We’ll be holding a new talk on barefoot running at Runner’s Roost in Lakewood, Colorado, at 6:45 on Wednesday, February, 3rd 2010.
It should be an exciting and informative presentation. We’ll be talking about the latest science, including Dr. Daniel Lieberman’s new study, and the recent study from the University of Virginia.
The result of wearing ill fitting shoes for a lifetime.
Unshod Adult Bare Feet are wider in the forefoot, providing natural stability.
We’ll look at transitioning to barefoot running, proper form, the dangers of modern footwear, the benefits of minimalist footwear and what to look for, how to train barefoot, and much, much more.
We’ll also be looking at how to overcome injuries and get back into the sport, injury free, and how to stay that way for a lifetime of running
We’ve been doing a lot of research for our upcoming book, “Barefoot Running,” which we’ll be sharing as well, and will have a lengthy Q/A session to discuss concerns and questions on this topic.
Bring your questions, bring your shoes, and of course, bring your own bare feet.
This talk is free and open to everyone of all ages and abilities. We welcome everyone to join us. Above all else, we hope you have fun, and learn something to bring back to your training.
Here’s an article I had published (sadly the photos are not included) about one aspect of using “natural” methods to help our bodies stay in better condition?
COMMON SENSE STRETCHING EXERCISE
Have you got back-ache?
Do you have neck or shoulder pain/tension, or headaches (the cause of these symptoms could be poor posture)?
Do you have RSI or tennis elbow (a big contributing factor to these symptoms is tense or achey shoulders)?
Is your posture poor; are you round-shouldered (do you sit all day in front of a computer)?
One of the most effective and natural ways of freeing up your shoulders, improving your posture and helping with back-ache is
hanging by your arms!
We have (almost certainly?) evolved from apes, and we have the ability to swing from tree to tree! Most of us could do it when we
were kids; gymnasts and James Bond can do it as adults.
If you haven’t swung by your arms for years then don’t suddenly start doing it! However, just hanging by both arms from a
comfortable support is WELL within our capabilities. Assuming your shoulders are not already “seriously” damaged, hanging
provides a VERY strong and NATURAL stretch for your shoulders, spine, “lumbar” and “lower thoracic” discs. The SAFEST way to
do this is to hang from a bar that you can easily reach with your feet still on the floor. The EASIEST way to do this is to install a
“chin-up bar” in a doorway at home or at work.
I am NOT recommending doing “chin-ups” or anything very strenuous; just relaxed hanging with your palms facing forwards.
Don’t hang from a doorframe, door top or picture rail; if it is not a comfortable handgrip you will not be able to relax and get the full
benefit.
If you have not hung like this for years, if you are overweight or if you have weak or injured shoulders, wrists or elbows, just
hang gently at first, maybe keeping your feet on the floor and just bending your legs so you are not putting your full weight on the bar,
for around 5 seconds per day for the first few days to give your shoulders a chance to get used to the stretch.
When your shoulders are comfortable with your hanging, slowly change to hanging with your legs relaxed and your feet resting
limply on the floor, so that you are allowing your full weight to pull through your shoulders, and hang for 10 to 15 seconds, maybe a
few times a day.
That’s not asking too much, is it?
Do NOT pick your feet off the floor as this will mean you are tensing your spinal and abdominal muscles and this will prevent
your lower spine from getting the full stretch benefit. At first you will probably only feel the stretch in your shoulders, but as your
shoulders get more used to hanging and you relax fully, you will feel the stretch reaching down to the base of your spine.
I recommend that you DO NOT actually hang anywhere where your feet cannot reach the ground, as stretching your discs and
then dropping down to the ground (which would suddenly re-compress your discs) could damage a disc that may have already been
weakened by earlier injury. If you experience strong back pain when hanging or if you have a serious existing spinal problem, don’t
use this exercise without first consulting with your back-pain specialist.
If you regularly give your shoulders a serious stretch, then even when there is “wear and tear”, they will stay more mobile! If you
have never seriously stretched your spine on a regular basis, then as you get older your discs will be compressed and thinned down,
making them less flexible. Having thinner discs means that your spinal vertebrae move closer together and may then start rubbing
together in a way that will cause arthritis. This leaves less room for your “peripheral” nerves to pass out from your spinal chord
through the spaces between your vertebrae and this pressure on the nerves can cause pain, numbness, tingling or pins and needles in
the legs and feet. So once you get started I recommend that you “seriously stretch” every day
FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE!
The most common cause of taking time off work is back-ache from sitting in front of a computer.
You should ask your company managers to consider putting up some sort of “hanging structure” at work, then every hour everyone can get up and have a strong, quick stretch.
If you think the way you sit at your desk is contributing to your poor posture and you want to quickly change the way you sit then check out http://www.backsavers.co.uk.
John Fudge
Registered Osteopath
If you have any queries please email me at john@backsavers.co.uk.