San Francisco Podiatrist Posts Video on 1 Hour Ingrown Toenail Relief in San Francisco

Ingrown toenails are easily the most common reason that a podiatrist will see a doctor for pain in the toe. Ingrown toenails can be prevented with some simple tips:

1. Cut normal nails straight across.
2. Keep your nails just shorter than the end of the toe.
3. Avoid shoes that cramp the toes.

The most common way people cause ingrown nails is by cutting them too short. This is often in an attempt to relieve a painful ingrown nail before it becomes infected. Unfortunately, this usually backfires. But even if you try to take it out and make the ingrown toenail worse, you can still get relief. This video explains how you can get ingrown toenail relief in San Francisco in only about an hour, even without going to a podiatry office.





Dr. Christopher Segler is a San Francisco Podiatrist and toenail surgeon. He treats podiatry emergencies (such as ingrown toenails) like they really need treatment now. He drives around San Francisco seeing patients at home, in their offices or even tourists on vacation in their hotel rooms. No one needs to suffer with a painful infected ingrown toenail. If you need immediate relief from an ingrown toenail in only an hour, you can reach him directly at (415) 308-0833. You can learn more about ingrown toenails at San Francisco's Podiatry House Call Site and San Francisco's Best Podiatry Patient Information Site

San Francisco Podiatrist Explains Why Athlete's Foot is Common in Bay Area Runners and Cyclists

Athlete's foot is a fungus infection of the skin that often occurs in runners, cyclists and other athletes. It just so happens that the San Francisco Bay Area has a climate that can make it easier for you do develop a case of itching, burning, peeling feet that characterizes the condition.

In order for any fungus to grow best, it needs a habitat that is dark, warm and moist. As it turns out, shoes are perfect for this. You put on your running shoes and head out for a run through Golden Gate Park. Your feet sweat (even if it is fifty degrees), and the heat from your feet turns the shoe into a little incubator for the nasty stuff to grow. If it is like many days in San Francisco, you may even get some rain or light drizzle further soaking your shoes. Then you get home and toss your shoes in the closet until you get ready to go for a run the next day.

The problem is that very few closets have heat or air conditioning vents in them. For this reason, the shoes just won't dry out. They stay damp. And damp running shoes equals fungus.

Cyclists have a similar problem. Head out on the road to Nicassio or anywhere else in Marin county on the weekend and you will see hundreds of cyclist out for a ride. Most of them are wearing shoe covers to help keep their feet warm and dry. But these shoe covers don't breathe very well. As a result, all of that moisture gets trapped inside the cycling shoes. Once the ride is over, many cyclists will toss there shoes in the garage right next to their bike. Sitting in a cool and damp garage keeps the inside of those cycling shoes damp as well.

Sooner or later, the fungal spores in the shoes will cause an athlete's foot infection. Often this is just nothing more than mild peeling of the skin on the bottoms of the feet (see picture above). But some people get severe itching, redness and burning of the feet. Once in a while a secondary infection (caused by bacteria) can start an even bigger problem.

So what to do?

First off, it is very easy to prevent athlete's foot by simply drying your running shoes and cycling shoes out. Bring them inside. I usually leave mine near of a heating vent for a couple of hours after I go running or biking. This ensures that the insides of the shoes will stay dry. Dry shoes don't support fungus very well. If you wear cycling shoe covers, take them off after every bike ride to help them dry out.

If you do get athlete's foot, over-the-counter (OTC) anti-fungal treatment creams will usually cure the problem in about 4 weeks. All you have to do is follow the directions on the tube. Make sure you use the cream for about a week after the problem seems to have gone away. Otherwise you might still have some fungus in the skin that can flare back up in only a couple of weeks after you stop applying the anti-fungal medicine.

Keep in mind that if you get athlete's foot, you will have been shedding fungal spores in your shoes. You need to decontaminate them by spraying lysol in your shoes and letting them dry out thoroughly afterward. If the athlete's foot doesn't improve after you treat it yourself with OTC medications, see the best podiatrist you can find.

Dr. Christopher Segler is a runner and Ironman triathlete who practices Podiatry in San Francisco. He offers house calls to busy athlete's through www.DocOnTheRun.com. You can learn more about common causes of foot pain at www. AnkleCenter.com, San Francisco's best podiatry treatment information site.

San Francisco Podiatrist: Out-Run Your Fat Cells!

