This weekend, I am teaching Exercise Rehabilitation of the Lower Body courses.  This is where I talk about exercises for knee, hip, ankle and foot injuries.

Before heading to teach, I thought it would be a good idea to see what is new in the research when it relates to the lower body.

Here is a paper that stood out on injuries and exercises:

Hip Muscle Activation in 3 Hip Exercises in Runners

What The Researchers Looked At

It is thought that PFPS and ITBS is caused by weak proximal muscles leading to dynamic valgus of the knee.

Dynamic Valgus is defined as:

“..a malalignment characterized by pelvic drop, which is inferior movement of the contralateral side of the pelvis during single-legged stance; femoral adduction and internal rotation; genu valgum; tibial internal rotation; and hyperpronation, and it occurs when the hip muscles cannot overcome the external torque caused by gravity acting on the body’s center of mass.”

Very cool stuff – try repeating that five times.

The research they did was straight forward.  They used 20 distance runners from a local running club.  They looked at the EMG (electromyography – electrical recording of muscle activity) of gluteus maximus (GMax), gluteus medius (GMed), tensor fascia late (TFL) and anterior hip flexors (AHF) during these three exercises:

1. side-lying hip abduction
2. side-lying clam exercises – it is thought that it focuses on strengthening the abductors and external rotators of the hip
3. side-lying hip abduction with the leg externally rotated – it is thought this exercise targets GMax better than other exercises

Cool Stuff in the Introduction

As I have said before, I love reading the introduction to papers.  There are always great stats and nuggets of information in there.

• 19% to 79% of runners will sustain a lower extremity injury
• The knee, lower leg and foot are the most common running injury areas
• The most frequent injuries in runners is patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) and iliotibial band syndrome (ITBS), injuries to the gluteus medius muscle (GMed), and greater trochanteric bursitis.
• TFL and GMed contribute to hip abduction but TFL also helps with hip flexion.
• VERY IMPORTANT ==> “authors of cadaver-based anatomical studies have demonstrated that beyond 40 degrees of hip flexion, the GMed no longer functions as a primary hip abductor.  In more than 40 degrees of hip flexion, the GMEd functions as an internal rotator, and hip abduction is performed by the deep external rotators.”
• VERY IMPORTANT ==> 40% of maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) is needed in order to obtain strength gains.

Exercise Set Up

Here are some exercise set up points that stood out:

• Tempo – 60 beats per minute with a metronome with 1 beat concentric, 1 beat eccentric and 4 beats rest.
• Hip Abduction – They limited people to 35 degrees of hip abduction.
• Pelvis Neutral – They prevented any pelvis movement by using a blood pressure device in the lower back area.
• Resistance – 5% of body weight.
• Clam Exercises – It was done with 45 degrees of hip flexion and 90 degrees of knee flexion.  The top leg was lifted to a point of 25 degrees to the horizontal.

The Results from the Research

1. Side-lying Hip Abduction – GMed (79.1% MVIC) was more active than TFL (54% MVIC), AHF, and GMax
2. Side-lying Clam Exercises – AHF (54.2% MVIC) was more active than GMed (32.6% MVIC), TFL, and GMax.
3. Side-lying Hip Abduction with the Leg Externally Rotated – TFL (70.9% MVIC) was more active than  GMax (31.7% MVIC), GMed, and AHF.

Rick’s Comment on Things

Also remember that there is a difference between body weight and resistance exercises.  This research showed that with resisted side-lying hip abduction, GMed had a 79.1% MVIC while other research showed when it was just body weight it had 46.06% MVIC.

The point about 40% MVIC in order to see strength gains is a key thing to remember as side-lying clam exercises and side-lying hip abduction with the leg external rotate did not meet these requirements when targeting GMed or Max.

Where to get more information: McBeth JM, Earl-Boehm JE, Cobb SC, Huddleston WE. (2012). Hip muscle activity during 3 side-lying hip-strengthening exercises in distance runners. J Athl Train. 2012;47(1):15-23.

Where Should You Put the Tubing Around Your Knees in Order to Target Gluteus Medius the Best?

What The Researchers Looked At

The researchers wanted to look at designing a progressive rehabilitation program based on muscle activation.

They looked at the “Monster Walks” and “Sumo Walk”.  Within each exercise they looked at tubing placement at the feet, ankles and knees.

