Baird puts it this way: “The best recipe is to get a variety of different types of intensity in your exercise routine.” That could be a few longer sessions below the lactate threshold and then one or two sessions where you get your heart rate close to its max. “We know from the study that it is such a potent stimulus and there’s a lot of benefits,” Baird said. “It doesn’t mean you do it every day.”

Read the full article at medscape.com.

There are many ways to incorporate kettlebells into your workout.

“Kettlebells provide external resistance that can be applied across a variety of lower body movement patterns,” said Stephen Binckes, MS, CSCS, USAW-1, exercise physiologist at the HSS.

“How you choose to load the lower body through a specific movement pattern changes how your muscles respond to that resistance. One of the biggest benefits of choosing kettlebells as your external resistance is the versatility they provide when selecting and modifying exercises,” he said.

Read the full article at verywellhealth.com.

“Most of your long runs should be at a truly easy pace,” said Geisel. Easy runs help build endurance while allowing the body to adapt to training demands without unnecessary strain.

Consistency, recovery, strength building, and listening to your body remain some of the most effective ways runners can stay healthy and strong throughout training.

Read the full article at nytimes.com. A subscription is required to access. 

"During running, tendons act like springs, storing energy when the foot hits the ground and returning that energy during push-off," said Kassandra Reagan, PT, DPT, OCS, CSCS, physical therapist at HSS. "Healthy tendons help runners run efficiently and more powerfully. [Tendons] need to stay as healthy as possible to tolerate the repetitive impact of running since when you’re running, you’re jumping from each single leg over and over and over.”

Because tendons absorb and transfer force with every stride, they can become irritated when training demands increase too quickly. Progressive strength training, adequate recovery and gradual mileage increases can help keep tendons resilient and reduce the risk of injuries such as Achilles tendonitis or knee pain.

Read the full article at runnersworld.com. A subscription is required to access.

The article featured insights from Dana Rose, PT, DPT, OCS, SFMA, physical therapist at HSS, who explained that releasing muscle tension before bed can make it easier to relax and fall asleep. She recommended several gentle stretches that target common areas of tightness, including the neck, chest, back, and trunk. Dr. Rose also emphasized the importance of moving slowly, breathing intentionally, and listening to your body to maximize the relaxation benefits of a bedtime stretching routine.

Read the full article at everdayhealth.com. 

A reverse taper mirrors the mileage reduction many runners follow before race day. The first week after a marathon should prioritize recovery, including rest, hydration, nutrition, and gentle movement such as walking or stretching. From there, runners can slowly rebuild running frequency, then mileage, and finally intensity over several weeks.

“Taking the time to reverse taper will help you avoid overtaxing your joints, muscles and connective tissues, as well as give your body a well-deserved de-load period,” said Baird. By easing back into training and listening to your body's signals, you can recover more effectively and set the stage for a stronger return to running.

Read the full article at runnersworld.com. A subscription is required to access.

Now, Apgar and the LA Queens are competing for the WPBL championship title.

Read the full article at abcnews.com.

Watch the video at journalnow.com. 

Making sure you’re hydrating and getting enough protein are also important steps if you’re noticing you’re more tired than usual, said Kelyssa Hall, ACSM-EP, CSCS, CEAS I, BoneFit, an exercise physiologist at HSS. Older adults can have a reduced thirst response compared to when they were younger. Muscles also become less efficient at using protein from your diet as you age, she said, so you should try to consume protein throughout the day.

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that adults get 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise and two sessions of muscle-strengthening activities every week. Adults over 65 should aim for those same guidelines, Hall said, to the extent that you can, considering your medical history. Keep in mind, she added, that what feels like moderate-intensity exercise may be different now compared with when you were younger, and you should consult a doctor before starting a new routine.

Read the full article at nytimes.com. A subscription is required to access.

Wall sits, step-ups and glute bridges are a few exercises that may help. Stretching is also important, as tight muscles can place additional stress on the knee and contribute to pain.

