As an endurance athlete, I spent the better part of my twenties training for and running ultramarathons. My body was resilient, productively absorbing 60- to 100-mile training weeks and races just as long, and I thought that would continue indefinitely.

Then, over the course of nine months, I developed intermittent but often excruciating sciatica, nerve pain that originates in the lower back and radiates down the leg, and eventually, as a result of changing my running gait to compensate for this pain, a torn hip labrum. I expected rest鈥攖he do-nothing, on-the-couch type rest鈥攖o eventually heal me, but the pain persisted. I saw massage therapists, chiropractors, acupuncturists, bone and joint specialists, and nerve doctors. No one had a clear answer and no treatment worked.

It was at this vulnerable moment, in 2020, that I discovered the Knees Over Toes Guy. Ben Patrick, a then 30-year-old based in Clearwater, Florida, posted videos of himself on Instagram performing scroll-stopping feats of circus athleticism without any apparent discomfort: springing from a stationary deep squat up to dunk a basketball; where, from a standing position, he drops his knees out forward to touch the ground. These exercises put a remarkable amount of pressure on very vulnerable joints.

In nearly every video, Patrick shares that he has had three knee surgeries, and doctors told him he would never be able to squat or play basketball without pain again. But through an unconventional鈥攁nd some might say dangerous鈥攕trength training protocol, Patrick was not only able to effectively eliminate his pain, but he says he was able to increase his speed and vertical jump to well beyond his youthful PRs. His message was that anyone can achieve that same ability and resilience. But in order to do so, you鈥檇 have to forget most everything you鈥檝e been told about strength training.

The internet is rife with fitness hucksters and overpriced, overcomplicated training plans, but Patrick seemed different. As I read the hundreds of comments under his videos, I was struck by how universally positive everyone was, with sincere-seeming testimonials for his online program, gratitude for introducing them to these unconventional movements, and encouragement towards users who shared their stories of chronic pain.听I was also impressed by the numerous physical therapists . Desperate to regain autonomy over my athleticism, I decided to give his exercises a try.

Over the last four years, Patrick has exploded in popularity, going from a trainer and gym owner to an online fitness mega-personality with 2.4 million Instagram followers. Patrick, who declined to speak with us for this article, has shared his origin story on many podcasts, including the mega-popular Joe Rogan Experience, which has 14.5 million followers on Spotify and 17.6 million on YouTube.

As an obsessive youth basketball player, his passion for the sport and penchant for grueling drills (he would frequently perform 1,000 daily layups) led to painful, fragile knees. His teammates nicknamed him Old Man. After Patrick underwent those three knee surgeries鈥攖he first while he was still a teenager鈥攈e discovered the late, famed Canadian strength coach Charles Poliquin, who preached a style of strength training where each rep is taken to its stretched end range. The priority is not just the amount of weight you can lift, but the body’s ability to move into deeper positions while doing so. (Poliquin was noted for his Seussian soundbite: 鈥淪trength is gained in the range it is trained.鈥�)

Patrick adopted Poliquin鈥檚 training techniques and not only eliminated his chronic knee pain, he says, but began to redevelop his athleticism. At age 23, he was offered a full-ride scholarship to play D1 basketball at Eastern Florida State College. Now, as a trainer, he proselytizes this training philosophy through his unsubtly named app and online coaching business, Athletic Truth Group.

Part of Patrick鈥檚 success can be attributed to his origin story and his social media savvy: his videos are short, attention grabbing, and feature practical training advice. With the bracing sincerity of a youth camp counselor, he talks directly to the camera, appearing trustworthy and capable. But the other part is that this style of training鈥攚hich Poliquin pioneered and Patrick champions鈥攊s, by historic standards, radical.

If you have ever spent time in a weight room, you鈥檝e likely been warned that your knees should never go past your toes in a squat. Instead, you should push your butt backwards and stop when the upper and lower leg form a 90-degree angle. Failing to do so will put too much pressure on your knee and cause injury.

This is only half true. Squatting with your knees over your toes does put pressure on the joint, but that pressure may actually help you avoid injury.

鈥淭endons, cartilage, ligaments鈥攁ll those things will toughen up to load,鈥� says Erik Meira, a physical therapist and rehab specialist based in Portland, Oregon, who works with NBA and NFL players. For most athletes, especially those in endurance sports, injuries occur in the connective tissues of the joints. Tendons, while quite different in composition than muscles, still operate under the same principle: to get them stronger, you must use them in a mildly stressful manner, then back off and let them recover.

鈥淜nees over toes is something that has been vilified for a long time as causing pain to the front of the knee,鈥� says Meira. 鈥淭he reality is it will cause pain if you鈥檙e not conditioned to take that kind of load. But the best way to condition yourself to that kind of load is to get used to positions like that.鈥�

Patrick has taken this philosophy鈥攖hat bending your knees under progressive load will make them healthy and strong鈥攁nd applied it to other vulnerable parts of the body including the ankles, hips, lower back, shoulders, and elbows. In a way, Patrick’s protocol could be seen as a gym routine structured entirely around proactive physical therapy: he identifies problem areas and develops strength and range of motion in the local musculature and connective tissue.

It is a tremendously appealing proposition to many endurance athletes, who are traditionally averse to the gym. Here is a style of strength training that doesn鈥檛 prioritize muscle mass, is singularly focused on avoiding pain, and will allow you to fully express yourself physically outside of the gym.

In 2020, I was one of many impressionable scrollers transfixed by Patrick and his message. Without much to lose, I dedicated myself to 16 weeks of his program through the app. The first cycle, a full-body general protocol called Zero, was easy. I did repetitive, progressive bodyweight exercises鈥攕ome familiar, some novel鈥攖o strengthen mind-muscle connections and expose my joints to new movement patterns. Then, four weeks later, came Dense, where you take these same and other similar exercises, add weight, and perform many sets to condition your joints through repetition under manageable load. Four weeks after that, I moved on to a back-specific training program.

The most significant movement for me in this block was the , which you perform on a forward-angled, hip-high bench that allows you to hinge forward from the hips and directly strengthen the lower back muscles. This was terrifying, as I thought putting my injured back in that exposed position would only hurt it further. But this is precisely what this program is trying to teach: safely training in a vulnerable position creates resilience in that position.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CjTz7R8NkJx/

鈥淭he most important part of rehabilitation is graded exposure,鈥� says Mike Istraetel, the popular online fitness commentator who holds a doctorate in exercise science. 鈥淵ou want a little bit of irritation, then back off and heal up鈥� The biggest mistake people make in a gym is assuming a degree of fragility to their body.鈥�

And while Patrick emphasizes the importance of developing strength in tendons themselves, there鈥檚 also another factor at work. 鈥淭endons take up to nine months, if not more, of consistently loading to heal and grow stronger,鈥� says Matt Klein, a rehabilitation and movement science professor at George Fox University. 鈥淏ut patients can have an acute decrease in pain [when they first start training the injured joint] and that鈥檚 not because the tendon has changed. That鈥檚 because their perception of pain鈥攁 fear response鈥攈as changed.鈥�

Meira explains that fear activates our nervous system and sends us into a dysfunctional 鈥減rotective mode.鈥澨� 鈥淲e see this a lot with low back pain,鈥� Meira says. 鈥淎n individual starts to fear taking load and their back gets weaker. Then they 肠补苍鈥檛 take more load, then they fear it more, and they end up in a downward spiral where their back is made out of glass.鈥�

With this mindset, I performed small reps at first, barely leaning forward a few inches, then the next time I went a little deeper, and so on until months later, I was doing 20 full range reps. Eventually I started holding a weight to my chest as I leaned forward, taxing my low back further. And an amazing thing happened: my sciatica went away. Gone, vanished. The insidious nerve pain that for years鈥攍iterally years鈥擨 tried to roll, massage, stretch, and rest away, finally disappeared. All it needed, it turned out, was to get stronger.

鈥淭he biggest mistake I see with athletes is resting for wellness,鈥� says Meira. 鈥淟et鈥檚 say the front of my knee gets sensitive when I run. I think I鈥檓 going to stop putting any load on it and let that heal. Then once it heals I鈥檒l go back to what I鈥檓 doing. But when I鈥檓 resting it, the front of that knee isn’t getting any stimulus, so it鈥檚 not learning to take load. It鈥檚 being de-conditioned to load. Being overprotective is often what gives us issues.鈥� This is ultimately Patrick鈥檚 message: to heal your body, you must use your body.