They looked at 9 healthy male subjects and their muscle activation in the hip and torso.

The Results from the Research

• Tensor fascia latae (TFL) – demonstrated an increase in activation when you moved the band from the knees to the feet but there was no difference between the ankle and the foot.
• Gluteus medius – demonstrated an increase in activation as you move from the knees to the toes.
• Gluteus maximus – was only active when the tubing was wrapped around the feet.
• External Rotation of the Hip – when the tubing was wrapped around the ankles or feet, this lead to greater external rotation of the hip which lead to greater gluteus medius and maximus activation.

Rick’s Comment on Things

I was talking about this last weekend during the Exercise Rehabilitation of the Lower Body courses.  I am glad I dug this up and finally read this.

I think this info will help bootcamp instructors, personal trainers, senior fitness leaders and rehabilitation professionals.

Darn, I love research.

Where to get more information – Cambridge ED, Sidorkewicz N, Ikeda DM, McGill SM. (2012). Progressive hip rehabilitation: The effects of resistance band placement on gluteal activation during two common exercises. Clin Biomech (Bristol, Avon). 2012 Mar 29. [Epub ahead of print]

Here is a resource for gluteus medius exercises. It is the video presentation that I did on Core Stability of the Hip:

That is it, have a great day.

Rick Kaselj, MS

If you enjoyed the above article, here are some of my other research reviews:

• Tennis Elbow Exercise Mistakes
• Core Stability and Injuries Plus a Tennis Elbow Exercise
• Scapular Stabilization Exercises, Jumper’s Knee and Osteoarthritis

As you know, I just finished up the Injury of the Month focusing on shin splint exercises.

Creating the program was a lot of fun and it is always great to look at what I do, what I have learned working with people with shin splints and compare this with the research.

I wanted to highlight a few very cool things that I learned when it related to exercises for shin splints.

Before I get into the details, let’s start with a definition of shin splints.

What are Shin Splints?

“Medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS) is an overuse injury or repetitive-stress injury of the shin area. Various stress reactions of the tibia and surrounding musculature occur when the body is unable to heal properly in response to repetitive muscle contractions and tibial strain.” - Galbraith 2009

There was a lot of reference to Medial Tibial Stress Styndome (MTSS) in the research.  Along with MTSS, there were 13 other names that referred to shin splints.  Now that is a little confusing.  It would nice if everyone stuck to one.

Now that we have the definition out of the way, here are a few things that I learned about shin splints when digging in the research.

Orthotics Increases Your Risk of Getting Shin Splints

This was a bit of a shock.

This statement took a little figuring out.

We all know that with medications, they all have side effects. Medication will solve one problem but often times creates another.

It looks like orthotics are the same. The use of orthotics may solve one problem but increase your risk of getting shin splints.

Very interesting.

Let me dig into things a little further.

Athletes that use orthotics have a greater risk of getting shin splints (Hubbard 2009).

Something to keep in mind if you are an athlete or work with athletes.

In military recruits, about 4% of them will get shin splints (Herring 2006).  This is a lot of people that are injured.  The military has spent a lot of money on research, trying to find out what to do for new military recruits that enter basic training.  The recommendation that the research came up with was to use a shock absorbing insole in order to decrease the risk of shin splints.

Remember, if you are a runner, when your running shoes hit about a 250 to 500 miles, the

absorption of the shoes has decreased by 40%.

All of this makes sense looking at the definition, above.

Summary of Shin Splints and Footwear:

• A rigid orthotic increases the stress on the shin area which increases the risk of shin splints.
• The boots that military recruits are given and the  surface they mainly walk on is very firm which leads to increased stress on the shin area, which leads to greater risk of shin splints.
• Lastly, looking at runners, as the mileage increases on their shoes, there is less shock absorption which leads to greater stress on the shin and an increase in shin splints.

No Evidence for Shin Splint Stretching

I was kind of surprised about this, but there was no evidence supporting shin splint stretching or tibialis anterior stretching.

Very interesting.

Plus there was no evidence on the benefit of foam rolling the shins for shin splints.

That being said, I did include them in the Shin Splints Solved program.

I put them in stage 1 of the program as I feel they are good for countering the tension that builds up in tibialis anterior and helps with pain management.

The Best Exercises for Shin Splints are….

This was another surprise for me.

The most common recommendations that people are given for shin splints is to stretch the shin, roll the shin and decrease training but that is not a long term solution.