Cutler recommends seeing a physical therapist or doctor if knee pain worsens with exercise or does not improve after three to four weeks of consistent strengthening and stretching.

Read the full article at self.com. 

In The New York Times, Snehal Patel, PT, MPT, SCS, physical therapist at HSS, explained, “When top athletes get injured, rehab becomes their job. They might spend hours each day on strength, conditioning and bodywork treatments, as well as talk therapy with a sports psychologist.” 

While professional athletes often have access to extensive resources, injuries and recovery are experiences shared by athletes of all ages and abilities. Some recreational athletes told the publication that following recovery stories online helped them better understand and prioritize their own rehabilitation process. HSS experts emphasize that anyone recovering from an injury should seek appropriate medical guidance to support a safe and effective return to activity. 

Read the full article at nytimes.com. A subscription is required to access.

Skipping a post-workout stretch probably won’t hurt your long-term mobility, especially if you stay active and strength train regularly.

Hunter Carter, ACSM-EP, CPT, CES, exercise physiologist at HSS said, “While post-workout stretching can be a useful tool for maintaining flexibility, the research suggests it is not the single best or most important strategy for preserving mobility as you age.” 

“For long-term health and performance, regularly moving, strength training, and incorporating dedicated mobility work into your overall fitness routine appear to have the greatest impact on maintaining function and mobility,” said Carter.

Read the full article at health.com. 

This article was also published on AOL.com.

“Zone 2 cardio refers to exercise performed at a low-to-moderate intensity where the body relies primarily on aerobic metabolism and uses fat as a major fuel source to produce energy,” said George Yusuff, MS, exercise physiologist at HSS.

“Zone 2 training provides numerous heart health benefits because it strengthens the cardiovascular system while placing relatively low stress on the body. One of the most important adaptations is an increase in stroke volume, meaning the heart becomes stronger and more efficient, allowing it to pump more blood with each heartbeat,” Yusuff said. “As a result, the heart does not need to work as hard during exercise or daily activities.”

Read the full article at verywellhealth.com. This story also published in MSN.com.

“The majority of my patients are golfers, and they love the simulator,” aid Spencer Summers, MD, a hip and knee surgeon at HSS Florida. “It’s the kind that professionals use, with a huge screen that could make you feel like you’re at a golf course in Augusta or Pebble Beach. It’s very impressive.” 

Utilizing advanced radar-tracking technology, the simulator captures detailed data on swing mechanics, ball launch and flight patterns. “The wealth of information enables our physical therapists to design highly personalized rehabilitation plans in a safe, controlled environment,” said Ryan Simovitch, MD, director of the shoulder division and co-medical director at HSS Florida. 

Read the full article at essential.golf

“I remember walking up to the batter’s box and, for the first time, feeling confident,” Apgar said. “My legs weren’t shaking. I was standing there thinking, ‘I’m about to hit the crap out of this ball!’”

Apgar grounded out in her first at-bat, but the outcome was beside the point. The moment represented something far more meaningful than a result in the scorebook.

“I feel like my teammates now,” she said.

Read the full article at mlb.com.

Japanese walking is a form of interval training that alternates between brisk and moderate-paced walking. After a 5-minute warm-up, you walk fast for 3 minutes, then at a comfortable pace for 3 minutes, repeating the cycle for about 30 minutes.

Like other high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts, Japanese walking leaves you with a sort of “after-burn effect,” Ben Yamuder, MS, CSCS, USAW-1, exercise physiologist at HSS, said. This effect means your body needs more oxygen to refuel after your exercise, so you will continue to burn more calories even when you’re done with your walk, he explained.

Read the full article at today.com.

Incorporating single-leg exercises into your routine can help improve balance, core strength and coordination, said Candace Young, PT, DPT, SCS, CSCS, physical therapist at HSS, in a recent article with the New York Times. Training single-leg strength can also help you avoid injuries that arise from muscle imbalances, she added.