An article in the San Francisco Chronice discusses some alarming statistics.

Ten years from now, 80% of men and 70% of women will be obese. In addition, there will be a 98% increase in obesity related diabetes. The problem of couse isn't just that all those fat people will have a tough time fitting in an airplane seat when getting on the plane in San Franciso heading to Hawaii.

The problem is that essentially preventable conditions like heart disease, stroke and diabetic foot amputations will follow those plump Americans like the dust cloud following Pigpen in the Charlie Brown cartoons.

The truth of course is that the bigger the waist size, the shorter the life. Many of the ultimately fatal complications of obesity and diabetes are lifestyle related. A little prevention can go a long way.

Given that I am a podiatrist and runner, I of course am biased toward exercise and preventing the complications that lead to foot amputations. Not just because I like to run, but because people who have diabetic amputations don't live very long.

We know that a "pre-diabetic" (sometimes also referred to as a "borderline diabetic") can often reduce their blood sugar and reduce the chances of developing diabetes just through regular exercise. A diabetic who is taking insuling who begins a walking or moderate running routine can go from taking insulin shots, to just taking some pills to keep the blood sugar under control.

And we all know that exercise is a more reliable way to fight obesity than diets.

So maybe just by adding a 30 minute running routine in Golden Gate Park, along the Embarcadero, or through Marin, San Francisco Bay Area residents could actually outrun the ability of their fat cells to pack on the pounds. San Francisco is easily one of the most scenic and runner friendly cities in the world.

As a Podiatrist who has done lots of diabetic foot sugery, I can honestly say that I would rather meet you on a Saturday morning run in San Francisco than see in the hospital because you need me to amputate a part of your diabetic foot. Every run in San Francisco I go on feels like a success. Every diabetic foot amputation feels like a failure.


Christopher Segler is a Foot Doctor in San Francisco who practices Podiatry. He is also a multiple Ironman Finisher. For more info about foot pain or running injuries see www.DocOnTheRun.com or www.AnkleCenter.com

Runner's Pedicure???

Question: "What in the world is a runners pedicure!!! What I am looking for is someone who knows what happens sometimes when you run a half or full marathon. Yes the dreaded black toenail. My toes have mostly recovered but my girlfreind is insisting I get them in shape or keep my shoes on!" - Rick J.




Answer:As a Bay Area podiatrist and active runner (marathons and Ironman) I can tell you that you don't necessarily have a fungal infection just because the toenail is getting thicker and uglier. There is a very common condition among distance runners and triathletes. It is often referred to as "Runners Toenail." Podatriss call it "traumatic onychauxis." If you run a marathon or half marathon and get the black toenail, you have caused enough trauma to the nail bed (under the nail) to bleed. It is basically a bruise or bllod blister under the nail. Repeatedly beating up your toes in this way leads to the root of the nail getting smashed, deformed and becoming missahpen. Then the toenail grows out thicker. It may be greyish, or yellowis in color and often looks like a fungal nail, but it may not have any fungal infection. A pedicure can often thin the nail and return more of a normal appearance to it. Podiatrists can also prescribe topical solutions that decrease the buildup of keratin on the nail that makes it look like a fungal toenial. The bad news is that there is no "cure" for runners toenail. But you can keep your toenail looking presentable with a pedicure. If it gets worse over time (and you haven't had any more episodes of black toneails) it might be a fungal toenail infection. The only way to know for sure is to see a podiatrist. Your foot doctor with then take a sample of the toenail and send it off to a lab for anlaysis. A test called a PAS reaction will determine whether or not there is any fungus living within the nail plate. If there is no fungus, then you have "traumatic onychauxis" (runner's toenail, in plain English. You can also visit http://www.MyRunningDo... for more info. Best of luck! - Dr. Christopher Segler, San Franciso Podiatry House Calls

Can I Run After Ankle Ligament Surgery?

Question from Mike in Corte Madera:
For years I had unstable ankles and repeated ankle sprains. It seemed like every time I would walk on any sort of uneven ground, my ankle would roll under. Although it wasn't always painful, it was bothersome. My doctor said this unstable ankle (continually giving way) was porbably caused by a bad ankle sprain I had back when I was playing high school basketball. I had surgery about a year ago to repair the torn ankle ligaments. The ankle ligament surgery was called a Brostrum repair. Now the ankle seems fine, but I want to know if I can run in a marathon. Ultimately I would like to participate in a triathlon this year as well. Is this possible?