It makes sense.

If running hurts, doing some stretching is not going to lead to having your shin splints go away and get you back to running again.

The stretching and rolling will help with initial recovery and pain management but will not be the key thing to get you back to running.

If you search the internet for exercises for shin splints, you will see stretching and toe wiggling exercises are the preferred exercise.  (Note – Just because it is the most popular recommendation does not mean it is the right recommendation.)

In a 2008 study by Dr. Debbie Craig, she recommended to “increase the strength and endurance of the soleus muscle.”

This is hard to do with stretching, foam rolling and toe wiggling exercise.

But you can do it with plyometrics.

Recommended Exercises for Shin Splints

• Doing stage 1 exercises that focus on recovery, pain management and introducing plyometric movements.
• Moving onto stage 2 exercises which focus on strengthening the ankle, challenging the hip and performing exercises that prepare the body for plyometrics.
• The last stage (#3) is introducing plyometrics exercises.

There you go.  A new exercise program for shin splints.

References for Exercises for Shin Splints

Here are the references for what I talk about above.  In Shin Splints Solved, I have a full list of the 18 research papers that I referenced in the program plus there are links to the abstracts and a few of the full articles, for those that like to dig in the research (like me).

Craig DI. (2008). Medial tibial stress syndrome: evidence-based prevention. J Athl Train. 2008 May-Jun;43(3):316-8.

Galbraith RM, Lavallee ME. (2009). Medial tibial stress syndrome: conservative treatment options. Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med. 2009 Oct 7;2(3):127-33.

Herring KM. (2006). A plyometric training model used to augment rehabilitation from tibial fasciitis. Curr Sports Med Rep. 2006 May;5(3):147-54. 

Hubbard TJ, Carpenter EM, Cordova ML. (2009). Contributing factors to medial tibial stress syndrome: a prospective investigation. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009 Mar;41(3):490-6.

I hope this was a benefit to you as much as it was a benefit to me.

If you are interested in the Shin Splints Solved program you can check it out here.

Just a reminder of what you get with the Shin Splints Solved program

In the Shin Splints Solved Program you will get:

1. A comprehensive video presentation that gives you all you need to know when it comes to shin splints and tells you what you need to do to overcome shin splints.
2. A researched back exercise program with over 29 shin splint exercises with descriptions and photos.
3. Then you will get videos of all of the exercises which will show you how to do the exercise right so you can get maximal benefit from the program.

That is it, have a great day.

Rick Kaselj, MS

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Traditional Shoes vs. Minimalist Shoes

In the last few years there has been an ongoing debate in the running industry regarding footwear. At one extreme are the barefoot and minimalist running shoe proponents who argue that no shoes or at most, shoes with minimal structure, are best. On the other end are experts who hold that the traditional thick soled, cushioned shoes are optimal for injury prevention.

Traditional Running Shoes

Until the 1970’s running shoes were manufactured with flat, thin-soles. Indeed the current growth in popularity of minimalist shoes can be seen as a case of old becoming new again.

In the late 70’s and early 80’s running shoe construction began incorporating thicker soles with elevated heels. The rationale for adding cushioning in the midsole and motion control features in running shoes was to absorb impact forces and control movement, specifically pronation, of the foot.

This rationale however was probably misguided. Cushioning materials in shoes actually increases overall leg stiffness (Bishop et al. 2006). Some leg stiffness is beneficial to running well but excessive leg stiffness may be a factor for increased risk of injury (Hewett et al. 2004).

A review study by Richards et al in 2008 concluded that the prescription of “pronation control, elevated cushioned heel (PCECH) running shoes to distance runners is not evidence-based.”

Additionally, a study by Ryan et al in 2010 showed that motion control shoes had the highest incidence of injury in their research group, regardless if the wearer had highly pronated feet or not.

There is good evidence that the shoe construction of the last thirty years or so has not accomplished what it was originally intended to do. Injury rates in runners today remain as high as ever.

Minimalist Shoes

Since Christopher MacDougall published Born to Run in 2009, there has been tremendous growth in the number and styles of so-called minimalist shoes. Virtually every major shoe manufacturer and a number of smaller upstarts now have minimalist shoes.

These shoes were designed to mimic how the foot functions barefoot. Generally, running barefoot will cause a runner to land with a flatter foot (De Wit et al 2000).