The article includes a 25-minute workout with exercises designed to improve balance, lower-body strength, mobility and everyday function, underscoring the role of targeted exercise in supporting injury prevention and long-term musculoskeletal health.

Read the full article at nytimes.com. A subscription is required to access. 

Knee pain is one of the most common musculoskeletal complaints, affecting people of all ages, from athletes dealing with overuse injuries to older adults managing arthritis. While knee pain can significantly impact daily life, it doesn't automatically mean surgery is the next step. "You don't just necessarily go from 'my knee hurts' to having surgery," said Turner. Many patients benefit from conservative treatments such as physical therapy, targeted strengthening, and activity modification to reduce pain, improve function, and stay active.

Read the full article at nytimes.com. A subscription is required to access. 

Irolla is building a prosthetic for Apgar with a gel liner and a hook extension that is designed to fit around the bat and provide a more secure attachment. Doctors used some of the bones in Apgar’s left leg and foot to help strengthen her arm when she was a kid, so HSS also is creating custom foot orthotics for her with built-in rigid plates.

“She’s very open to trying new things. She just wants to perform at the highest level and everything that she can do to get there,” Irolla said. “It’s really nice to have somebody be that open and creative and motivated.”

Apgar has no feeling in her nub. During one visit with Irolla, she tried on a prosthetic that mimicked the sensation of touch.

“It was the first time that I had held a bat and it felt like I was holding it with two hands. So I started tearing up,” she said. “It was such a mind-blowing feeling.”

Read the full article at apnews.com.

Your IT band feels super tight and achy, and the discomfort intensifies as you run. So you take what seems like the logical next step to reduce your pain: You foam roll the heck out of it.

“Everybody loves to sit on a foam roller and just dig into the IT band as much as they can,” said Cunningham. “They say it hurts so good.”

The thing is, this paradoxical feeling is misleading. Foam rolling your IT band—which is a thick band of connective tissue that runs from the outside of your hip and attaches on the outside of your knee—doesn’t actually do much to alleviate pain there, Cunningham explained.

There are various more effective ways to address this pain, from stretching to strengthening and other intervention methods.

Read the full article at runnersworld.com. A subscription is required to access. 

“It’s almost never too late to begin running,” said Horan. “While age, fitness level, and existing health conditions can influence how someone starts, people can experience meaningful health benefits from running at virtually any stage of life. Rather than focusing exclusively on age, it may be more helpful to focus on readiness to run and proper progression to successfully begin running later in life.”

“The body remains remarkably responsive to exercise, even in older adulthood, making it possible for new runners to experience significant improvements in overall health,” Horan continued.

Read the full article at run.outsideonline.com. 

Nothing kiboshes an awesome road ride like pain. And while a bunch of different factors contribute to pain while cycling—including bike fit, as well as strength and mobility imbalances—a really common one is improper technique. 

Of course, there’s not one perfect form with cycling (or really anything), said Horan, Moreover, pain with cycling is typically multifactorial, she added. “A lot comes at the intersection of biomechanics, load management, tissue tolerance, and equipment interface,” she explained.

Read the full article at bicycling.com. A subscription is required to access. 

“Gluteal amnesia, often referred to as ‘dead butt syndrome,' occurs when the gluteal muscles become inhibited and fail to activate effectively," said Yusuff.

To avoid dead butt syndrome, you should try not to pass long periods of time in a seated position. Yusuff recommended trying to stand up and move around regularly. “While this can be challenging with desk-based work, aiming to stand up and move at least once every hour, ideally every 30 minutes, can make a meaningful difference,” he said. “In addition, incorporating glute activation and strengthening exercises is critical for restoring proper function and improving strength in the glutes.”

Read the full article at verywellhealth.com

Training often feels like a constant dance of decision-making: how to fuel, when to recover, and what paces to run. Trying to determine the types of workouts you need based on your current fitness level and actually knowing how to adjust your training accordingly is just another part of that dance, and easily adds to the overwhelm.

One of the biggest signs you need more easy miles in training is if you struggle with endurance, said Geisel. For example, if you struggle to complete your long runs—or finish them feeling good—then you likely need more easy miles to build stamina.

