait, foot anthropometrics (length, width, arch height, etc.), and training regimens which would delineate what shoe to use. But at this time we do not. However, one can make the argument that the best possible tool for assessing this is our very powerful nervous system and that the âcomfort filterâ is a more specific, individualized, and powerful tool than scientists could build.
So, as you choose your next running shoe, please go to the store and actually try them. Run a bit on the treadmill. Then try 3 or 4 more pairs and take home the one that feels the best.
References:
Donât Ever Get Old
 Since the start of my physical therapy career, I have been given the advice âDonât ever get oldâ.  Yes, there are changes that occur with aging. But, there are ways to decrease or slow these changes, especially within the musculoskeletal system.  And so, I thought this would be the perfect topic for a newsletter.
The musculoskeletal system is used every day. It allows you to sit, stand, walk, hike, jump, and participate in many recreational activities. It consists of periarticular connective tissue, cartilage, bone, and skeletal muscle that all work together as a team to help you move!
So what happens when you age?
So how do you prevent or slow all these things? Exercise, Yoga, Meditation
As you know I am a yoga therapist as well as a physical therapist and believe that good posture is a must to stave off many medical ills. Poor posture can lead to many pains and aches, including headaches, neck pain, shoulder pain, and back pain. Typical postural changes that can lead to pain include a forward head, rounded shoulders, rounded back, and arms rotated inwardly causing the shoulder blade to lift off the back. With frequent poor posture the muscles that are being stretched become weak and the muscles that are shorted become tight and incompetent. This leads to decreased muscular control that can lead to pain.
What is good posture?
As your Momma said âstand/sit up straight!â. Start with trying to be as tall as you can, feel your spine elongate and have a slight tuck of your chin. Hold your shoulders back and down. This might feel awkward or hard to maintain for a very long period. Start with short intervals and build upon it. You may want to start against the wall to give you a sense of how upright your posture. Another important posture is sitting, one should keep a slight curve in their low back, called a lordosis. When sitting in a chair, if not supported you can fatigue and sink into poor posture with a flat low back and rounded shoulders and forward neck causing back and neck pain. It can be beneficial to use a small pillow or roll up a towel in the small of your back when sitting for an extended time.
How do I improve my posture?
Simply try to sit and stand tall. If some muscles have already become tight or weak, there are some exercises you can do to reestablish your muscle balance. If you have pain related to postural changes I recommend seeing a physical therapist to have a program specifically designed for you.
An easy way to assess your posture is by using the wall and see if you can keep your shoulders back, thumbs pointing out to the side and keep your head touching the wall without lifting your head, keep your chin tucked. If your upper back is rounded or your head can not touch the wall you have postural changes.