鈥淭en years ago we still had a postural fear model: you should not put your knees over your toes because that鈥檚 going to cause you knee pain; you should not slouch because that鈥檚 going to cause you neck pain,鈥� says Klein. 鈥淭he current evidence suggests that the perfect posture is the one you鈥檙e in for the least amount of time. Move. People are going to be slumped forward and extended and everything in between. Your body is meant to move in these ways. If your body is having trouble in a position, train in that position more.鈥�

As I progressed through the program, it became evident that there are only about two dozen total exercises that Patrick repeatedly prescribes. If you’ve never performed these movements, the app鈥攚hich coaches you through proper form鈥攊s invaluable. The back extension machine was revelatory for me and got me out of pain and back to the sport I love.

But as I rebuilt my running body and tried to progress deeper into his program, I ran up against his one-size-fits-most approach, an unfortunate and necessary limitation of mass-marketed fitness programs. For instance, deadlifts, which Ben prescribes, still hurt my back no matter how gentle or light I went.

No program will serve as the answer to everything, says Klein. 鈥淚 think [Patrick] is helping a lot of people,鈥� he says. 鈥淏ut I also think it can hurt a lot of people.” Klein points out that athletes should only try these training protocols after taking the time to pursue an accurate diagnosis with doctors and physical therapists鈥攖o ensure they’re treating the right thing.

After two years, I stopped following Patrick鈥檚 program through his app, but his philosophies have fundamentally changed how I think about exercise. Now, four years since I began his protocol, running is still my priority, but I only run four days a week instead of six. Strength training two to three times a week is non-negotiable. Each session is full-body and joint-focused, and at least half of the exercises I perform are ones I learned through his program. I haven鈥檛 gone a week without a back extension in two years. But the most important thing the Knees Over Toes Guy has taught me is as simple and radical as this: to keep athletically progressing and doing what you love into your thirties and beyond, you have to get strong. Spending time in the gym is a real-time fight against aging.

Despite the reduction in my running volume, I鈥檓 still getting faster, winning races, and setting PRs. But the thing I鈥檓 most proud of: I鈥檓 doing it all without pain.

The Knees Over Toes Philosophy

Strength Train

If you are injury-prone, aging, or looking to maximize your body鈥檚 potential, you MUST strength train. Full stop. Two or three times a week is ideal, but once a week is better than nothing. Perhaps this is obvious, but it bears repeating to strength-shy endurance athletes.

Measurably Strengthen Vulnerable Areas

Identify the muscles that support your body鈥檚 most vulnerable areas and train them unyieldingly. For ankles, this means targeting your calves (encompassing both the soleus and gastrocnemius) and tibialis anterior, the oft-ignored muscle on the front of the lower leg. For knees, it鈥檚 mainly quads and hamstrings. And for hips and back, well, it鈥檚 your hip flexors and back muscles. Do this in a manner that you can measure, such as weight lifted or reps completed, and work to improve those metrics. This is in contrast to many other runners鈥� strength programs, where you鈥檒l likely find complex kettlebell swinging workouts, yogic core stability routines, or resistance band 鈥渁ctivation鈥� drills. There鈥檚 nothing inherently bad about these exercises, but they fail to give you a way to measure their progress. They are also inefficient at genuinely strengthening the muscles and tendons that do the most for you.

Build Balance

Nearly everyone has practiced squatting. But when was the last time you did the opposite鈥搕hat is, lifted weight up off the ground with your legs instead of lowering weight toward the ground? Over time, certain exercises have become popular while their counterbalancing movements have not. Most athletes train their calves but not their tibialis anterior; their squat but not their hip flexors; their abs but not their lower back. To be a high-performing pain-free athlete, you must train both sides of the body, and both sides of any joint.

Regress

If pain pops up, as it is bound to, do not stop training that area. Instead, regress the movement (e.g. less weight, smaller range of motion, and/or fewer reps) to the point where you feel no pain. But do not cease to use that area of the body entirely. Pain is bad and you should never work through pain鈥攂ut motion is lotion.

Length Through Strength

Static stretching is not the panacea for health that it was once thought to be. However, the mobility (i.e. range of motion) of your joints and muscles is incredibly important and is correlated with healthier tissue. So how do we reconcile those two truths? We work to lengthen while strengthening. This means that for every exercise, you should be feeling a stretch at the top or bottom of the movement, and you should perform every exercise with the greatest bend in the targeted joint that you can achieve without pain. (Often, this means starting by lifting lighter weights.)

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For some athletes, taking pain relievers like Tylenol (acetaminophen) or Advil (ibuprofen, an NSAID drug) to ease muscle soreness after a hard workout is second nature. However, while pain relievers may have their place in lessening discomfort, pain can also be an important signal from the body that you鈥檝e overdone it.听So, how do you know when to take an occasional Advil for an achy knee and when to see a professional for help?

You Can Treat Minor Aches with OTC Medications; Injuries Require Special Attention

One of the most common reasons people feel sore after a workout is due to delayed onset muscle soreness, or DOMS. This can feel like tenderness in the muscles, stiffness, or mild swelling.

For instance, if you had a tough leg workout, you might spend the next few days walking funny up and down the stairs. You can still exercise when you experience this kind of soreness as long as the tenderness doesn鈥檛 affect your movement. However, if you 肠补苍鈥檛 properly execute an exercise without shifting form, then it鈥檚 wise to take it easy.

It鈥檚 always important to warm up before a workout, especially if you鈥檙e feeling muscle fatigue. This can decrease the chance that your soreness will get in the way of your routine.

, a doctor of osteopathic medicine and听迟he director of the Center for Sports Medicine at the New York Institute of Technology, says that this kind of soreness is typical and shouldn鈥檛 be cause for concern. 鈥淎fter exercising, our muscles are inflamed,鈥� he says. 鈥淚f there鈥檚 no larger injury, this is normal and healthy. When the muscle heals after inflammation, it becomes stronger.鈥�

In cases such as this, you can take an anti-inflammatory (such as ibuprofen) until DOMS subsides. Take note, however, of how often you鈥檙e doing this. Dr. Reuben Chen, a board-certified sports medicine physician, says that DOMS isn鈥檛 necessarily reoccurring, and thus you shouldn鈥檛 need to be popping pain relievers after every workout. In fact, as you progress in your physical fitness, DOMS should go away completely within a few weeks to a month.

鈥淚f there鈥檚 occasional swelling in the knee joint, for example, then taking an anti-inflammatory would be appropriate,鈥� says Chen. 鈥淏ut if you notice the need to take an anti-inflammatory every time you exercise because of swelling and pain, then it鈥檚 time to seek professional help.鈥�

Is It Muscle Soreness or an Injury?

To differentiate between injury and DOMS, you should pay attention to how the painful spot feels when you move around. With DOMS, the pain should lessen when you warm up and move your body.

Injuries, however, usually become more painful with movement. Instead of soreness, an injury will feel like localized sharp pain and bruising that doesn鈥檛 go away.听

What Is the Best Pain Reliever for Soreness After a Workout?

Chen makes it clear that while NSAIDs can be helpful for short-term pain management, continuous use can be dangerous. shows that long-term usage can impair healing, make someone more prone to injury, and create health problems down the line. He adds that if you really need a pain reliever, it might be best to take Tylenol, which has been shown to produce fewer GI issues in the future.听

鈥淭ry some other over-the-counter medications, like Tylenol, about 30 to 60 minutes before you hit the gym,鈥� Chen advises. 鈥淎lso, be sure to consult with your doctor on any OTC meds you take and stay hydrated by drinking fluids before and during any workout.鈥�

Other Pain Relief Treatments for Sore Muscles

Chen, who has a background in traditional Chinese medicine, also recommends considering some Eastern medicine modalities for managing aches and pains. He adds that acupuncture is a beneficial holistic pain reliever alternative.听 suggests that it鈥檚 effective at treating various forms of pain, including osteoarthritis and myofascial pain syndrome.

鈥淢odalities like controlled breathing, ice, and osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM), are safe, inexpensive, and effective ways to reduce pain,鈥澨� Zwibel says. 鈥淭hey also empower patients by allowing them to feel more involved in their own care.鈥�

Food, as we know, can often be the best medicine. Turmeric, for example, has been for its anti-inflammatory effects on irritable bowel syndrome, psoriasis, atherosclerosis, and other diseases.

Hydrolyzed , , and also have anti-inflammatory properties. The good thing about these options is that you can consistently take them, unlike NSAIDs that, over time, with your heart and kidneys.

Overall, it鈥檚 best to avoid regular use of pain relievers like Advil and Tylenol after a workout to ease sore muscles and try alternatives first. But if you need to occasionally take the edge off muscle aches and soreness, Tylenol is the best option.

