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Browsing Category Exercise

Bunions and Big Toe Pain: Here’s What to Do…

March 15, 2021 · by Garrett McLaughlin

| Article written on March 15th, 2021 at 08:57am | Follow Garrett on Facebook and Instagram |

As we cover the topic of bunions and foot health, I can honestly say I am guilty of not prioritizing this area enough early in my career. We commonly emphasize the glutes, quads, and core that it’s easy to overlook this pivotal area.

The foot consists of numerous bones, ligaments, muscles, and tendons which ultimately create our foundation and connection with the ground. Whether it’s due to genetics, gender, occupation, anatomy, or footwear, there can be structural changes over time which negatively affect the alignment and function of the foot. One in particular is the development of bunions or hallux valgus.

Bunions can be classified as normal (less than 15-degrees) , mild (less than 20-degrees), moderate (20-40 degrees), or severe (greater then 40-degrees) depending on the degree of angulation at the great toe. Ultimately, as the great toe begins to angle towards the lesser toes and a bony prominence forms at the metatarsal head, this is a bunion (see image below).

Recently, I came across an article called, “Foot Mobilization and Exercise Program Combined with Toe Separator Improves Outcomes in Women with Moderate Hallux Valgus at 1-Year Follow-Up” by Abdalbary et al (2018). This is what we’ll reference in this article which will hopefully allow you to address your bunions and great toe pain to restore overall foot health and function.

Bunions are worth addressing since they are accompanied with functional disability, foot pain, impaired balance, and high fall risk in older adults. I regularly evaluate the foot and toes when working with runners and athletes because it has a big impact on stabilization and propulsion during gait and running.

Although surgery may be the most common approach to remedy this structural abnormality, it can be costly and create complications since it disrupts the normal mechanics of the great toe metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint. From a conservative standpoint, treatment is aimed at mobilizing the necessary joints and stretching to decrease the angle of the great toe and restoring alignment with it’s respective metatarsal bone, increasing strength of the surrounding musculature which holds the toe in a more aligned position, and retraining normal function of the foot in various movement patterns.

The study mentioned above had 56 women (28 in the treatment group and 28 in the control group) who were diagnosed with symptomatic moderate hallux valgus. All of the patients in the treatment group wore toe spreaders for a minimum of 8-hours per day and completed the recommended physical therapy program consisting of three sessions per week for 12-weeks.

The physical therapy program consisted of…

Joint mobilizations: Targeting the metatarsophalangeal joints, 1st metatarsophalangeal Lisfranc, transverse tarsal, subtalar, and ankle joints
Stretching: Non-weight bearing achilles tendon stretch
Strengthening: Great toe flexion, abduction, and towel curls

As seen in the table below, there were significant improvements in many areas relating to pain, disability, and function of the great toe/foot immediately following the 12-weeks of physical therapy sessions which was also seen at the 1-year follow-up. That means a conservative approach, compared to no intervention at all, can be cost-effective and worthwhile in addressing big toe pain and bunions.

If you have a bunion or big toe pain and want to play your part in addressing this once and for all, below is a handful of exercises that are similar to what were prescribed in the study without the use of a trained physical therapist. Of course, I always recommend seeking the advice of a trained healthcare professional when dealing with pain. But these exercises could be your first step to seeing improvements when performed properly over a similar time period.

Passive Great Toe Abduction

Passive Great Toe Extension

Achilles Tendon/Calf Stretching

1st Metatarsophalangeal Isometric Flexion

1st Metatarsophalangeal Isometric Abduction

Towel Curls

With the improvements seen immediately post-treatment and at the 1-year follow-up, it provides hope that bunions and great toe pain can be improved with conservative treatment. Since surgery is a common strategy to address bunions in order to reduce pain and improve function, I highly recommend speaking with a trained healthcare provider sooner rather than later to determine what you can do to improve your situation. If you have any questions, please click here to contact me directly.

By: Garrett McLaughlin, MS, ATC, CSCS, ART

Core Training That Matters – How to Train the Foot, Core, and Breathing to Impact Running Performance (FREE Webinar Replay)

March 4, 2021 · by Garrett McLaughlin

When it comes to strength and movement training, too often do we target areas in isolation assuming that stronger individual pieces will translate to better overall performance. This is especially I see when working with runners.