“If a runner needs more speed, intensity, or strength, it is best to start with small doses,” to complement the plan, not compete with it, said Geisel. This could look like adding strides after an easy run, short hill repeats, or tempo sessions, she added. “We want to be mindful that we aren’t creating fatigue that takes away from the quality of the rest of training,” she expained.

Read the full article at runnersworld.com. A subscription is required to access. 

One way to reduce poor posture is to move around periodically, whether that means standing up, marching in place, walking to refill a water bottle, or taking a quick lap around the office or home. “These short movement breaks promote circulation, stimulate the muscles and joints, and help maintain awareness of body position throughout the day,” Moldoff said.

A rule of thumb: spend at least two minutes on your feet every hour, Moldoff continued, noting that “even brief movement breaks can be beneficial” for posture.

Read the full article at health.com.

“Many hiking-related injuries are less about a single structural problem and more about the body reacting to repetitive stress,” said Welch.

Welch says that symptoms that crop up after a long day on foot, such as heel issues, Achilles soreness, shin discomfort, or general foot pain, are often signs that the muscles, tendons, or joints are becoming irritated from repeated loading. These can be exacerbated by changes in hiking miles or terrain, insufficient recovery, or doing more than your body is prepared for.

Read the full article at backpacker.com.

“I’ve identified many problems that using a phone can cause,” shared Dr. Maroldi. Having two cellphones, he said, “increases the risk for faulty mechanics, bad ergonomics. And I think it overemphasizes some of our overuse patterns.” The most common conditions he sees from cellphone overuse are tendinitis, trigger fingers and carpal tunnel syndrome.

Read the full article at nytimes.com. A subscription is required to access.

Your risk of injury increases with age, but implementing certain exercises into your routine—particularly after age 40—could help reduce this risk.

Although the risk of injury increases as you age, the benefits of exercise far outweigh the risk. Partaking in exercise—both aerobic and resistance, when done safely and appropriately—helps to slow the decline of these age-related changes and can also help to improve quality of life, longevity, and reduce all-cause mortality risk.

Read the full article at verywellhealth.com.

Nerves are embedded in muscles throughout your whole body, said Paul, and they can cause tingling or numbness in your back, arm(s), leg(s), hand(s), feet—pretty much anywhere.

Nerve flossing is meant to improve the mobility of how those nerves course through various parts of the body, she shared, so rather than a sustained stretch, nerve glides are gentle and repetitive—and typically not done to your full range of motion. (Think: rather than a hamstring stretch at your end range, you stretch just until you feel a slight tug, then back off.)

You can think of nerve flossing kind of like flossing your teeth, said Paul. “You’re not just putting [the floss] in between your teeth and letting it [sit] there because that won’t do anything, but you’re tugging it back and forth [gently] until you loosen up the restriction,” she explained.

Read the full article at runnersworld.com. A subscription is required to access. 

Unlike higher-impact activities—such as running, hiking, and walking—the foot is in a mostly fixed position during cycling, said Horan. You may think this static positioning generally protects it from aches, pains, andstrains—but foot pain can definitely still occur with cycling.

Read the full article at bicycling.com. A subscription is required to access. 

Also called medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS), shin splints are essentially due to a mismatch between how much load you’re placing on your tibia (one of the bones in your lower leg) and that bone’s ability to adapt and recover, explained Carter.

If you’re in the middle of a run and you notice shin pain, don’t ignore it. “In the moment, shift to a pain-guided approach,” Carter shared. “Slow down, shorten the run, switch to walk-run intervals, or stop altogether.”

To stop the pain from coming back, you might want to consider a professional evaluation of your running mechanics, often called a running gait analysis. These sessions help identify potential issues that could contribute to shin pain. Then, the professional doing the evaluation will create a plan to help correct these pain points. “This type of analysis helps connect what you feel to what your body is doing, so your plan can target technique cues, strength or fatigue deficits, and load progression,” Carter continued.