Answer from My Running Doc:
Ankle sprains are very common. Some estimates show that there are nearly 25,000 ankle injuries in the U.S. every day. The vast majority of these ankle injuries (about 85%) are ankle sprains. Many people try to treat ankle sprains at home with ice, rest, elevation, and maybe an over-the-counter brace or ACE wrap to keep the swelling down. But many more will seek treatment at the Emergency Room or from an ankle expert like a podiatrist.

When doctors try to determine how severe the sprain is, they base it on a grading system from 1 to 3. A grade 1 ankle sprain means that you have sort of stretched the ligaments a little. A grade 2 ankle sprain means that you have partially torn one of the ligaments supporting the ankle. Although this is more severe, the ankle ligaments are still mostly intact. A grade 3 ankle sprain means that you have completely torn at least one of the ankle ligaments.

It is often difficult for a patient to tell the severity of the ankle sprain, but there are some indicators that it might be severe and needs to be treated by an ankle specialist. Bruising and swelling are clues that you have had some level of tissue damage. With severe bruising, your ankle doctor should also be suspicious of a fracture. But even if there is no fracture and the ankle isn't broken, that doesn't mean you don't still need serious treatment.

In your case it sounds like you had one of the classic ankle sprains that resulted in Grade 3 ankle injury. Because the ankle ligaments never healed, you were left with an unstable, wobbly ankle. By performing a Brostrum ankle ligament repair, your ankle surgeon has attempted to rebuild and repair the torn ankle ligaments. If the ankle surgery has been successful, you should gain full mobility and use of the ankle. If I were to have performed your ankle surgery, the goal would be to have a much stronger ankle after the surgery than before. This of course means that you should be better able to run and bike once the ankle surgery is all healed.

In short, anyone who has ankle surgery to repair the torn ligaments should be able to run or ride a bicycle without any trouble. Marathon training and triathlon training are reasonable goals, once you have healed. Having said all of that, you should check with your current treating ankle surgeon and make sure your ankle surgery has healed before you start running, cycling or any new training routine.

Best of luck in your 2010 season!

My Running Doc - Dr. Chistopher Segler is a San Francisco based foot & ankle surgeon with a unique perspective on foot and ankle injuries.  He is a rock climber, skier, marathon runner, and Ironman triathlete.  Because of this, he understands when someone has an injury, they want to get better, just to get back to activity.  He understands that the common doctor's notion of "just stop running" or "find another hobby," or "take up Scrabble" are all unacceptable to the athletically minded.  He believes that any active athlete can suffer an injury yet return to sport stronger than ever.

Videotaping your gait to improve running stride

Question:
I've been reading alot about heel-striking lately, and the effort to improve your stride. Now focusing on 70.3's and IM's, I'm beginning to question if I should review my stride and look for ways to improve it (if there is one).
Thanks!
Robert


Answer:
Running stride alterations to improve efficiency can help improve your marathon and Ironman triathalon time considerably. In these endurance events it is all about conserving energy and being efficient. Its not really about how fast you go, but how little you slow down.

I am a podiatric surgeon with an area of expertise in running biomechanics. I am also a 4-time Ironman finisher. I am not particularly fast (P.R. of 10:59:57), but have been improving considerably over the past year by simply modifying my stride. I now run more upright/forward, at a much higher cadence and with a shorter stride. I also have much less heel strike.

You may simply be able to evaluate your stride by looking at the wear pattern on the soles of your shoes. That is why I always examine my patient's running shoes during their evaluation. Most podiatrists specializing in running injuries will do this.

Having an expert watch you run is helpful. Your local podiatrist, triathlon coach, running coach, etc. can help. Short of this, you should capture some video (from the rear and from the side) so you can see what you foot strike is currently, and how it improves over time.


Dr. Christopher Segler is an Ironman triathlete and award winning foot doctor specializing in endurance athletes. He lives and trains in the San Francisco Bay Area.

McGlone's Kona Return after Achilles Injury Today on NBC

A minor ache in the back of the leg down near the heel may just seem like a minor annoyance at first. But if ignored for too long, Achilles tendonitis can keep you from running and cycling for months.