What most runners need to realize is that the body functions as an interconnected unit to stabilize, transmit energy, absorb force, and create efficient movement. You still need to target the individual pieces while also putting them together in a bigger movement pattern. This is especially true when it comes to the foot, core, and breathing.

Recently, I held a FREE 60-minute webinar on the topic of ‘Core Training That Matters – How to Train the Foot, Core, and Breathing to Impact Running Performance.’ Please watch this webinar replay and understand how you can look outside of the traditional “core” to other areas which improve stabilization and alignment of the system. I am confident it will change your thought process on how the smaller pieces should work together in order to maximize performance and reduce your likelihood of injury.

In this FREE webinar replay, what you’ll learn is…

Understanding the demands of running
- The foot
- The core & breathing
Isolated drills to address the foot and breathing
How to tie these individual areas into bigger movement patterns to impact your running
Q&A

I hope you enjoy this webinar! Comment below or contact me directly if you have any questions or comments regarding this content. And, if you want to implement the best strategies to improve your running, click here to learn more about the Healthy Running Program.

Core Training for Runners (FREE Webinar Replay)

February 21, 2021 · by Garrett McLaughlin

The core is an important but often poorly targeted area. It’s not that runners are neglecting the core altogether because most know it’s value… it’s just that so many are going about it the wrong way which creates limited results.

Over the years, I have seen so much emphasis on strengthening the muscles of the core with traditional exercises. This is needed to a degree, but running requires stabilization more than anything else. Therefore, a specific approach must be executed to actually build the core in a way which translates to better running performance and injury reduction.

Recently, I held a FREE 60-minute webinar on the topic of core training for runners. It’s my hope that you use this content to better understand the key components of core training to positively impact your running in the months and years to come. I am confident it will change your thought process on how a simple and progressive stabilization routine will allow you to run on all cylinders.

In this FREE webinar replay, what you’ll learn is…

What is the core? (5:05)
Functional requirements of running at the core (9:57)
Important training principles (14:23)
Types of core training (20:27)
The best core exercises for runners (27:14)
Q&A (54:24)

Diversify Your Calf Strengthening: Gastrocnemius vs. Soleus

December 7, 2020 · by Garrett McLaughlin

| Article written on December 7th, 2020 at 11:58am | Follow Garrett on Facebook and Instagram |

Are you properly targeting the calf muscle complex to have the strength, power, and resilience necessary to meet the demands of running? Properly is the key word in that sentence. Let’s talk about that…

If we think about running for a second, you are literally bounding from one leg to the other while withstanding forces around 2-4x your bodyweight. This is important to conceptualize because I see a lot of runners only performing two-legged calf raises. Although there are no “bad exercises,” it’s hard to see how these carryover to running unless it’s a recovery day or you are rehabilitating from a plantar fascia and/or achilles injury and it’s a stepping stone in your progression.

With that being said, it’s important for your program to be as specific as possible. Not only do you want to progress basic two-legged calf raises to perform the more challenging and applicable single leg variations, but we must also respect the biomechanics of running.

In the stance phase of running, the knee is always in a slightly flexed position that later extends in the propulsion phase. What we learn when looking more closely at anatomy and the research, is that this slight knee bend biases the deeper Soleus muscle more heavily then the outermost Gastrocnemius.

What does this mean?

In addition to single leg exercises, we must also target the deeper Soleus muscle to incorporate a more diverse calf strengthening routine. This approach respects the anatomy and biomechanics of running so you can see the best results possible.

In this video, I talk about…

Calf anatomy
The biomechanics of running
How to properly progress your calf raises
Diversifying your routine while biasing the Soleus muscle

Click below to watch the entire demonstration!

I hope this video blog helps you understand the importance of a more specific but diverse calf strengthening program. If you have questions about calf strengthening, are suffering from a lower leg overuse injury, or are interested in learning more about the Healthy Running Program, click here and let’s talk more.

By: Garrett McLaughlin, MS, ATC, CSCS, ART

Simple Ways to Add More Intensity to Your Strength Training Program

November 30, 2020 · by Garrett McLaughlin

| Article written on November 30th, 2020 at 10:03am | Follow Garrett on Facebook and Instagram |

Runners often have trouble balancing their running and strength training, especially as mileage increases. The biggest thing to realize is that as one increases the other can typically take a step back. However, it’s rare that either stops altogether. That’s the beauty of understanding periodization which will allow you to prioritize your running but also respect the impact strength training can provide in the “offseason” months.