Most importantly, remember to listen to the signals your body is giving you. If that aching isn鈥檛 clearing up or seems more sharp and pronounced, it鈥檚 time to see a doctor.

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In this era of wellness, you might engage with multiple health professionals鈥攆rom your primary care physician and dermatologist to your therapist and dietitian鈥攖o take care of all aspects of your body. That may soon include a physical therapist.

鈥淚 know a number of clinics that are trying to implement an annual visit to a physical therapist鈥攕imilar to how you would see your primary physician for a yearly physical,鈥� says , a professor of physical therapy at California State University, Northridge.

What Is Preventive Physical Therapy?

Typically, you go to physical therapy because you鈥檙e trying to recover from an injury. But at a preventive physical therapy check-up, you can expect to take similar tests of strength, flexibility, balance, and gait. The results of these assessments determine where you could be prone to injury when walking, running, playing sports, or even just performing daily chores, Flores says.

In the same way that tests at your annual physical might indicate high blood pressure or an irregular heart rate, the results of these evaluations can do the same. 鈥淔or instance, , cognitive decline, fall risk, and even mortality,鈥� Flores says. Once you identify these problem areas, your physical therapist can develop an action plan.

However, that doesn鈥檛 mean your calendar is about to be full of ongoing sessions. According to , a physical therapist for , preventive physical therapy isn’t meant to be perpetual.

鈥淲e don’t want clients to be coming to physical therapy forever, especially if they don鈥檛 have an injury,鈥� MacMillen Sitagata says. 鈥淲e do, however, want to have them coming in for checkups鈥攐r to get the groundwork that they need to properly do their exercises and go on from there.鈥�

How Much Does Preventive Physical Therapy Cost?

Unfortunately, there鈥檚 no industry standard for how much you can expect to pay for preventive physical therapy. A single appointment could run you between $150 and $350, MacMillen Sitagata says. However, your insurance may cover these sessions鈥攅specially if you have a referral from your primary care physician.

If that sounds steep, consider the costs of injury, particularly if you鈥檙e a competitive athlete. 鈥淓ven though insurance does not cover it all the time, preventive physical therapy could save you so much money,鈥� MacMillen Sitagata says. 鈥淓ven if you did 12 sessions and paid more than $1,000, that’s still going to be less than if you had one surgery for a preventable injury.鈥�

Do I Still Need Preventive Physical Therapy If I鈥檓 Cross-Training?

Sure, you may be dedicated to your cross-training regimen鈥攂ut that won鈥檛 protect you from injury in the same way preventive physical therapy might.

鈥淲hen I鈥檓 doing a physical therapy assessment, I’m not only looking at one part of the body,鈥� says Angelica Alberto, a physical therapist. 鈥淚’m looking at how the rest of the body may potentially be influencing whatever ache or pain the patient is coming in with.鈥� For instance, Alberto adds, if a client is experiencing knee pain, she鈥檒l conduct tests to see what the source of the discomfort is.

Those are the types of questions that cross-training 肠补苍鈥檛 answer. While this smart workout methodology can help you avoid overstressing the body with the same repetitive movements, it doesn鈥檛 address specific injury-prone areas, Flores says.

For the best odds of decreasing your risk of injury, combine your yoga and strength training efforts with some preventive physical therapy. Trust us: your body will thank you in the long run.

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Lower back pain can feel neverending鈥攁nd impossible to fix. As one of the most common orthopedic injuries, there鈥檚 an overwhelming number of treatment options. Oftentimes, unnecessary surgeries and injections promise you some relief from your discomfort. However, unfortunately, like most injuries, there鈥檚 no magic solution.

5 Common Misconceptions About Lower Back Pain

Managing lower back pain is specific to each individual experiencing it. It鈥檚 about finding the right formula of movements, modifications, and treatments that work for you. However, before you start to craft a plan of relief, it鈥檚 critical to acknowledge some of the most common misconceptions surrounding lower back pain.

1. Lower back pain is completely normal

Society normalizes something that is not typical but rather a common occurrence. More than 85 percent of people will be affected by lower back pain in their lifetime. However, while this is a familiar experience, it does not mean it should be the standard expectation.

Pain, especially chronic pain, is the body’s way of telling us something is wrong. However, instead of listening to these signals and adjusting our routines accordingly, we often ignore them and continue to push through the discomfort.

For example, lower back pain could be your body鈥檚 way of telling you it needs more stability, movement, or mobility. It could also be an indication that you have muscular imbalances and weaknesses.

2. Most cases of lower back pain are caused by one thing

There鈥檚 typically never just one culprit behind your lower back pain. For example, your range of motion, mobility, strength, and joint health could all be reasons why you鈥檙e feeling some discomfort.

It also extends beyond physical factors. Your job, stress levels, nutrition, and sleep habits can all contribute to your musculoskeletal health. That鈥檚 why it鈥檚 critical to make sure you鈥檙e receiving individualized treatment for your pain.

3. Lower back pain often requires surgery and invasive treatments

After throwing your back out or twisting the wrong way, you may be in a large amount of pain鈥攁nd have the urge to rush to the hospital. And while there鈥檚 no denying your discomfort, you can likely treat your injury with more conservative methods. More than 90 percent of cases are non-emergent, which means they don鈥檛 require surgery.

4. When you have lower back pain, it鈥檚 best to limit activity

Our bodies are meant to move and be active鈥攜es, even when we鈥檙e in pain. Rest is not the same as rehabilitation. This doesn鈥檛 mean you should run a marathon or go for a FKT when you鈥檙e injured, but rather try to find modified ways to integrate movement into your day. By staying mobile, you鈥檒l help promote blood flow to your back, aiding in the healing process of your injury.

For example, instead of sitting on the couch and watching another episode on Netflix, look for easy ways to move. Even the smallest amount of activity is better than nothing. You could go for a 5-minute walk, practice some modified stretches, or work on deep core activation through breathwork. A professional, such as a physical therapist, can suggest movements and exercises that will work best for your injury and pain tolerance.

5. 鈥淒egeneration鈥� is predictive of lower back pain

Just as you may see signs of aging on the outside of your body, degeneration within the spine is completely normal鈥攁nd even expected. (One of my former college professors referred to this process as our 鈥渨rinkles on the inside.鈥�)

The presence of typical aging processes in your spine is not necessarily a determinant of future back pain. Many over the age of 30 will show some signs of aging if you take an X-ray of their spine. But most 30-year-olds are not walking around with debilitating back pain. Changes within your musculoskeletal system are a normal part of life. There are many lifestyle, genetic, and physical factors outside of an imagining report that dictate how you can or will experience pain and discomfort.

4 Stretches for Lower Back Pain

Your treatment plan for your lower back pain should be specific to your lifestyle and individual needs. However, there are several stretches that can help support the health of your lower back and spine. Practice these exercises a few times a week for the best results.

1. Lower Trunk Rotations

• Start by lying on a flat surface with your knees bent. Slowly lower your knees down to one side of your body in a windshield-wiper motion. Continue this motion, alternating sides.
• As you lower your legs to the left, you should feel the stretch on the right side of your lower back and hips. The same sensation should occur on the left side of your body when you lower down to the right.
• Move slowly between the two sides, holding the position on each for 5 to 10 seconds.

2. Child’s Pose

• In addition to being a restorative posture in yoga, Child鈥檚 Pose is also a great stretch for your lower back.
• Begin on your hands and knees in a tabletop position. Slowly sit your hips back while simultaneously stretching your arms straight out in front of you.
• Hold this position for 10 to 30 seconds, depending on your personal comfort level.

3. Posterior Pelvic Tilts

• Posterior pelvic tilts help to activate the deep core muscles that support your lower back.
• It鈥檚 a subtle movement, so you will not see much motion when practicing these. However, that doesn鈥檛 mean they鈥檙e ineffective.
• Start by lying on a flat surface with your knees bent. Separate your feet hip-distance apart. Tucking your pelvis, rock your hips backward toward your head, flattening your lower back against the floor. Avoid straining or holding your breath.
• Perform 2 sets of 10 reps, holding each rep for at least 3 seconds.

4. Bridges

• This movement strengthens your glute muscles, which help support your lower back.
• Begin by lying on a flat surface with your knees bent. Move into a posterior pelvic tilt position, as you did in the previous exercise. Slowly lift your hips up. Hold for 2 seconds. Avoid arching your lower back.
• Lower your hips back down to the ground and repeat.
• Perform 2 sets of 10 reps.