This is precisely what happened to Ironman 70.3 Champion Samantha McGlone. In 2007, the fiercely competitive former Olympian showed up in Kona and finished second in the Ironman World Championships, just minutes behind Chrissie Wellington. But a year later, she found herself sitting on the sidelines recovering from an Achilles tendon injury. Reportedly she spent about 6 months with no running or cycling at all. She struggled with the problem for nearly a year and a half.

Runners and triathletes are particularly susceptible to Achilles tendon problems. In part, this is because they are so determined to set goals and stay on track with training. But whether you are a marathon runner, an age-group triathlete, or someone chasing an Ironman World Championship, it can be hard to back off just because you have a little pain in the back of the heel.

Achilles tendonitis is really nothing more than inflammation within the Achilles tendon. Usually, the pain and swelling is in an area just above the tendon's attachment to the heel bone. This is an area known to be prone to injury due to decrease blood flow to this part of the tendon.

Inflammation in the Achilles' tendon is usually short lived. However, if you continue to run with Achilles pain, the tendonitis turns into tendonosis. This is what happened to McGlone.

Tendonosis is a degenerative condition where chonic inflammation essentially breaks down the collagen in the Achilles fibers. It gets mushy and weak. Many times surgery is required to clean out the tendon. Physical therapy can help speed healing. But, as Maglone learned, it won't just go away on its own. You have to see a sports medicine focused foot and ankle surgeon to get better.

Fortunately Sam is back in action. And today on NBC, we can all watch her chasing an Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii. Although her recovery has been longer than the Queen K Highway on a hot windy day, she will surely show her fire and determination as she takes on the challenge on the Big Island.



Dr. Christopher Segler is a multiple Ironman Finisher and award winning foot and ankle surgeon. He lives and trains in the San Francisco Bay Area. To learn more about Achilles tendonitis, runner’s heel pain, stress fractures, bunions and other common causes of foot pain, visit http://www.MyRunningDoc.com or http://www.AnkleCenter.com .

Ironman Florida 2009 Race Report and Story November 7, 2009 by MyRunningDoc

2 DAYS to RACE DAY
When the rising sun finally cast enough glow on the sand for me to see, I walked out onto our balcony. I looked toward the Gulf of Mexico and saw water as smooth glass. A gentle breeze stirred only the slightest rustle in the palms between our hotel and the beach. It was Thursday morning, and time for a practice swim.

We had already been up for a couple of hours. I could lie and say that it is because I am a dedicated triathlete, but the reality is more about life with a two year-old. I made some coffee in our french press before gathering my wetsuit, goggles and earplugs to head to the beach.

Alex was already enjoying his Ironman cowbell while I put on my wetsuit at the Gatorade practice swim area. I headed down and waded into the water to blend in with the other hundreds of triathletes making their way out along the big yellow and orange pyramid shaped buoys.

The water was incredibly smooth and crystal clear. The visibility was much better than my local pool. I swam about halfway out along the course and could see the bottom the entire time. As I would rotate and look to the side to breath I would catch a fantastical underwater view of herds of googled folks in wetsuits stroking in unison. Everyone looks the same out there.

I made it back in, rinsed off and went to check in. Time for play with Alex and Paige in the pool and waterpark.

1 DAY BEFORE RACE DAY
In the interests of time (and convenience) I decided to swim from the beach right behind our hotel. I headed out alone into the gulf. As I waded out I saw a stingray just in time to miss stepping on him as he flew along the sandy bottom. I started to swim instead of wade. A moment later I saw a second stingray. I realized how nice it is to swim in clear open water as opposed to other venues where the water is usually closed to swimmers. This was the first triathlon where I could easily see more than a few feet in any direction.

While swimming, I felt more like I was snorkeling. Watching clams hop along the ocean floor, noticing sand dollars resting peacefully, small fish darting about. Then I saw a jelly fish. I was glad I was wearing a wetsuit. Then I saw another, and another. Next thing I knew I was in a school of dozens of jelly fish. I figured I had gone far enough so I turned around and swam back in.

My wife was building sandcastles with Alex when I got back on shore. I rinsed off, put on my bike gear and headed out for a quick ride. It was slightly windier than the day before, but still perfect. I rode about 15 miles at an easy pace. As soon as I got back, I swapped my bike for a pair of running shoes and off I went on a short run.

After my final tune-up workout, I showered and we ate breakfast, I took my bike and transition bags down to the transition area. With everything turned in, nothing left to do but, eat sleep and wait.

