With just over 33 days to go to the ING New York City Marathon if you have entered you should be virtually at your peak by now. It is a gruelling race of what seems like an endless 26 miles where your body will go through quite a beating. If you are not one of the 38,000 entering but are preparing for a run of your own or have considered it then this post could be invaluable to you and your bodies health.

What is wrong with long distance running?

Every single stride you take in your run exerts up to 4 times your body weight through your legs obviously starting with your feet. Over the 26 mile course that could be as many as 40,000 strides with each step having to cope with that kind of pressure and that of course does not include all the other training you have to do in preparation for this torture. Please therefore give a little consideration for your feet that have to take the brunt of this force overload.

What can you do?

Time to heed some useful advice if you want your feet to survive the journey and who better than NYC podiatrist Dr. Johanna Youner who has been helping peoples ailing feet from her private practice at Park Avenue Podiatric Associates for 17 years.

Dr. Johanna Youner’s advice

• Stretching – Stretching primes the body for the strenuous activity so be sure to stretch before and after running, paying special attention to the calves, hamstrings, quads and feet
• Shoes – Invest in a good pair of running shoes as they provide the specific impact support that running demands; if feet sweat heavily try putting talcum powder in your shoes to keep feet dry
• Orthodics – If you have arch or heel pain, you may be a perfect candidate for orthodics, which are now widely available in over-the-counter varieties; visit your doctor to learn what option is best for you
• Socks – Cotton socks absorb moisture and what you don’t want during the marathon are wet socks; opt instead for a synthetic sock (containing acrylic) to help keep moisture from your skin thus reducing the likelihood of a fungal growth. Another secret of the pros is to avoid situating the seams in a place where the shoe is tight – the pressure can force the seam to dig into the skin causing pain and blistering
• Anti-Inflammatory Medications – Do not pre-emptively pop Advil to prevent aches that may arise during the race; pain is a valuable indicator during high-impact events and taking anti-inflammatory medications will mask any red flags the foot sends up during the race
• Groom Toenails – Make sure your toenails are trimmed to no longer than the tip of toes before the race to avoid a painful ingrown toenail or even a fungal nail
• Blisters – Blisters result from excessive friction between shoes and feet so take preventative steps by making sure shoes fit properly and are laced up to fit snugly; if you are prone to blisters, apply Vaseline to problem areas prior to your run or try padded “blister proof” socks like those made by Thorlo. Dr. Youner also suggests applying moleskin to problem areas also prevents blisters from forming
• Visit Your Podiatrist – Dr. Youner’s patients who run in the New York City Marathon make appointments the week before the race to get rid of corns and calluses, stock up on moleskin, get advice on orthodics, and in some cases, receive cortisone injections for heel spurs (plantar fasciitis) so they can run in their dream event
• Finish Line – When the race is complete, Dr. Youner prescribes RICE: Rest your feet, Ice feet to keep inflammation and swelling down, Compress with ACE wraps to reduce swelling and Elevate feet to help them rest up for the next big run

Runner’s Injuries, Prevention and Treatment

Although numerous injuries can occur during a long distance run, the most common are shin splints, runner’s knee and plantar fasciitis. Shin splints develop along the front of the lower leg and are commonly caused by running on hard surfaces, overtraining, weak muscles, wearing shoes that lack support and running downhill. Chronic shin splints can be very painful and may indicate a stress fracture. Runner’s knee is the most common pain found among runners and is often caused by weak muscles supporting the knee and unsupportive shoes. Women with wider hips are also naturally prone to the condition. Heel pain caused by plantar fasciitis is seen in patients who are overweight, have flat feet, or are starting a new running program. Stress placed on this ligament in the foot can lead to heel pain. To avoid all of these maladies, Dr. Youner and the team at Beebleblog recommend stretching before and after activity. If any of these symptoms develop and persist, contact your podiatrist.

I have linked to other Beebleblog posts through Johanna’s list of advice where we have written about it in more detail. Just click on the underlined words to read more.

Summary

Some really good advice for runners of all levels there so thank you to Dr. Johanna Youner for her expert time. Good luck to all runners especially those entering the up coming NYC marathon on 2nd November 2008.

Remember if you are planning on taking up running please check with your doctor that you are able to do so and if you suffer any pain during your training or the run itself please consult with a relevant expert as the sooner you treat it the better chance you have of making a full recovery.

Good luck to the runners of the world!

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This entry was Posted on Monday, September 29th, 2008 at 8:52 pm and is filed under Exercise, Injuries. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.