Read the full article at outsideonline.com. 

Threshold runs are a powerful tool in your training toolkit, but running them at the right pace is what makes them so effective. Too slow and you never stress the right physiological system for improvement; too fast and you’ll wind up with reduced fitness gains and more fatigue.

“Threshold pace usually refers to the fastest pace you can sustain while keeping lactate production and clearance relatively balanced, often called your lactate threshold or anaerobic threshold pace,” explained Baird.

“In practical terms, it’s a ‘comfortably hard’ effort you could hold for about 45 to 60 minutes in a race setting,” said Baird. It’s usually somewhere between your 10K and half-marathon speed, though that can vary depending on your experience and fitness level.

Read the full article at runnersworld.com. A subscription is required to access.

Reduced muscle mass, aka sarcopenia, is a common side effect of weight loss induced by GLP-1 receptor agonists. However, muscle loss often results from rapid weight loss, regardless of the method.

There is good news, though. Strength training while taking a GLP-1 can help preserve muscle mass. That’s because it signals to your body that it’s important to keep muscle, said Pasquin.

Without strength training, Pasquin explained, your body is quick to ditch muscle. That said, there are three strength moves Pasquin recommends to support muscle preservation while on a GLP-1.

Read the full article at outsideonline.com.

Posture incorporates more than just sitting or standing up straight, according to Yorks. Being upright is the optimal position for our bodies, placing the least amount of stress on our muscles, joints, and ligaments, she said. And having good posture helps us absorb shock, efficiently distribute our own weight and external weight across our bodies, and generate force for everyday activities.

It’s important to talk to a healthcare professional, like a physical therapist or your primary care doctor, before attempting these exercises, especially if you’re looking to do them on a soft surface, Yorks added, as your lower back could sag and you could potentially pull a muscle.

Read the full article at outsideonline.com.

Knee stability exercises probably aren’t top of mind when you hit the gym. But having stable knees is super important in a bunch of different scenarios — from running a marathon to climbing the stairs to squatting down to pick up a child — which means doing these types of moves on the reg is actually a really smart idea.

“Everybody could probably benefit from some sort of strengthening to improve stability of the knee,” said Whitelam.

Read the full article at glamourmagazine.co.uk.

Baird suggested thinking of your body like a car. It can look great on the outside, she said, but “you can’t forget that there’s an engine inside that also needs to be able to drive it down the street at the speed that you’d like.”

In other words, she said, regardless of how strong and resilient your muscles, bones and joints are, if your cardiovascular system is suffering, “eventually, you’re going to have to slow down.”

Read the full article at nytimes.com. A subscription is required to access. 

“When you work out, your body becomes more acidic, and you have these hydrogen ions that can cause some soreness both during and after your workout,” said Yamuder. This will usually clear within an hour or so of training, but a post-workout sauna session can move things along much more quickly. 

“What happens is, you get more blood flow, and that helps to clear out some of those acidic ions in the muscle that can cause tightness and stiffness,” Yamuder continued. “If you're a pretty well-trained athlete, you can get kind of the same effect from just going on a brisk walk, but with the sauna it's more passive—all you’ve really got to do is sit there.”

Read the full article at gq.com. 

When it comes to treating obesity, type 2 diabetes, and other chronic health conditions, GLP-1 agonist drugs–such as Ozempic, Zepbound, and Wegovy–have been a gamechanger for literally millions of Americans. But as with any medication, these drugs can deliver unwelcome side effects. And a recent study that just garnered a bunch of attention raised the possibility of new ones.

“When you take GLP-1s, there can be rapid weight loss which means there is less load being carried around on the skeleton,” Hall says. “Bone formation or strengthening is improved with load to the skeletal system,” she explained, “so losing weight decreases the regular load on the bones overall.”

However, the study didn’t take into account factors that commonly impact bone health, like exercise habits, nutritional habits, and other lifestyle factors, Hall said. “These factors can play a huge role in bone health with or without the addition of GLP-1s.”