Britni Barber is a physical therapist, certified pain-free performance specialist, and strength coach in Denver, Colorado.听

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The name Achilles is said to be a combination of two Greek words that together mean 鈥済rief of the people.鈥� The injury that bears that hero鈥檚 name, in honor of his only weakness, certainly aggrieves many runners, with Achilles tendinitis accounting for around 10 percent of running injuries.

Technically, Achilles tendinitis is acute inflammation of the tendon that runs along the back of the ankle, says Joe Uhan, a physical therapist, coach, and ultrarunner. Pain in that area for longer than a couple of weeks is not really tendinitis anymore. Athletes, however, tend to characterize any pain along the tendon above the back of the heel as Achilles tendinitis.

Achilles tendinitis can be confused with other injuries, such as heel problems, but the hallmark sign is 鈥渋f you鈥檙e pinching the Achilles and it鈥檚 really sore,鈥� says Uhan.

Once you have acute pain, says Phinit Phisitkul, a University of Iowa associate professor in orthopedic surgery, the treatment is pretty much the same as with any acute injury鈥攁nd not something most runners want to hear: rest, ice, anti-inflammatories.

Some doctors also recommend sleeping with a brace on your foot to allow a state of relaxed dorsiflexion and avoid walking around barefoot (or in high heels) so that your tendon isn鈥檛 overly shortened or stretched.

Studies have found one of the most successful treatments involves eccentric strengthening exercises, says Phisitkul. Stand on the edge of a step and lower yourself slowly on your injured foot, essentially exerting force as the muscle extends. Then use your other, non-injured, foot to raise yourself back up, so as not to stress the tendon in the rising motion. Do 15 repetitions, twice a day. However, if the pain is severe, it can be best to rest before easing back into exercises and workouts.

Of course, instead of treating the injury when it鈥檚 too late, wouldn鈥檛 you rather avoid it in the first place? That can be a little complicated, though, since why you get Achilles tendinitis听really depends on what you鈥檙e doing.

鈥淚t鈥檚 almost always an overstriding problem,鈥� says Uhan. When your foot lands in front of your trunk, especially if you land on the forefoot, you end up putting all the weight on your Achilles tendon. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 stress your body has to absorb.鈥�

While Uhan says that the most common problem he sees is from overstriding, there are other issues that lead to Achilles injuries as well. Runners who don鈥檛 engage their glutes tend to push with their toes instead of with their glute muscles, especially when trying to run fast. That kind of stress can cause inflammation.

Basically anything that stresses your Achilles tendon can lead to Achilles tendinitis if you鈥檙e not careful: too much mileage, too many hills, too much speed work without building up appropriately. In fact, there isn鈥檛 always an obvious reason why someone might start to suffer from Achilles tendinitis. 鈥淢ost patients usually don鈥檛 have any identifiable source,鈥� says Phisitkul.

Fortunately, the Achilles tendon is the strongest tendon in the body. As long as you鈥檙e careful while you ramp up your training, you should be able to keep it healthy and strong. Often Achilles tendinitis manifests first as stiffness in the joint that eventually warms up. If, when you first notice the stiffness, you take preventive measures to increase ankle flexibility and pull back on your mileage, speed work, and hill running, then you can avoid it turning into a serious problem.

To prevent Achilles tendinitis in the first place, it鈥檚 important to maintain your flexibility. Stretching can help; just don鈥檛 overstretch. Simply spend a minute each day stretching your calf and ankle joint. One of the easiest stretches, says Uhan, is to put one foot on the ground behind the other and push into a wall.

In addition to stretching, using a foam roller and getting regular massage to keep the joint mobile can help prevent any problems from starting.

If you start to feel inflammation in your tendon or have Achilles tendinitis听once, it isn鈥檛 necessarily the end of the world. Let it rest and recover, which can sometimes take as long as four to six weeks if you waited until the pain was acute.

The real problem is if Achilles tendinitis becomes an ongoing injury. If it keeps recurring, then it鈥檚 time for the perpetually injured to examine what they鈥檙e doing to cause the problem.

鈥淭hey need to get their running mechanics analyzed by a professional,鈥� says Uhan, who swears that once you get your foot to land all the way underneath you, then the pain goes away quickly.

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You may think having flexible hamstrings is a badge of honor for outdoor athletes. And while you鈥檙e not exactly wrong, not everyone needs to have Cirque du Soleil-level stretching abilities to succeed at their sport. However, if you鈥檙e starting to experience pain in your lower back, knees, and hips, experts say that it may be time to give your hamstrings some relief.

Your hamstrings are complex: they鈥檙e comprised of , stretching from your lower knee to your hip. 鈥淭he hamstrings鈥� main function is to bend the knee and extend the hip, which is key for various everyday activities such as walking, running, and jumping,鈥� says , an Alo Moves trainer in Los Angeles, California.

In other words, these mega-muscles support all of those triathlons, marathons, and hikes. And when they get stiff, all of your everyday tasks鈥攍ike walking or bending over鈥攎ay become more difficult.

If you favor explosive workouts, such as high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and sprinting, you鈥檙e likely familiar with hamstring pain. Injuries to the back of the leg are the in professional sports and are extremely likely to . However, focusing on hamstring mobility and flexibility can keep these pesky injuries away and allow you to move through your day and your go-to workouts without pain.

3 Signs That Your Hamstrings Need Some Additional Support

If you鈥檙e not sure about the state of your hamstrings, worry not. Below, Chandler offers a few clear giveaways that it鈥檚 time to pay more attention to these muscles.

1. You鈥檙e Experiencing Lower Back Tightness and/or Pain

In some ways, the human body is like a house of cards: pull out the jack of hearts or the two of spades, and suddenly, the whole structure topples. While the anatomical equivalent isn鈥檛 quite that dramatic, muscle tightness in one area of the body can lead to overcompensation in other parts.

For example, Chandler says that inflexible hamstrings can cause your lumbar spine, or lower back, to take on extra work as you walk, sit, and go about your day. 鈥淭he tighter the hamstrings, the more they pull on your sitting bones, tilting your pelvis backward,鈥� he says. 鈥淭his has a negative effect on the alignment of your spine.鈥� Over time, this results in lower back pain.

2. Your Knee Hurts

Since your hamstring’s three muscles extend all the way to your lower knee, you may experience some pain in that joint due to a lack of flexibility. When those bands of tissue are tight, it can hinder your . Your knee may respond by pulling on that hamstring, which can lead to a slew of injuries, including.

If everyday movement makes your knee(s) ache, your hamstrings are practically begging to be stretched.

3. Your Hips Feel Tight

That tilt in your pelvis doesn鈥檛 just affect your lower back. The imbalance can also contribute to stiffness in the hips, as they overcompensate for your rigid hamstrings by supporting your lumbar spine.

3 Expert-Approved Hamstring Stretches

Here鈥檚 the good news: stretching your hamstrings is an easy practice to incorporate into your day. Waiting for your microwave burrito to be ready? Drop into a quick forward fold and pet your cat until the timer goes off. Meeting your running buddy at the park? Place one foot up on a bench and reach for your toes.

If you want to take a more intentional approach to your routine, Chandler says you only need three stretches and five minutes a day. Even if you consider yourself completely inflexible, these movements will offer you some much-needed benefits.

1. Towel Hamstring Stretch

鈥淭his is great for clients who may not have the best mobility and struggle to reach toward their toes,鈥� Chandler says.

How to Do It:

• Sit on the ground with your legs extended in front of you.
• Wrap a towel, yoga strap, or even a sweatshirt around one foot and gently pull it back towards you, creating a stretch in your hamstring.
• Hold for 30 seconds and switch to the other leg.

2. Simple Hamstring Stretch

You’ll feel a deep stretch in the back of your legs with this simple move.

How to Do It:

• Sit down on the floor.
• Extend both legs in front of you.
• Lengthen your spine, straighten your arms, and reach forward as far as you can without bending your knees.
• Hold for 15 to 30 seconds, keeping your back straight and your core engaged.

3. Standing Forward Fold

This move will give you a nice stretch in your hamstrings and your lower back.

How to Do It:

• Come to a standing position.
• Bring your feet shoulder-width apart or as wide as feels appropriate for your body.
• Hinge at your hips and reach for your toes, maintaining a slight bend at your knees if necessary.
• Aim to have your chest rest on the tops of your thighs.
• Hold for 15 to 30 seconds.

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Running is tough on your body. With every step, you鈥檙e subjecting your body鈥檚 soft tissues to a crazy amount of force (over and over鈥nd over), which can cause microtears in your muscles that lead to lingering aches and pains if you don鈥檛 recover properly.