In addition, Lieberman et al. (2010) found that if a barefoot runner lands with a forefoot landing there is no impact transient (a very rapid rise in impact forces) as compared to landing heel first in shoes. It should be noted however that Lieberman and his group do not claim that heel striking in and of itself causes injury.

Minimalist shoes share the following characteristics:

• They’re lightweight.
• They have a flexible upper and sole.

• They incorporate less or no cushioning material in the mid-sole.
• And there is less difference between the heel and forefoot height (also known as heel drop). Traditional shoes have a heel drop of 11 – 15 or more mm while minimalist shoes have a heel drop under 10 mm.

Traditional Shoe 

Heel Drop

Minimalist Shoe Heel Drop

Within the minimalist shoe category are three main sub-categories:

1. Barefoot-style shoe. This shoe is the most minimal in structure with no cushioning, a zero-drop (heel and forefoot are level) and the thinnest sole. Examples include the Vibram Five-Fingers and the Merrell Trail Glove.
2. Minimalist shoe. These shoes have some cushioning in their midsole, small or no heel drop and a wide forefoot allowing the toes to be splayed. Examples include the Altra brand shoes.
3. Transition shoe. These shoes are most similar to traditional running shoes but are lighter, more flexible and have a lower heel drop. Examples include the Nike Free, Saucony Kinvara or the Brooks Pure models.

Take Home Advice

Currently, neither the minimalist side nor the traditional side can conclusively say their method of shoe construction is superior in regards to injury prevention. More and more studies are being done with minimalist shoes and it will be interesting to see the data.

In my opinion as a coach I think most runners could benefit from some amount of running in minimalist shoes. However caution must be taken in how quickly and how much a runner transitions away from a regular, traditional running shoe.

There will be a wide range of individual variability in adapting to a more minimalist style of running. A runner’s experience, ability, strengths, weaknesses, injury history and psychology are all factors to consider.

The choice of running shoe style needs to be part of a well-thought out training program. If a runner has been relatively injury-free and is content with their performance in traditional shoes I see no reason to push them into minimalist shoes.

On the other hand, if a runner has had repeated injuries and setbacks with traditional shoes it may be time to transition to a more minimalist shoe.

My advice would be to first look for a shoe with a wide toe-box to accommodate splaying of the toes during running. This will facilitate proper function of the big toe. Less cushioning and more flexibility are other characteristics to look for. Lighter shoes will help improve running economy.

I would be more cautious in regards to heel drop. Going to a zero-drop shoe for many runners will be put too much strain on the Achilles tendon and lower posterior chain. Look for a 4 – 8 mm heel drop initially.

Use the shoes indoors during strength training sessions first and then try them for short runs and running drills. Build the mileage gradually. Some runners may adapt to where they can run with minimalist shoes all the time. Others may only be able to progress to using them for shorter runs.

But keep in mind that shoes, whether traditional or minimalist, are not a solution by themselves. Runners need to incorporate strength training, multi-planar mobility drills and technique exercises into an individualized conditioning program that includes adequate recovery and sound nutrition.

Vancouver Running Symposium

If you’re interested to learn more about this topic and are in the Vancouver area on January 26, I invite you to attend the Vancouver Running Symposium.

An expert panel consisting of a sports medicine doctor, physiotherapist, pedorthist, coach, shoe designer and a podiatrist will be debating the role of traditional shoes vs. minimalist shoes.

Full details and the RSVP form can be found at Vancouver Running Symposium.

Curb Ivanic, MS, CSCS is a Vancouver based trainer, running coach and experienced ultrarunner. He is the creator of the Core Running system and has coached hundreds of runners from beginner to elite over the last 12 years. You can contact him through CoreRunning.com .

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Big thanks to Curb, that was great.

I very much recommend that you do what you can to make the Vancouver Running Symposium.  It looks great.

If you are looking for a fitness education course focused on working with the recreational runner, you can check out:

• Injury-Free Running

If you are looking for resources to help you run injury free, you can check out:

• Naked Running – Introduction to Barefoot Running
• Corrective Exercises for Running Injury-free

Here are a few other articles on running that may interest you:

• Interested in Barefoot Running? 