RACE DAY!
The alarm only buzzed twice at 4:30 a.m. and I was wide awake. I made coffee and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Shower, shave, bodyglide (in all the important places), band-aids on the nipples, dressed and I was ready.

I made a quick post on Facebook to let my friends know that I felt good and would go for a new PR. We got Alex in his stroller, handed him his cowbell and clapper and we were off the the start.

In the hotel lobby, athletes with bike pumps and goggles in hand were heading out into the dark. I saw several that had a familiar expression and look in their eyes. I had seen this expression before on the faces of climbers at the base of El Capitan. Its fear.

They were probably first timers. I bet I had that look when I showed up in Arizona to see if I could go 140.6 miles in one day. I do know that until my first Ironman was over, I wasn’t really sure.

We drove down in the dark predawn chill to the start. Paige went to find parking while I went in to air my tires and fill my Aerodrink bottle with fluid. With the bike ready, I went find to a porto-potty. Hint...its always at the end of the longest line. But I had plenty of time.

While I waited, I watched the palms waiving in the wind thanks to Tropical Storm Ida brewing way off in the Gulf. I knew that the winds would be out of the East at about 10 mph, but not too gusty. The flat water would be gone today.

With the sun finally up, I put on my wetsuit and gave all of morning clothes to Paige. I tucked my timing chip way up under my pant leg, to protect it from getting pulled off by thrashing swimmers. The professional’s start was my signal to head down and find a place to line up. I kissed Alex and Paige goodbye and headed onto the sand.

SWIM 2.4 MILES
The start of any Ironman is intimidating. But Florida is really spectacular. You get a running start from the sand in a crowd of 2,400 over-hyped type-A’s. And they are all aiming for the same line of buoys.

I knew that the best place to start would be to the left, directly in line with the buoys stretching out to sea. This would be the shortest distance. This of course, would also be the most crowded, and hence, most dangerous place to be. I was weighing this, recalling that a father of two young children was killed in the swim here a couple of years ago.

A lot of other people must have been thinking about this too, because they were very spread out. It seemed like some people were so intent of staying out of the crowd that they were going to start from the Alabama state line. I just figured I would start on the left, but start slow enough to let the speed demons get ahead and not clobber me.

The cannon fired and... run, paddle, dog-paddle, bump, gasp, swim, swim, bump, swim. It was a lot like swimming with drunk hockey players. But I was ready. I learned my lesson in Louisville where I got hit in the head, sending my ear plug to the deep recesses of my ear canal. I felt safe and secure in the malay, having tied dental floss around them as insurance this time.

The whole first lap was just plain chaos. I never went more than a few strokes without either hitting or getting hit by someone. At the first turn buoy I swam right over someone as someone else swam right over me.

I then saw something waving in the water and flapping on my wrist. I realized that in the tussle someone had caught my ID band and pulled it apart. This was not good. You are required to keep it on until the event is over. I wadded it up and stuffed it up my wetsuit sleeve, so I could try to get it back together once I got out of the water.

After rounding the second turn buoy, I saw some jelly fish. Most were comb jellys like the ones I had seen the day before (that don’t sting as I found out with a little internet research). However there were a bunch of moon jelly fish too. It seemed like they stayed about 10 feet down under us, which was just fine with me.

With 1.2 miles down we all ran up on shore like a bunch of seals escaping a trolling great white in some National Geographic special. Aim for the timing mat and back into the water for the second lap. The second lap was much calmer than the first. In no time I was back on shore, wiggling out of my wetsuit. 1 hour 17 minutes… 3 minutes ahead of schedule!

T1 - SWIM to BIKE TRANSITION
I had some trouble with locating my transition bag, but found it pretty quickly. The volunteers really do a great job helping all of the frantic athletes. Knowing the changing tent would be packed, I started to get dressed outside. I also got my wristband back on. Luckily it had just come unsnapped and wasn’t broken. I tried to get my Garmin started and began putting on my heart rate monitor, sock, etc, while the GPS searched for beacons in the sky.

By the time the Garmin was online, I was ready to go. But I still had to make the required hike through the change tent. It was like getting through the Bay Bridge Toll Both at rush hour. It took minutes that seemed like hours to wade through the jammed crowd.

Clip-ity-clop, clip-ity-clop, out of the change tent through transition and onto the bike. I grabbed my bike and jogged to the mount line. A painfully long 11 minute transition. On the bike and away I go.