It鈥檚 no wonder so many coaches, trainers, physiologists, and physical therapists say foam rolling should be an integral part of your running regimen. Foam rolling can help you loosen up pre-workout, decrease pain, recover faster after a run, and generally keep your muscles more mobile so you can get the most out of every mile.

Weirdly enough, the science hasn鈥檛 quite caught up to the popularity of the practice. Most studies on foam rolling have been small and haven鈥檛 determined exactly how effective foam rolling can be.听However, a of the scientific literature determined that foam rolling may reduce muscle stiffness and increase range of motion before training, and can reduce delayed onset muscle soreness and potentially optimize recovery from training.听Win-win, right?

As researchers try to catch up with runners, foam rolling remains one of the easiest prescriptions for most maladies (not full-blown injuries, but the kind of tightness and tension you feel a day or so post-run).

Here鈥檚 why you should spend just a fraction of the time you log on the road or treadmill draped over a foam roller, how to use one properly, and what you’ve probably been doing wrong.

What Foam Rolling Is and How It Works

Foam rolling is a form of self-myofascial release. To understand that, you have to understand what your 鈥渇ascia鈥� is. 鈥淭he fascia is a sheath of connective tissue that covers all your muscles,鈥� says Sarah Bair, an athletic trainer for the Brooks Beasts Track Club. It also covers all your organs, bones, joints, and tendons, keeping everything where it should be.

It Helps Keep Your Muscles Flexible and Expands Your Range of Motion

Your fascia is kind of like webbing, and when it鈥檚 healthy, it鈥檚 flexible and moves smoothly over your muscles. But injury, overuse, and inactivity can cause it to get stiff or form adhesions that get in the way of it doing its job. Your fascia can also contract and expand separately from the muscles it surrounds, and if a specific muscle is tight or sore, chances are it will cause tightness in the surrounding fascia as well鈥攂oth of which can have ramifications throughout your body. It鈥檚 all connected.

By keeping that fascia nice and elastic, 鈥測ou allow your muscles to reach its full range of motion without restriction,鈥� says , a board-certified sports physical therapist. But if that restriction (i.e., tightness or tension) is bad enough, it can actually mess with your body mechanics, adds Malek. Think about it this way: if your quads or hamstrings are tight, it can decrease the range of motion around your knee鈥攚hich prevents you from opening up into a full stride and nailing your most efficient running form.

Plus, if you鈥檙e not able to achieve your full range of motion within any part of your musculature (whether that tightness is in your fascia or a particular muscle), 鈥測our body is going to compensate in some way to achieve that range of motion,鈥� says Bair. Say you don鈥檛 have a full range of motion in your psoas (the muscle that extends through your pelvis to your femur and is responsible for flexing the hip joint and lifting the upper leg towards the body), you might bend your back to compensate with every forward step鈥攁nd end up with lower back pain, she explains.

Foam Rolling Can Aid in Relaxation

One more thing: because your fascia has nerves that make it almost as sensitive as your skin, foam rolling is also a way to trigger your central nervous and prompt your body to chill out, says Bair. 鈥淏y applying that pressure and working through it, you鈥檙e telling your brain to relax itself, which relieves that pain and stiffness.鈥�

OK, let鈥檚 go back to the term 鈥渟elf-myofascial release.鈥� Release is pretty self-explanatory, and 鈥渟elf鈥� just means you don鈥檛 need an expert to apply this technique.

There are all kinds of massage therapists who practice hands-on myofascial release, but the beauty of a foam roller is that you can DIY that same technique at home鈥攁nd, if you do it right, get the same benefits. It鈥檚 like having a personal masseuse on hand, minus the pricey bill.

How to Choose a Foam Roller

There are a range of foam rollers of all shapes and sizes available; most are made of a type of foam called EVA and come in varying densities鈥攈ard, medium, and soft鈥攄epending on how much pressure you want when you roll.

Start with a Low-Density Roller

If you鈥檙e new to foam rolling, Malek recommends starting with a longer, lower to medium-density roller. 鈥淭hat will help you develop a tolerance to foam rolling while getting used to the mechanics of doing it safely and properly,鈥� she says. Once you鈥檙e more comfortable and aware of your body鈥檚 response to foam rolling, you can progress to a higher-density foam or more textured rollers with bumps or ridges, adds Bair.

Thick Foam Rollers Are Best for Large Areas of the Body

Those thick, round foam rollers are best for large muscle groups, such as the quadriceps, iliotibial band, calves, and hamstrings, says Melanie Strassburg, a physical therapist. A good, basic roller should be versatile enough to hit the most important areas for runners (including the shoulders and upper back, says Malek鈥攊mportant areas to roll pre-workout if you spend the majority of the day sitting).

Try Other Roller Shapes for Hard-to-Reach Spots

If, for some reason, the standard, cylindrical roller isn鈥檛 accessing the areas in your body that you need it to, you might want to explore other shapes like a ball (which can get into the small muscles of your feet or deeper into your glutes), a peanut (which is like a foam roller and ball in one and protects your spine while rolling out your back), a massage stick (which allows you to apply pressure in a different way), or even a vibrating version of any of the above.

What You鈥檝e Been Doing Wrong

Believeing That Pain Is a Good Thing

Ever laid on a foam roller and thought, 鈥淎hhhh,鈥濃€攁nd not in a good way? There鈥檚 this idea that foam rolling 鈥渉urts so good,鈥� but it鈥檚 not a 鈥渘o pain, no gain鈥� sort of practice. 鈥淚t鈥檚 normal to feel a little uncomfortable, but it shouldn鈥檛 feel painful,鈥� says Malek. 鈥淚f it hurts to the point where you鈥檙e resisting any pressure on the roller鈥攚hether that鈥檚 by unweighing yourself or tensing the muscle itself鈥攖hat鈥檚 a red flag.鈥� Remember, the point of foam rolling is to release tension, not cause it.

Rolling Over Already-Sore or Tender Spots

Speaking of pain, avoid rolling over injuries. 鈥淲ith [something like] a muscle strain, going directly over the area will increase inflammation, increasing tension in the area of injury,鈥� Strassburg says. Avoid bony protuberances, ligaments, and tendons as well; it won鈥檛 feel good, and there are no benefits to hitting those areas.

Rushing Through a Foam-Rolling Session

Sometimes foam rolling feels like something you just need to check off your to-do list to be a healthy runner. But 鈥渋f you really want it to do its job, take your time with it,鈥� says Malek. 鈥淵ou should be moving about one inch per second. Think of it like yoga pace versus HIIT pace.鈥�

Part of how foam rolling works is by using your body weight to apply pressure to the soft tissues while you roll; if you鈥檙e speeding through a quick routine, you鈥檙e not giving your fascia and muscles time to absorb that pressure as they sink into the foam roller.

How to Use a Foam Roller Properly

It seems pretty straightforward, right? Place foam roller on the floor, lay the body on top of it. Not quite.

Pick the Muscle Group You Want to Roll

To start, 鈥減ick a muscle group and find a position where both legs feel comfortable on the roller; that will help disperse some of the pressure,鈥� says Bair. Then, find the meaty part of the muscle. For example, to roll out your quadriceps, you鈥檇 lie on your stomach and place the roller under your thighs. For your hamstrings, you鈥檇 place the roller under the back of your thighs while in a seated position.

Start with Broad Strokes

Once you鈥檝e found your starting point, 鈥渄o about five to ten broad muscle rolls鈥攈itting the bottom, middle, and top鈥攖o scan the area for any tight spots,鈥� says Bair. Found one? Transition to one leg (if that feels OK to you) and move through a few different ranges of motion to help actively release the muscle.

鈥淚f you鈥檙e rolling your calves, think about pointing and flexing your foot,鈥� says Bair. 鈥淚f you鈥檙e rolling your quads, bend and extend your knee.鈥� Go through those motions five to 10 times while you鈥檙e paused over that tight area.

Spend at Least 30 Seconds Rolling Each Body Part

Is there a certain amount of time you should spend on each muscle?听That 2020听review mentioned earlier found the best amount of time to achieve the flexibility and the optimum dosage to achieve the flexibility benefits of foam rolling to be a total of 90 to 120 seconds.

A study published in the , on the other hand, found that a total of 60 seconds of rolling had an effect. Most trainers recommend at least 30 seconds per side.

You Can Roll Before and After Working Out

And in terms of whether rolling pre- or post-workout is better, 鈥渆vidence seems to justify the widespread use of foam rolling as a warm-up activity rather than a recovery tool,鈥� according to a published in 2019 in Frontiers in Physiology. However, the more recent review noted foam rolling鈥檚 positive effect on DOMS and deemed it a potential recovery method. So do both.