As Hall put it: The study “highlights the need for more research on these topics.”

Read the full article at self.com.

"When you’re walking, there's a lot less demand and impact on the body, so it's a good way to reduce injury risk," said Yusuff. 

“If you start to run then you get injured, that can sometimes put people off forever,” Yusuff continued. So if you've never run before or you're getting back into it, jeffing may be a helpful strategy.

Another potential benefit is that it may shorten recovery time. "During the walking stages, you slow the body down, kind of lower (core) temperature and recirculate some of the lactate that accumulated while running," explained Yusuff.

Read the full article at today.com.

When Yusuff was playing soccer in college, his training involved a lot of power-focused movements, like snatching a barbell off the floor and thrusting it overhead as fast as possible. It felt good. It made him better.

Today, he still prioritizes training for muscle power — which is basically how quickly you can move a weight — but it looks a lot more approachable. And it’s something he often recommends his patients incorporate into their routines as well. “Muscle power is really important for everyone from professional athletes to older individuals looking to improve their quality of life,” Yusuff said.

Read the full article at medscape.com.

If you’ve ever played or watched sports, you’ve probably seen kinesiology therapeutic tape, often referred to as KT tape. The colorful, stretchy athletic tape is a popular remedy for muscle and joint pain, especially for areas like your shoulders, back, knees, and ankles. However, new research has called its effectiveness into question.

KT tape won’t stabilize more severe injuries, like a dislocated shoulder or a newly sprained ankle, Erler said. In those cases, more rigid tape or a brace would be more beneficial—and always consult a healthcare provider to treat an injury. But Erler said he doesn’t see KT tape going anywhere. 

Read the full article at health.com.

VO₂ max is widely regarded as a gold standard of aerobic fitness. It shows up on watches, in training apps and across social media as a benchmark for comparison. But the number that you’re seeing might not present your fitness level as accurately as assumed. Research questions whether the most common way that we measure VO₂ max – that is, based on bodyweight – actually provides the best way to compare aerobic efficiency across different body types. 

Elite marathoners tend to have high relative VO₂ max values, partly because of their smaller, lighter frames, said Baird. Meanwhile, athletes like rowers, who typically carry more muscle mass, often post lower relative VO2 max numbers than marathoners, even though their absolute readings may be larger.

Baird stressed that for most people, runners included, simply being active and maintaining a well-rounded routine is far more important to both your aerobic fitness and your overall health than trying to optimize this metric—or trying to manipulate your way to a better score. 

Consulting with a medical professional is essential for understanding your full set of health metrics and optimizing both performance and overall wellness. Learn more about performance services at HSS, including VO₂ max testing, here.

Read the full article at runnersworld.com. A subscription is required to access.

Knee stability exercises probably aren’t top of mind when you hit the gym. But having stable knees is super important in a bunch of different scenarios—from running a marathon to climbing the stairs to squatting down to pick up a child—which means doing these types of moves on the reg is actually a really smart idea.

“Everybody could probably benefit from some sort of strengthening to improve stability of the knee,” said Whitelam.

Knee stability can encompass a lot of different things, but to boil it down, it’s “the ability to maintain alignment and positioning of your knee during movement and activity,” Whitelam shared. There are passive structures in the body that help with knee stability, which include certain ligaments, Whitelam explains–such as the ACL and MCL. And there are active structures that help out too, which include muscles such as the quads, hamstrings, and hips, she added.

Read the full article at self.com.

“This is not something that you want to rush him back from,” Kennelly said. “The top cause of injury, or in this case a re-tear, is returning to play too early. That’s always a risk you want to avoid. Because in any injury, a re-injury to the same patellar tendon is going to set an athlete back even further.” 

Moody helped his recovery by undergoing surgery soon after the initial injury, Kennelly explained, as the timely procedure meant that the torn tendon “doesn’t retract and shorten more than it already does after being torn.”

Read the full article at mercurynews.com. A subscription is required to access. 