Injury-Free Running

DESCRIPTION:
Within a year, 65% of runners will be injured to a point where they will need to reduce their training. This 7-hour session will allow participants to develop an understanding of the mechanics involved in running, how to assess the runner, training and recovery techniques and dynamic warm-up exercises. In addition, exercise rehabilitation of common running injuries like IT band syndrome, hip flexor tightness, plantar fasciitis and shin splints will be covered. This course is designed for fitness and rehabilitation professionals that would like learn how to train their clients to run injury-free. Join Ironman finisher and outdoor adventurer, Rick Kaselj, as he helps to keep you and your running clients injury-free.

OBJECTIVES:

• The mechanics of running
• How to assess runners
• Run training and recovery techniques
• Dynamic warm-up exercises will be discussed and demonstrated
• Exercise programs for IT band syndrome, hip flexor tightness, plantar fasciitis and shin splints

Please note: During the class we will perform running and joint assessments. It is important to wear clothing that allows for an accurate running assessment and joint assessment. Please wear shorts or biking shorts, and a t-shirt or sports top along with running shoes.

Read the rest of this entry »

I just finished up my winter run with my son and my dog.

While I was running I started thinking about the number one mistake that run leaders make with their clients when it comes to running injuries.

I will get to the number one mistake, but first let me give you a little background.

#1 Running Injury Mistake Run Leaders Make

Read the rest of this entry »

#1 Running Injury Mistake Run Leaders Make [ 3:46 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Corrective Exercises for Running Injury-free (Webinar)

Running is one of the most popular recreational activities amongst adults but most will have to stop due to an injury.  Along with a solid running program that prevents over training, there are a number of key exercises that a fitness professional must include in a recreational runners program in order to keep them running injury-free.  In the corrective exercises for running injury-free webinar, the fitness professional will learn assessment techniques and exercises to keep their clients running injury-free.

What you will learn in the Corrective Exercises for Running Injury-free webinar:

- Learn postural dysfunctions that lead to running injuries
- Understand how which movement assessments can be used to help keep runners running
- Discover the key exercises that a runner must perform in order to run injury-free

CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDITS:  1.0 BCRPA CEC

Note – If you can not attend the specific, registrants will be given a personal copy of the recorded webinar.

To REGISTER click “Add to Cart” button:

INSTRUCTOR:

Rick Kaselj – MS., B.Sc., PK, CPT, CEP, CES

Rick Kaselj specializes in exercise rehabilitation, post-rehab, active rehabilitation, exercise therapy and corrective exercise. He works in one-on-one and group rehabilitation settings, training people who have been injured at work, in car accidents and during sport activities. His clients and group exercise participants include a wide variety of individuals from healthy and special populations.  Rick has given over 233 presentations to 4531 fitness professionals and consumers across Canada while continuing to work in rehabilitation centers, physiotherapy clinics, fitness clubs and personal training studios.  Rick recently completed his Masters of Science degree focusing on corrective exercise and therapeutic exercise for the rotator cuff.  To reach Rick or learn about his exercise rehabilitation courses please visit http://www.HealingThroughMovement.com

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I had a running client that was wanting a tibialis anterior stretch because he was feeling a lot of tightness in his shin.

I showed him how to modify the good old quad stretch to be a tibialis anterior stretch.

The tibialis anterior gets tight in people that walk, run and hike so it is an important area to stretch.

Let me go through how to turn the good old quad stretch into two effective stretches for the knee and runners.

The good old quad stretch focus on rectus femoris and the new quad stretch on tibialis anterior. 

Good Old Quad Stretch:

-  grab something for support in order to eliminate balance so you can end up focusing on the stretch
- lean your weight onto one leg
- grabbing the forefoot
- pulling the heel towards the seat
- now move the knee back a touch
- you are looking for a stretch in the quadriceps or the rectus femoris

New Tibialis Anterior Quad Stretch:

- take your footwear off
- lean your weight onto one leg
- shift your hand position more towards the toes and pull your toes back
- bring the heel towards to the seat
- then bringing the knee back a touch

With the toes pulled back, you get a tibialis anterior stretch and a rectus femoris stretch. 

If the stretch ends up being to strong of a stretch, I can bring the knee more forward and just focus on the tibialis anterior stretch. 

Now here is a video where I go through the two quadriceps stretches.  The first one focusing on a rectus femoris stretch and the second on a tibialis anterior stretch.

==>  CLICK HERE for the tibialis anterior and rectus femoris stretch

If you are looking for more stretches to help your running clients, I would recommend attending these courses for fitness professionals:

Exercise Rehabilitation of the Knee

Injury-free Running

That is it for now.