If that鈥檚 asking too much, Malek prioritizes pre-workout rolling. 鈥淚f you have to choose stretching or foam rolling, 100 percent foam roll plus a dynamic warm-up,鈥� she says. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 going to make everything feel more mobile, which will make your stride a little better.鈥�

Can鈥檛 do it immediately before or after a workout? Your muscles and fascia will still benefit if you do it earlier or later in the day鈥攋ust don鈥檛 skip it!

Want more of听国产吃瓜黑料鈥檚 Health stories?听.

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At age 18, Kate Badgett was your typical young runner. She clocked about 20 miles a week, usually on the road, and took spin classes and did basic core work to cross-train. However, like other dedicated athletes, she soon experienced a femoral stress fracture, a hairline fracture of the thigh bone.

This type of injury is typically the result of overuse, but Badgett鈥檚 weekly mileage didn鈥檛 seem high enough for the two to be correlated. She started experiencing other pain, including partial dislocations of her shoulder. Badgett鈥檚 case suddenly felt anything but typical. Her physical therapist began to wonder if joint hypermobility, a greater-than-average range of motion in your joints, was at the root of the problem. Turns out, he was right.

Badgett has hypermobile joints due to , a connective tissue disorder that causes the ligaments to become looser and stretchier. She experienced two more femoral stress fractures over the next six years. (She later discovered that they were caused by extensive hypermobility and instability through her feet and ankles that placed too much pressure and strain on her bones.)

Research shows that some people with joint hypermobility may be more at risk of things like injuries, , and knee and shoulder dislocations. Badgett’s still able to run these days, but she had to change the way she trains. She goes to physical therapy regularly, cross-trains, runs on trails more than she used to, and does a specific yoga practice that鈥檚 designed to help the body rewire more effective movement patterns.

What Is Hypermobility?

Normally, your ligaments help keep your joints stable. But if you have joint hypermobility, your ligaments and other connective tissue can be loose, so your body has to work harder to keep the joints stable. As a result, the joints of hypermobile people may frequently subluxate or dislocate, says , MD, an integrated medicine physician at .

鈥淗ypermobility is really common, and it’s a different body type that requires a lot of maintenance鈥攁nd if treated well, will perform well,鈥� explains , MD, a sports medicine physician and medical director of the and the Tulane Fascia Institute and Treatment Center.

Doctors measure joint hypermobility using a screening test called the , which looks at the range of motion of various joints, including your spine, thumbs, elbows, and knees. The higher the score, the more likely someone has joint hypermobility. But physicians also look at other factors, like how flexible or hypermobile someone may have been in the past. Some people with hypermobility can become more stiff as they age, due to arthritis and other physical changes.

Joint hypermobility occurs on a spectrum and can manifest in different ways. Some people may only have one hypermobile joint in their body, whereas others, like Badgett, may experience hypermobility as one symptom of a broader genetic connective tissue disorder. And hypermobility doesn鈥檛 always equal flexibility. If you鈥檙e hypermobile, your body may compensate for joints that move past the normal range of motion by tightening muscles around the joint to hold it in place. In these cases, you may feel stiff and inflexible.

How Might Hypermobility Affect Someone Who Lives an Active Lifestyle?

Having hypermobile joints definitely doesn鈥檛 mean you need to ditch your active lifestyle. In fact, it may work to your advantage in your athletic pursuits. For a swimmer, spine and shoulder hypermobility can offer increased range of motion, torque, and efficiency. And a hypermobile pitcher may have greater range of motion in their shoulders or elbows that allows them to throw a faster and more forceful pitch.

鈥淚n general, hypermobility probably offers a mechanical advantage when it comes to cycling, running, and hiking, and it certainly offers a mechanical advantage with anyone who throws anything, like pitchers, javelin, and quarterbacks,鈥� Courseault says.

But hypermobility can also be problematic in some cases. 鈥淔or people who have problems with their kneecap tracking, hiking can actually be really tough and so can bicycling,鈥� says , MD, a board-certified physician and founder of P.R.I.S.M. Spine and Joint, a clinic that treats patients with hypermobility and connective tissue disorders. 鈥淲hen you have kneecap tracking problems, that midrange of knee mobility is actually where you have the most pressure on your kneecap.鈥�

For someone with a hypermobile spine or shoulders, she says, cycling may put a lot of pressure on the thoracic spine or overstretch the muscles in your back, causing pain.

Does Hypermobility Lead to More Injuries?

Not necessarily. show that hypermobility doesn鈥檛 always lead to more injuries. In fact, many high-performing and even professional athletes are hypermobile, Courseault says. But the care and maintenance required to keep a hypermobile body well-functioning and injury-free through things like strength and balance work is a bit higher than for someone without hypermobility.

For example, a strong, hypermobile climber who has well-supported joints may actually benefit from increased range of motion in her joints that allows her to move her body in ways that makes it easier to reach and grab holds. 鈥淵ou can make the argument that hypermobile bodies are less prone to injury because they can stretch in ways that a non-hyper mobile body 肠补苍鈥檛,鈥� Courseault says.

But if an athlete鈥檚 joints become too loose, they could get injured in settings where others wouldn鈥檛. People who are hypermobile are more likely to dislocate a joint, as well as get tendinopathies, tendonitis, and tendinosis, Bluestein says. It also may take them longer to recover from these injuries.

How to Deal With Hypermobility

If you鈥檙e hypermobile, the most critical thing you can do is listen to the signals your body sends your way鈥攁nd respect that your anatomy may change over time. Some people with hypermobility can engage in all the activities they love without any issues. But if you鈥檙e experiencing a lot of injuries, Bluestein recommends taking a close look at what activities you can participate in without problem (green light activities), which cause your symptoms to flare up a bit (yellow light activities), and which cause lots of pain and injuries (red light activities).

鈥淥ver the course of your lifetime, those things are of course going to change, but you want to get to where you鈥檙e as active as you can be, but in a zone that is appropriate for your body at that point in time,鈥� she says.

Here are some ways to manage hypermobility鈥攂ut keep in mind that managing hypermobility is highly individual.

11 Ways to Manage Hypermobility

1. Wear supportive shoes that offer .
2. Work with a physical therapist who is knowledgeable about hypermobility.
3. Strengthen your body with isometric exercises and Pilates.
4. Work on stabilizing exercises that maintain space in the joints.
5. Move your body and exercise regularly, but stick to activities that don鈥檛 cause pain.
6. Avoid repetitive physical activities if they cause pain or irritation.
7. Keep proper form and biomechanics when engaging in physical activities.
8. Try to maintain correct posture and alignment in your body, even when you鈥檙e not being physically active.
9. Stay hydrated, including with electrolyte drinks.
10. See a doctor who specializes in or is knowledgeable about hypermobility.
11. Speak with your doctor about the benefits of prolotherapy and other forms of regenerative injections.

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I sat idly at my desk, scrolling through various social media apps, feeling sluggish and unmotivated. I had a six-mile run scheduled for that afternoon, but my brain was already constructing excuses to bail. I opened YouTube and noticed one of my favorite creators, elite Norwegian rock climber and popular vlogger, Magnus Midtb酶, had a new upload. Something instantly seemed off upon inspection of the title thumbnail. He was running.

In it, Magnus gazed painfully into the camera. A long, desolate road stretched far into the desert behind him. The video was titled, I tried to run a marathon in the hottest place on earth *without training.*

I watched perplexed. Why is Norway鈥檚 best climber running a marathon? To his 1.77 million subscribers, Magnus is known for his engaging climbing content and training techniques with a few novel experiences thrown into the mix, most of which center around rock climbing. While he is an incredibly fit individual, he does not produce running content, nor does he discuss any previous running experience on his channel. I鈥檓 not surprised that Magnus could cover 26.2 miles. I鈥檓 assuming as a professional climber he still tends to his cardiovascular fitness in some capacity.

So why does anyone care if Norway鈥檚 best climber can run a marathon without training? Aren鈥檛 weighted, one-arm pull-ups impressive enough?

鈥淚n the last two years, I鈥檝e probably run four times,鈥� Midtb酶 stated as he sat on the invisible finish line in the dark.

His friend laughed and asked, 鈥淲hat gave you this idea?鈥�

鈥淏ecause it was a good title,鈥� said Midtb酶. 鈥淎nd I鈥檓 a whore for views.鈥�

In recent months, I have found myself down a rabbit hole of fitness related content on YouTube. The algorithm has led me down a relatively healthy path; I could have suffered a similar fate to my sister, who now recites anti-vaxxer rhetoric after watching one too many videos about optimal parenting techniques.

