Tag Archives: Running and the SunRun

Minimalist running shoes

From West 4th Physiotherapy associate Marnie Giblin Minimalist running shoes have gained a lot of attention in recent years, but how exactly do they differ from more traditional shoes, and what does the evidence say about them? Minimalist shoes are clearly much lighter then traditional running shoes; the vibrum five finger barefoot runner weighs in at 6oz, the minimalist Nike free 7oz, and Nike Pegasus (one of the lightest neutral standard shoes) weighs in at 12oz.  The other defining feature the this group of shoes is a low ramp angle, or height discrepancy between the heel … Read the rest of this post »

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Running and life expectancy

A couple of posts ago we looked at the relationship between activity levels and health, the message being that when looking at health and lifespan it is more important to consider how much people do rather than how much they weigh. http://www.west4thphysio.com/archives/1803 This was nicely confirmed by Dr Peter Schnohr, a researcher at the University Hospital in Cpenhagen. At a recent medical conference in Dublin he presented the findings based on data from the  Copenhagen City Heart Study. This study has been underway since 1976 and is ongoing, successfully providing … Read the rest of this post »

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Healthy running

This running tip was specifically written for Vancouver Frontrunners and comes from Suzanne Foster, a Physiotherapist with West 4th Physiotherapy(www.west4thphysio.com) whose practice is heavily focused on runners. Thanks Suzanne! Start off on the right foot! Did you know that 50% of runners are injured every year? Even now with all the advanced technology out there dedicated with perfecting the running shoe and the time and money spent on different kinds of treatment, the incidence is still increasing!  We all know that whether you are an athlete, runner, or jogger, at … Read the rest of this post »

Posted in Avoiding Injury, Knee, Running and the SunRun, Sports | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Thoughts on static stretching…

In the 1970’s the running boom came and all over North America people got out  and started a pursuit that has paid terrific health dividends for them over the ensuing years. Back then, popular thought had it that it was necessary to stretch all the major sporting muscle groups before your activity. Being more flexible would offer greater efficiency of motion and prevent injury. If you failed to stretch, injury was pretty much guaranteed, or so the thinking went. There was only one way to stretch and that was what … Read the rest of this post »

Posted in Avoiding Injury, Knee, Running and the SunRun, Senior's Health | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Running shoes – when to replace?

As you work into your running program you will need to keep an eye on how much wear has occurred with your shoes. Running in shoes that have passed their prime is a sure fire way to develop running injuries such as plantar fascitis, achilles tendonitis and knee pain. Knowing that you can expect to get around 1000km from your shoes (+/- 200km ), tracking your shoe mileage will help you anticipate shoe failure and avoid injury. Here are a few commonly used tips and things to look for regarding … Read the rest of this post »

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The Sun Run 2010

So how are those New Year resolutions going? By the end of February lots of us have been derailed. If that’s you, you might be tempted to use the Sun Run as your path back to righteousness. The Sun Run is now a wonderful annual fixture in Vancouver, attracting over 50,000 every year, many of whom are new to running as a form of exercise. I thought some posts dedicated to keeping participants healthy, happy and especially injury free would be appropriate as this is the time of year we start to have people coming in … Read the rest of this post »

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