BIKE 112 MILES
I was really ready to go. I was moving at 22-23 mph, eating my first pack of powergel and taking in some fluid. I was still wet and felt a little chilled moving through the 50 degree air but knew it would warm up soon. Realizing I had a slight tailwind out of transition, I picked up the pace.

The ride was mostly flat with some long half-mile hills that are just enough reason to stand up and get out of the torturous saddle, but not enough to wear you out. There was some wind, but not too bad. There was however a huge crowd.

For almost the whole first half of the bike leg I was passing people, continuously. The crowds would get clogged up at the aid stations and it was distracting. I did see some people who were obviously deliberately drafting, but not too many. More than anything else, it was just congested. Often it was hard to get through these packs. A couple of times I was over the center-line as I passed some 3 or 4 rider wide packs.

Somewhere around mile 20 or 30 I was getting ready for my aid station routine. I popped a salt cap in my mouth and took a sip of water. Next I sat up, pulled the cap of my the aero water bottle nestled in my aerobars and got ready to grab water, gatorade and powergel as I cruised by.

I slowed down to about 18 or 19 mph and snathced a water bottle from a jogging volunteer. I immediately squeezed about 16oz. into my bottle and tossed it aside just in time to grab some gatorade and pour it in. Then I yelled “gel” and a kid started running down the course ready to hand it off. As I flew by I clenched the foil packet tight and reached for aerobar to upshift and start accelerating again.

It was then that I felt a thick sticky ooze running through my fingers and down the back of my hand. The kid had even gone the extra mile and opened the packet for me. By the time I realized this, my shifter was coated in thick sugary goo and my hand was basically glued to the aerobar.

At the next aid station I grabbed two bottles of water. After thirty minutes of dribbling water on my hand, bar, and shifter, I was free from the energy-gel-fly-trap.

About this same time time, I realized my right pedal cleat was loose and shifting about. I couldn’t believe I hadn’t checked them in months. I just hoped it was hold up through the final 50 or 60 miles.

At about mile 75 a yellow jacket flew straight into the front vent on my aero-helmet and stung me on my poor defenseless bald head. I was frantically trying to get my hand under the helmet to squash him, but didn’t want to risk a DQ from a chinstrap violation. So we buzzed along together for about 7 miles. Twenty minutes of a bee-in-my-bonnet-later, I pulled over at an aid station, dismounted, took of my helmet, and the assailant flew away into the pines.

As I pedaled back toward town, it felt great riding with a tailwind at 26-30 mph. But then the last 10 miles are right into the wind. I tried to relax and slow down on this stretch to make sure I could run off the bike.

Once I slowed, a guy pulled up along side of me and said he noticed I was shifting a lot. I was trying to explain that I was just trying to find a rhythm, but was having trouble with my cleat. Then a woman screamed and we both turned our attention back to the road. The two of us swerved away as she turned sideways, went skinny, and squealed as we narrowly missed her. Hard to imagine walking in the bike lane as a couple of thousand triathletes head your way.

T2 - BIKE to RUN TRANSITION
When I dismounted, I checked the time. 5 hours and 18 minutes. Pretty close to the 5:15 I had planned. My second transition went smoothly. Start the other Garmin, helmet off, hat and Newtons on. Out on the run course in just over three minutes.

RUN 26.2 MILES
I set off on the two-loop run course at an easy pace. I did the math and realized that to finish under 11 hours I needed pretty close to a 4 hour marathon. I aimed to hold a 9:00 per mile pace for the first 10 mile warm-up. I had the idea that I should also shoot for a sub-4 hour marathon, but didn’t want to risk overdoing it and missing my goal finish time.

Several times during the run I would suddenly hear a high-pitched “CHRIS!!!!” and see Paige and Alex waiting and waiving on the side of the road. I paused just long enough to kiss Alex on the forehead. As I ran off, I could hear the drifting away of his clanging cowbell and “godaddygo…”

The second 10 miles were a little harder and somewhere I lost some minutes. Overindulging on the pretzels at the aid station, I guess. With only about 10K to go, I realized my 11 hour goal was within reach, as long as I didn’t waste any time.

As I rounded the turn at the park to head back on my second and final lap, I walked through an aid station to drink some gatorade and water. A guy started talking to me, saying he was just on his first lap.