However, I couldn鈥檛 help but notice more and more suggestions of popular YouTubers running marathons without training. Last year, Nate Buchanan of , which boasts 3.5 million subscribers, documented himself from the city of Marathon to Athens, Greece, without training. Natacha Oceane, 1.62 million subscribers, has two separate videos of her as well as without training. As a hybrid athlete and previous Ironman finisher, Oceane likely has the most running experience of any of the accounts mentioned in this article.

Recently, Michelle Khare, 3.68 million subscribers, took on her 鈥�,鈥� running a marathon through Death Valley with only four weeks of preparation. Is Death Valley just over there wondering why YouTube is so obsessed with them?

Khare鈥檚 channel is known for her attempts at 鈥渙ur world鈥檚 most difficult lifestyles and professions鈥� with her series, Challenge Accepted. At the beginning of the video, Khare tells her head coach and exercise physiologist, Chantelle Robitaille, her four-week goal. Robitaille鈥檚 eyebrows raise, and responds that twenty weeks is her typical recommendation to get someone prepared for this type of experience. When Robitaille asks for Khare鈥檚 reasoning for attempting such a feat, she responds that she鈥檚 turning thirty in four weeks.

With the help of a Brooks sponsorship and a team of experts, including professional runners Scott Jurek and CJ Albertson, Khare does accomplish her goal and more. As she crosses a balloon archway finish line, she emotionally decides to push further, completing鈥攜ou guessed it鈥�30 miles. At the end of the video, the music swells as Khare finally stops running, finding a large embrace from her crew team. The video then transitions to an iPhone swirling into view as Khare says:

鈥淚f you want to go on a running challenge of your own, but don鈥檛 know where to start, I just uploaded a new beginner’s running program on my app, MK Fit.鈥�

Damn. I鈥檝e been influenced!

What the Experts Say

Although these aforementioned creators are quick to point out their lack of running-specific fitness and preparation, they rarely emphasize the cumulative years of fitness work that is likely allowing their bodies to survive such feats. Is not providing this disclaimer a disservice to their audience? Do these creators hold any responsibility to their less-trained audience members who might attempt a similar feat and experience harm and chronic injury as a result? Can we strike a balance between clickbait and inspiration?

鈥淎 marathon training block will look very different depending on your experience, goals, and relationship to running,鈥� says . 鈥淕enerally, the more fit you are, you can get away with being less prepared.鈥� However, this typically comes at a cost.

RELATED: How Much Will a Gap in Training Hurt Your Race?

Most training plans advise beginner and intermediate runners to have at least 16-20 weeks of consistent training in order to develop a strong aerobic base and build the mental strength needed to get to the finish line. A solid training block increases the odds of overall success, plus it helps provide a more enjoyable experience during the event itself. Unfortunately, a long training block doesn鈥檛 make for the sexiest YouTube video.

Surprisingly, there is little conclusive research as to what factors are actually predictive for injury. However, there is to suggest that if you have had a previous running related injury in the last 12 months, you are more than 50 percent likely to have an injury again, and a 20 percent chance that it is in the same area of the body. McNurlin also states, 鈥淪udden changes in mileage also come up in the . Big jumps are going to increase your risk of injury.鈥�

is a physical therapist and running performance coach based in Salt Lake City, Utah. When asked how he would approach a client wanting to tackle a marathon distance with less than four weeks of training, he responded: 鈥淲e鈥檙e not going to try to cram four months of training into one month.鈥� Instead, Picard suggests increasing mileage slowly and consistently, despite the lack of time. 鈥淵ou need to know you鈥檙e going to be undertrained and just try to survive the race, if that is your goal.鈥�

Despite the risks, both clinicians emphasize the innate resiliency of the human body. 鈥淲e can do stuff we鈥檙e not prepared to do because humans are incredible,鈥� McNurlin states. 鈥淏ut sometimes there are limitations.鈥� Picard argues that the risks may also be less visible. We tend to only post the highlights as opposed to sharing any negative outcomes that may have occurred as a result.

What Non-Influencers Say

Unsure if this trend was limited to YouTubers looking for engaging content, I reached out to my own running network to see if anyone else had tried to run a marathon without training. Kevin Nguyen, from Dallas, Texas, signed up for his first marathon on a whim because of an episode of How I Met Your Mother, where Barney agrees to run a marathon with one day to prepare.

鈥淢y sister offered to pay for my registration and one month of free rent if I did it,鈥� said Nguyen. 鈥淚 was cramping the whole time and, at mile 25, I almost gave up.鈥�

The choice to not train will almost always present with higher amounts of unnecessary suffering, fatigue, and prolonged recovery. The event then becomes a matter of survival. Is the misery worth the effort? Despite the negative emotions during the race, Nguyen found the experience surprisingly motivating. 鈥淪ince then, I鈥檝e actually trained for and run 10 full marathons or longer,鈥� he said.

Heather Sapiro, from Salt Lake City, signed up for her first 50K without training, when her best friend from high school asked Sapiro to join her. Due to external factors, Sapiro was left with only a couple of weeks to train.

鈥淚 figured I could make a good attempt and probably finish. It was more about spending time with my friend.鈥� She had studied the course, made sure she was comfortable with dropping, if necessary, and didn鈥檛 place any additional goals for the race. 鈥淚 ended up having such a positive experience,鈥� Sapiro said. 鈥淚鈥檓 planning to sign up for another and actually train this time!鈥�

For several others, the experience of running races on little to no training was a way to push themselves past any preconceived notions they had about their abilities. Photographer and filmmaker Alex Kereszti, who admitted growing up with a deep hatred for running, found a new passion and community after completing her first 50K on minimal training. She also documented her experience on .

鈥淧ersonally, I鈥檓 inspired by these videos,鈥� Kereszti said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 less about the actual act, and more about seeing people try something outside of their comfort zones and push through hard moments.鈥� However, both Kereszti and Sapiro, noted that these creators with larger platforms should have a responsibility to acknowledge their privilege and potential risks.

鈥淪ocial media in general is very clickbait-y,鈥� McNurlin says. 鈥淏ut it doesn鈥檛 have to be so sensational. A lot of able-bodied people can probably do this and find success in it. I would argue there鈥檚 perhaps just as much risk to staying on the couch.鈥�

The internet is full of contradictions, and we must therefore weigh the costs and benefits for all of our decisions, not just our athletic ones. And while experts of training science confirm that running a marathon with minimal training is generally ill-advised, success can still be found without executing the perfect training block.

In an effort to serve an algorithm, social media often traps its audience into cycles of comparison, coercion, and consumerism. But sometimes it can also provide authentic community and inspiration. After watching these videos, I am more eager to lace up my shoes and find my own challenges to grind through, without placing so much pressure on myself. Thousands of comments on these videos echo a similar sentiment, and I 肠补苍鈥檛 help but consider that a net positive.

Perhaps we can all take a skeptical note from these influencers, for as long as the risks have been carefully considered, we can push ourselves to do hard things鈥攅ven the ones for which we鈥檙e not perfectly prepared.

The post Why Is YouTube Obsessed with Running Marathons on Zero Training? appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

After less than 30 days, Morgan Brosnihan believed her attempt to hike the Pacific Crest Trail was over.

In mid-April of 2019, Brosnihan set out from the Mexican border, heading north across Southern California鈥檚 low-slung mountains and high desert. But after 454 miles, or less than a fifth of the PCT鈥檚 full length, she hobbled into Hiker Heaven, a trailside outpost in the town of Agua Dulce, thinking she had broken her left foot and that her dream of reaching Canada was doomed.

With every step, pain radiated from the outside edge of her foot. 鈥淚 cried the entire day,鈥� Brosnihan says, almost exactly four years later. 鈥淚 thought, Oh great, my hike is done.鈥�

But to steady herself amid the sudden disappointment, Brosnihan took a shower, ate a meal, and remembered what she鈥檇 gone to school for: physical therapy. Her foot, she realized, wasn鈥檛 actually broken; instead, the cuboid鈥攁 blocky little bone located in the lateral midfoot鈥攈ad shifted slightly out of place, a condition called .

She鈥檇 been wearing her Hoka Speedgoat shoes too long, compressing the foam until she was landing on her outside edge with each stride. The damage was minor, despite the excruciating feeling. In minutes, using the and techniques she learned in school, she鈥檇 fixed her own foot. A day later, Brosnihan walked on, finishing the PCT less than five months later.

