Archive for the ‘Blogs & Articles’ Category
My Love/Hate Relationship with Barefoot Running
Thursday, March 22nd, 2012Okay, now ‘hate’ is a very strong word, so lets just say I find it extremely discouraging that the barefoot running debate is primarily focused on whether shoes are good or bad, and if runners should be rear-foot or mid-foot striking. Don’t get me wrong, those are very important considerations; however, there is virtually no acknowledgement, discussion, or debate on the fact that most runners, whether barefoot or shod, have incredibly weak feet and ankles… <click for PDF> My Love/Hate Relationship With Barefoot Running
AFX Ankle Foot Maximizer: A Tool to Strengthen Weak Feet and Ankles
Wednesday, September 7th, 2011If you’re looking for a solution to strengthen your feet and ankles, the AFX Ankle Foot Maximizer is an innovative tool that you should take a look at.
With the recent surge in popularity of barefoot / minimalistic running, strengthening the intrinsic muscles of the foot plays a key role in avoiding running injuries – whether you’re running in minimalistic or more traditional running shoes. The AFX can help strengthen these muscles while also helping rehabilitate and prevent common injuries such as shin splints, plantar fasciitis and more.
We were fortunate enough to have Matt Ferguson, President & CEO of Progressive Health Innovations and the maker of the AFX, answer a few questions about the AFX. Healthynomics would like to thank Matt for his time.
To read the entire interview by Mark Kennedy please head over the Healthynomics website here: Healthynomics
Why Ankle and Knee Braces are Evil
Wednesday, August 11th, 2010Okay, before I go any further let me first say that I really don’t think ankle and knee braces are evil. I actually think they are a valuable tool in helping get people back to doing what they love and keeping them healthy. But who is going to read a blog called ‘ankle and knee braces are good in some situations but not the best in other situations’? ☺
What has started me on this rant is seeing an athlete coming back from injury being sold a brace and given the impression that it is all they’ll ever need. Even more bothersome is when I see studies like the one in a recent issue of Foot & Ankle International, that indicate healthy female volleyball players should wear rigid or semi-rigid ankle braces in order to prevent ankle injuries.
Athletic Development for Injured Athletes
Tuesday, April 20th, 2010Mike Young, owner and founder of ELITETRACK, wrote a blog series on returning injured athletes back to the field of play, specifically after ankle surgery.
To read the complete blog please click here: Athletic Development for Injured Athletes: Part 2 – Ankle Surgery
Preventing Shin Splints
Monday, March 29th, 2010Did you know that shin splints are one of the most common injuries/ailments in athletics? Did you also know that “shin splint” is a term used to describe a number of different conditions that cause pain in the shin? Pain that is persistent, gets worse, or affects your ability to exercise or perform your daily activities is usually a signal that damage (i.e. injury) has occurred to a muscle, tendon, bone, or other tissue in your lower leg. This pain should never be ignored because, if you continue to train too intensely and/or not allow for enough recovery time between training sessions, it could lead to a worsening of the damage with potentially long-lasting, debilitating effects. There are a number of things that you can do to prevent shin splints, but let’s first look at how shin splints typically occur and what causes them physiologically to give us a better understanding of how to prevent them.
(more…)
Preventing Ankle Sprains
Wednesday, January 27th, 2010Did you know that, next to cuts and bruises, a sprained ankle is the most common sports related injury? Yet, despite the fact that it is so common, most people don’t know what an ankle sprain is, how to prevent it, and how to properly recover from such an injury.
How can you walk in those? High Heels ≠ Foot Pain
Wednesday, January 13th, 2010I will admit it, I love beautiful shoes and high heels just happen to fall into that category for me. The fact that I am 5’2” and anything that will give me any added bonus to my height challenges I tend to like. Plus, I love the sound that they make on a marble floor: click, click, click. But by the end of a day of wearing my ‘beautiful’ shoes, my dogs are barking. Should I know better? Yes. Will it change my habits of wearing high heels? No. But I have educated myself enough to understand how to treat my feet properly if I am going to abuse them on a regular basis. Foot pain is not “beautiful’. (more…)
Eli Manning – NOT getting off on the right foot…
Monday, December 14th, 2009Eli Manning’s foot issues: Cuboid affecting the Q-B?
Cuboid Stress Syndrome
Any of you that follow NFL football are likely aware of the ongoing saga involving Eli Manning’s foot injury. It has been reported that the New York Giants’ quarterback is suffering from cuboid stress syndrome, and most wonder what effect this has had on his performance this year. I thought I would write a short blog on the ailment and look at how strengthening needs to be a key component of Manning’s recovery, along with prevention of future recurrence.
Are Feet at Fault for Back, Hip & Knee Woes?
Monday, December 7th, 2009Commentary
One question the AFX team is often asked is “can strengthening your feet help with problems at the knees, hips and back?” We can answer this question with a definite ‘yes’; common ailments such as patellofemoral syndrome (pain in the front of the knee), iliotibial band syndrome (pain on the outside of the knee, thigh, or hip), and lumbosacral pain (pain in the lower back) are often a result of musculoskeletal misalignment, which can be significantly affected by foot and ankle strength. (more…)
How Does Foot Strength Improve Vertical Jump?
Friday, September 11th, 2009As we were developing the AFX, we were getting great feedback from the rehab community, but were intrigued by its potential to improve athletic performance. We knew that foot strength was critical to jumping performance because several research studies had proven it.