Rick Kaselj, MS

I got an e-mail from a fitness professional that was looking for some suggestions on Achilles tendonitis.

She was off to Italy for a few weeks and had to do a lot of walking and did not want Achilles tendonitis to slow her down.

Great question, the catch was, she wanted suggestions other than stretching, icing and massage.

Hmmmm?

Here you go Janice.

Three Tips to a Happy Achilles Tendon while Walking in Italy

#1 – Little Bit of Olive Oil and Candle Light

I saw a massage therapist once and she recommended if I wanted to do self massage, to use a little olive oil.

My parents are Croatian and they love olive oil. They go threw about 1 liter a week.

Yes, just my mom and dad.

Yes, 1 liter.

While growing up, they never taught me to massage with olive oil. If you are going to Europe, it maybe and interesting thing to try. I know the olive oil is amazing in Italy.

Let me get to my point, self massage is huge. It would be nice to have access, time and the funds to get a massage every day for your achilles tendon. For most of us, it is not possible. If you have Achilles tendon issues, I recommend self massaging your calf (Gastrocnemius). I recommend you spend one to two minutes massaging different parts of the calf looking for sensitive areas and using the self massage to help with the circulation to those sensitive areas.

The self massage is based on what I learned in Bill Huhn’s Understanding Trigger Points to Overcome Pain course.

#2 – Shoe Burning Party

Your shoes maybe part of the problem. If you plan to do a lot a walking in a day and your Achilles tendon is bugging you, you may want to add a little heel lift under the shoe insole.

When I was hiking across the USA, I did this with a piece of cardboard. It was low tech, cheap and did the trick. Another idea to change your shoe insoles so you have more of a heel lift. This will decrease the load and stretch on the Achilles tendon.

#3 – GET OFF YOUR FEET!!!!!!!!

I learned this when I was hiking for 5 months. When I was not hiking, I was sitting. Doing a half marathon a day hiking was a challenge but adding to the stress on my Achilles tendon by standing when I did not need to, put even greater stress on it.

If your Achilles tendon is bugging you, do less standing. Get off your feet and sit down on a bench, chair, the ground, on a rock or a hoarse.

If you or any of your clients have ankle and foot issues, I go threw an extensive list of exercises to help overcome the most common ankle & foot injuries in the Exercise Rehabilitation of the Ankle & Foot course.

I think that it is.

Have a great day.

Rick Kaselj

Heat waves are hitting metro Vancouver.  Even with the heat on, it is important to get outside and stay active.  This is important to keep the summer barbecue weight gain off, to get your vitamin D and to escape to the great outdoors for a break from reality.  While outside in the sun, you maybe taking the steps to keep yourself safe during a heat wave but what about your children that you are running with.

Children maybe tucked away in their stroller, hanging on for deal life as you run down the street.  You may think they are okay in their shaded stroller or do they feel like a dog in a car park in the summer heat with the window open a crack.  Here are four keys to keep your children safe and happy when running with you in a summer heat wave.

Remember the Goop

Often times their feet hang out at the bottom of the stroller.  Make sure you lather up their legs and feet with strong suntan lotion in order to prevent a bad sun burn and a night without any sleep. 

Keep them Shaded

Just like parents, kids like the top down.  When the sun it out blazing, keep the top up.  This will keep eyes, skin and bodies happy.  Plus it is easier for them to fall asleep while dad is doing all the work.

Load them Up with Drinks

Make sure to bring two kinds of drinks that they can drink and make sure they are cool.  Just watch how much sugar they get or they may get out of the stroller and starting running past you.

Cool Mist

Load up a refreshing squirt bottle that they can spray on themselves and you.  This a nice way to keep refreshed and to keep the run fun.  Just make sure the your kids just spray themselves or you.  If not they may start a water fight with people you pass by.

The heat is on but this is not the time to hide away in the basement.  It is important to still get outside and exercise.  When you do go outside to run with your kids remember to keep them safe and to have fun by slimming them up with sun goop, keeping the top up on the stroller, to bring them a cold one and bring the mist maker.  Now get out there and run!

P.S. – If you are a runner and looking to run injury free make sure you have a look at the upcoming course, Injury-Free Running.  Click Here to get details.

- Rick Kaselj

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