鈥淚 think I had this foot injury so I could experience听迟he anxiety of What if your hike is over? How does that play out?鈥� says Brosnihan, now 30, of those fraught moments before her self diagnosis. 鈥淎nd I thought, How do I get care, get my foot looked at? How am I going to get a ride?鈥�

After her injury, she decided to help answer those questions for future hikers, too. In 2022, Brosnihan launched , a mobile physical-therapy studio in bright red Ford Transit van that doubles as a home for her and her golden retriever, Honey. For two hiking seasons, she has crept north along the PCT treating the inflamed tendons and aggravated joints of more than a dozen long-distance hikers each day, operating on a sliding-scale payment system. Hers appears to be the only business of its kind, and after just over a year, Brosnihan is already considering expanding.

鈥淚f I had never thru-hiked, I genuinely don鈥檛 think I could effectively treat thru-hikers,鈥� says Brosnihan. 鈥淭here are so many things I had to learn by having a PT brain and just taking it through this kind of endeavor.鈥�

Brosnihan鈥檚 path to physical therapy鈥攑articularly the on-trail variety鈥攈as been circuitous. A multisport athlete in high school, she attended a western Pennsylvania college that was small enough for her to still get game-time minutes on the basketball team. Halfway through with her business degree, her grandfather suffered a head injury after slipping on ice; when she visited him in the hospital and a therapist came to collect him for rehabilitation, Brosnihan had an epiphany: she wanted to help older people recover from injuries. (鈥淗e had to hit his head for me to have my a-ha moment,鈥� says Brosnihan.) She added enough science classes to qualify for physical-therapy school and finished her doctorate in Pittsburgh in 2017.

Meanwhile, an interest in long-haul hikes crept into Brosnihan鈥檚 life. Around the time of her grandfather鈥檚 injury, she and the rest of her family went backpacking through the Grand Canyon. She was hooked, and subsequently hiked throughout New England during physical-therapy school. Six months after graduating, she tackled Vermont鈥檚 Long Trail as a prologue to the PCT trek she was planning.

鈥淵ou start to get so aware of your body, because there鈥檚 not much else going on,鈥� she says. 鈥淎nd sometimes a thru-hike is the first time people experience that kind of serious pain.鈥�

One possible reason Brosnihan didn鈥檛 recognize cuboid syndrome the moment she felt it, in spite of her schooling, is that scientific research and literature on thru-hiking injuries remain scant. Running is the closest related endurance sport with comprehensive studies on injuries, but even that overlap has limits. Physical therapists are taught to keep someone hiking or someone running through load reduction, but the way you reduce the load with thru-hikers is different, because the sport is different, she says. Load is shorthand for the total workload on any joint, tendon, or muscle, all by things like speed, body weight, pack weight, form, and even footwear. Reducing that load attempts to minimize the strain.

Brosnihan is working to expand that knowledge on the subject through her time and experiences helping hurt hikers on the trail. After her first season in her van, she self-published an eBook, . It documents common injuries that occur during the PCT鈥檚 opening section, just before thru-hikers reach the heart of the Sierra Nevada, and addresses how to prevent or manage them. After the initial 70 miles, for instance, hikers often limp into the town of Julian with arch pain in their right foot, due to the trail鈥檚 upward听slope. When hikers reach their first few mountains, their (a.k.a. IT bands, which run along the outside of the thighs) can begin to tighten, leading to achy knees. And Achilles tendons flare up for many as the number of climbs grow.

Brosnihan doesn鈥檛 simply aim to fix these problems for hikers鈥攕he also teaches them how to recognize and manage chronic-pain symptoms and root causes by themselves. She knows she may encounter a hiker only a handful of times, even as she follows the glut of them north. So when they arrive at her van with aching backs or stiff ankles, she mobilizes the necessary joints, then provides hikers with exercises鈥攕tretches, massages, manipulations鈥攖o practice on lunch breaks and at day鈥檚 end.

鈥淭he bulk of my injuries out here, for example, were tendonitis, so I tell patients that exercise is the thing that brought this on, and the only thing that will heal it,鈥� she says. 鈥淲e just have to figure out how to get the loads on those tendons back in balance, to keep them moving. I want them to understand what鈥檚 going on.鈥�

Taking her physical-therapy clinic on the road and to the trail presented a risk for Brosnihan鈥攁n unproven way to earn a living. But she鈥檚 making as much money now as she would in a traditional clinic, and saving more, treating hikers between $50 and $100 per visit.

Next year she plans to spend time on the Florida, Arizona, and Appalachian听Trails before heading back west to the PCT. (Brosnihan acquires licenses to practice in each state where she works.) And she may soon hire a second therapist to help treat more patients from another red Blaze Physio van. 鈥淏ut that person would have to be a thru-hiker, too,鈥� Brosnihan says. 鈥淢entally and physically, that has been such a part of it for me.鈥�

Read on for Brosnihan鈥檚 therapy-minded tips to prepare for, and sustain, a long-distance haul.

5 Physical-Therapy Tips to Prep for a Long Hike

Find and Test Alternate Shoes

It鈥檚 fine to have a primary shoe that you think you鈥檒l wear every day on the trail. But what if you reach a town with tattered kicks and without that shoe in stock? Know what other shoes your body can tolerate, Brosnihan advises, so you always have a backup plan in place.

Strength-Train

For Brosnihan, strength training is the best way to safeguard against insurmountable strains and insufferable tendonitis on the trail. Focus on the unilateral basics; single-leg exercises like lunges, step-ups, and heel raises can help address imbalances. And don鈥檛 forget that these functional movements are听meant to fortify your entire body鈥檚 performance, she says, noting 鈥淭hat should beat the core of any program.鈥�

Improve Your Ankle Mobility

Brosnihan chuckles when she talks about ankles, because she sees so many on-trail injuries related to the stiff joint. Analyze your mobility long before you start, then increase it with stretches and strength training. You can even do these stretches at the end of a hard trail day to maintain mobility.

Do a Shakedown Hike

A shakedown hike is essentially a long practice trek, where you take your full kit and learn what doesn鈥檛 work and what throws you off-balance, then determine what weight is unnecessary. It may seem obvious to rehearse what鈥檚 about to become your life, but Brosnihan says it鈥檚 worth reiterating. Going with an experienced thru-hiker can help, but give yourself permission to make dumb mistakes alone if you need to. 鈥淵ou鈥檒l be pretty motivated to not have a 70-pound pack after two days outside,鈥� she says.

Test the Tape

Thinking about using to stop blisters or to bolster an aching body? Wear them long before you get on trail to ensure you鈥檙e not allergic to their adhesives and that you know how to use them properly. Brosnihan has seen little blisters turn into badly inflamed feet when people react to the materials, and she鈥檇 prefer not to see it again.

5 Physical-Therapy Tips to Sustain a Long Hike

Avoid Limping

If an injury is causing you to limp, favoring it may make it worse, as it alters your normal stride. For example, Brosnihan has seen tendon-induced limps lead to broken feet. Take Ibuprofen, shorter steps, or a day off鈥攄o what you must to avoid limping for a prolonged period. 鈥淵our body is used to the way you walk, and a limp is a whole new movement pattern,鈥� she says. That will only make it worse.

Don鈥檛 Forsake Sunscreen

Stopping by a stream for lunch and a swim? Wearing shorts that expose the backs of your knees? Lather 鈥檈m up with sunscreen, because discomfort from sunburn, and especially sun poisoning, can disrupt your stride and instigate injury.

Shorten Your Stride

Aside from pack weight, there are three primary factors that contribute to the load on your body: mileage, speed, and step length. Mileage is often the least inflexible (you have to get where you鈥檙e going, after all), so consider slowing down and shortening your steps to put less burden on your body, especially as you ease into the rigors of long-distance hiking at the start. 鈥淢ost people overstride in hiking and running, so reeling in the step length a couple of inches can go a long way,鈥� she says.

Pay Attention to the Way You Fall Asleep

Brosnihan knows many folks are side sleepers, and that鈥檚 fine. But put something鈥攁 shirt, a bit of foam padding, whatever鈥攂etween your knees to align your knees and hips and relieve pressure on your joints. Without that extra support, gluteal tendonitis and IT band problems can flare up. And if you don鈥檛 have anything extra (hello, ultralighters), just cross your ankles as you sleep for a similar effect.

Squeeze Your Butt

As you climb on the trail, engage your glutes by squeezing them, which helps alleviate strain on your knees. Make this a habit and the rest of your body will thank you.

The post Injury Prevention: 10 Tips for Thru-Hikers from a Physical Therapist Living on the PCT appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.