Taking GLP-1s can facilitate weight loss, but pairing the drug with exercise tells your body where the weight loss comes from, Hall explained.

Specifically, “strength training tells the body to keep muscle,” Hall said. Strength training also helps maintain your resting metabolic rate (how much energy you burn at rest), promotes stability throughout your joints, and can help lower injury risk in day-to-day life, she adds. It’s no surprise then that Hall recommends regular strength training to her patients on GLP-1s.

To complement the strength training, Hall also recommends flexibility work. “Flexibility training plays an important role in maintaining quality movement patterns during rapid weight loss, which can help to reduce the risk of injury,” she said. That’s because when you lose weight, your movement mechanics can change. Flexibility training can keep your joints and muscles moving through their full range of motion, which helps you lift weights with safe, effective form. Beyond that, Hall recommends regular cardio, which helps promote cardiovascular fitness and metabolic health, improves insulin sensitivity, and supports fat loss.

Lastly, outside of specific workouts, Hall encourages her clients on GLP-1s to incorporate consistent movement throughout the day to help maintain proper metabolism. 

Read the full article at self.com.

Compound exercises are movements that recruit multiple muscle groups and joints simultaneously for a more efficient, full-body workout, said Carter.

Popular examples include squats, deadlifts, overhead press, bench press and barbell rows.

"You’re recruiting more muscle mass (in order) to be active at one time," Carter said. In addition to maximizing muscle strength and growth, this can help you burn more calories in a shorter period.

Read the full article at today.com. 

In regard to cold therapy: “It decreases that pain sensitivity in the body and it helps to cool off any nerve inflammation,” said Bramble.

You can use any form of thermal therapy—whether that’s a hot pack, warm bath, sauna, or steam room—for an injury. Directly applying a heating pad on the affected area, however, like your lower back, may help you “have a little bit more reactivity to that one specific spot because you're focusing there,” Bramble added.

In summary, if you feel sharp, shooting pain associated with an injury, choose cold therapy, said Bramble. But if it’s more of an achy, stiff, chronic sensation—go with heat.

Read the full article at womenshealth.com.

The side stitch is a sharp, localized pain that comes on during exercise and occurs in the abdomen, typically below the rib cage shared Carter. “A lot of people will describe it as sort of like a stabbing pain in the ribs,” he said. For many people, this sensation crops up on the right side of the body, he continued.

Maintaining good core activation throughout your workouts can reduce the chances of a side stitch coming on in the first place. “Abdominal bracing is going to help correct or prevent that abdominal lining from going through so much irritation,” Carter said. To help on this front, he gives the cue of knitting your ribs together and keeping them closed together (versus flared out), even as you inhale. With running specifically, he recommends leaning your torso slightly forward as you stride, since this posture can help recruit your core muscles.

Read the full article at self.com.

“If you can produce better force into the ground and absorb force in a better manner when you land, then you will be a faster runner, or you will be a more tolerant runner of the speeds [and distances] that you want to run at,” said Baird.

While many runners think they need to focus mostly on speed gains to get that edge at the end of a race—even going all-out with VO2 max efforts—zeroing in on your biomechanics can make the difference. “If you are solely focused on improving your VO2 max, then you may find that you are going to continue to be injured because it’s high-intensity, repetitive work,” Baird shared. Neglecting your mechanics on top of that can lead to overloading certain joints and tissues, which can lead to injuries, she explained.

It’s unrealistic to think you can focus on improving both speed and form all year round, every single year, Baird said. So she suggests periodizing your training, which looks like setting specific workout focuses that change throughout the year based on your races and your goals.

Read the full article at runnersworld.com. 

"Recovery starts the moment you start training. Adhering to a smart training plan, making sure you're increasing your mileage appropriately, taking rest days, doing your strength training—all those things allow you to have a better recovery. We often think, “I crossed the finish line, now it's time to recover." Going into [race day] well-trained is going to really set you up for a nice easy recovery and get you back out there," said Geisel.

Read the full article at nyrr.org.