Now, I know what you are thinking… What is the “offseason” when it comes to running?

Running is a year round sport as it can and should be. While following a periodized program, the “in-season” phase provides a gradual build up in volume for the designated goal race. When the goal race is completed, it’s time to switch your focus to ensure your body is recovering properly, run at a lower mileage to maintain a suitable base, and incorporate a structured strength training program to introduce variability, build strength, stability, & power, and address any aches and pains. This formula will reduce the likelihood of injury and maximize long-term performance in a sport where up to 75% of runners get injured each and every year.

Although it’s easy to conceptualize that your running plan will increase, decrease, and vary depending on your goals, time until goal race, and many other factors… runners regularly overlook these same principles when it comes to strength training. In fact, the majority of runners complete the same exercises without much variation regardless of the time of year. This does a disservice to your running!

As you are actively training for your goal race, a reduction in strength training volume and intensity is needed to prioritize your running without creating an overtraining stimulus. However, when your goal race is completed and running volume backs down, this is the best time to increase the intensity and volume of your strength training program. That doesn’t always mean different exercises altogether but how these exercises are executed.

In the following video, I discuss simple ways to add more intensity to your strength training program. This will include…

Increasing the resistance
Incorporating tempo
Adding a plyometric component

These three tactics will be discussed with reference to the squat and split squat exercises so you can see them performed during common strength movements for runners. In the end, the number of exercises which can be incorporated in this manner are endless but hopefully it opens your eyes to the small changes which can produce huge results.

Thank you for reading this article and watching the video on how to increase the intensity of your strength training program. Please remember that it’s important to respect your running first and foremost, but recognize those key times throughout the year where you can build a stronger and more resilient foundation to boost performance and reduce the injury risk associated with running.

To receive a 100% individualize strength training & injury reduction program that fits seamlessly alongside your running, click here to learn more about the Healthy Running Program.

By: Garrett McLaughlin, MS, ATC, CSCS, ART

Pelvic Control & How to Address Within Your Strength Training Program

November 23, 2020 · by Garrett McLaughlin

| Article written on November 23th, 2020 at 12:03pm | Follow Garrett on Facebook and Instagram |

There are a lot of different areas to analyze when it comes to running form. But one in particular which is important from a shock absorption and stability standpoint is called contralateral pelvic drop (see image below). This is easily overlooked for foot strike pattern, stride length, and vertical oscillation, but is vital to promote frontal plane efficiency as you run.

Plain and simple, contralateral pelvic drop occurs when the opposite side pelvis drops during the initial loading response and/or the stance phase of running. What’s important to realize is that the opposite side pelvis is supposed to drop while running. I’m in no way attempting to say that the pelvis needs to remain completely level. But through the research we know this should equate to around 3-degrees or so, and anything more is deemed excessive.

Therefore, it’s important not to automatically assume contralateral pelvic drop is bad just like we have done with pronation over the years. Both of these are normal shock absorption strategies for the lower body when landing and loading on a single leg. But to optimize function of the lower limb, both need to happen properly rather then excessively to create stable and efficient movement, as well as to mitigate potential injury risk.

Over the years I have been fortunate to work with runners in sports medicine clinics, gyms, private fitness studios, and sports performance facilities. What this has allowed is the ability to watch hundreds of people move on a daily basis. There is often a lack of knowledge and instruction when it comes to pelvic control that can limit performance and create compensations associated with pain at the lower back, hip, knee, and foot.

Recently I created a video discussing contralateral pelvic drop and how to address this within your strength training program. With the majority of my running clients, we execute programs that address strength training and running retraining simultaneously rather then placing priority on one versus the other.

Fortunately, there is growing research and understanding that strength training is necessary for runners. However, I find that this is taken too literally as the majority of runners are focusing on strength over shock absorption, stability, and lower limb alignment. Improving strength can certainly make you faster and more resilient to running-related injuries, but the tips I provide in this video will lead to more efficient and economical running.

Do you have any questions about this content or are curious how contralateral pelvic drop relates to you? Click here to contact Garrett and schedule your running analysis now.

By: Garrett McLaughlin, MS, ATC, CSCS, ART

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