He had been rear-ended on the bike. He had some dizziness and they almost didn’t let him continue. He started telling me the whole story. While I was interested, I really didn’t have time to listen. But I felt bad for him and didn’t want to be rude and add to an already tough day for him.

But the second he came to stopping point, I said, “Well... good luck buddy... you’ll do great!” and launched into a run. Three miles to go I came to the sobering realization that I was in trouble. These would have to be my fastest miles of the entire day if my 11 hour goal was going to materialize.

I saw an aid station just a couple of blocks ahead. I figured that when I got there I would sip some chicken broth, do some more math and re-assess. My body was aching, my neck was stiff, my back hurt and my quads were vibrating. I realized that even if I finished in 11 hours and 5 minutes, that would be respectable. It would still be a personal record by almost an hour. I also knew no one would really care.

But then I thought about about looking at the time of 10:59:59 I had posted on my refrigerator and as a bookmark in whatever book I was currently reading. I thought about the “21.33” taped on my bike stem to remind (every time I rode) of exactly how many miles per hour I needed to ride to reach my goal. I suddenly remembered that on 7 different days in past 9 weeks I had run mile repeats on the track in the rain and thunder so I would be able to RUN today. And suddenly 11:anything just wouldn’t do.

And so I RAN.

I ran right past the aid station and said “hold chicken broth.”

I ran that mile. And the next, staying wide of the aid stations to fly by the crowds reaching for water and bananas. And when I saw the lights of the finish chute and began to hear the finish line announcer, I ran like hell.

Every muscle fiber in my legs were screaming in pain. Most of the last mile my eyes were closed. I kept them clinched shut and told myself it was just the final lap of my last mile repeat on a track day. And it ended up being my fastest mile of the day.

When I rounded the last corner, out of the dark and into the bright lights, the clamor of cow bells and the screaming crowd lining the finish chute drowned out the noise from my quads, and I ran.

Just before I hit the timing mat, I opened my eyes and looked up at the clock.

10:59:07

Some guy grabbed me, wrapped a mylar blanket around my shoulders and a voice boomed over the loudspeakers…

“CHRISTOPHER SEGLER……...YOU... ARE…...AN IROMAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

What a way to end the day!

Newton Gravity Trainer Running Shoe Review

Why I Decided to Write This Review
There are really two reasons I decided to write this review of Newton Gravity Trainer Running shoes. The first has to do with the fact that I am an award-winning foot surgeon and podiatrist who has chosen to limit my practice to elite, competitive and recreational athletes. For this reason, I get questions about running shoes from a lot of runners. I am frequently asked about “new trends in barefoot running” as well as about shoes like Newtons that reportedly create more of a barefoot-type running experience. I always prefer to answer such questions on the basis of scientific theory as well as personal experience.

The second reason is that I am an age-group Ironman triathlete who has aspirations of qualifying for Kona one day. So I have a very personal interest in discovering any and every way to increase my own biomechanical efficiency, decrease my risk of injury, and run faster. Newtons (in theory) should to do all three, so I thought I should give them a try.

First Impressions
As I opened the box and lifted my brand new Newtons from their tissue paper nest, the scent of new running shoes filled the air. And these shoes felt light as air themselves. I was extremely surprised to sense that these “trainers” actually felt quite a bit lighter than any other pair of running shoes I have ever owned. I also noticed the generous use of mesh in the uppers. While this certainly helps keep them light, I was also pleased because my feet are always hot. And in my shoes, there can never be too much cooling aeration.

In looking at the soles, the four forefoot lugs caught my eye. They protruded slightly more that the rest of the forefoot and heel. This, of course, is the business end of the Newton Running concept; where science meets the road, so to speak. It was obvious looking at the profile of the shoe, that the lugs should make it easier to land on the forefoot instead of the heel. I figured if these don’t get me to land on the forefoot, nothing else will.

Science or Gimmic?
Naming your product after the Father of Physics creates a pretty big pair of shoes to fill. After all, the laws of physics set some pretty strict rules to follow. There is a section on the Newton Running website called “Newtonian Science.” Within that section is a distillation of the laws of physics that affect all runners. Basically, it describes the science without all of the cumbersome math usually associated with physics.

In a nutshell, running is all about energy. And there is only so much to get you from start to finish. You must use your energy to cover ground. If you land on your heel and slow down, you use up valuable energy in braking. If you then have to re-accelerate to get going again, you use up more energy. This leaves you with less energy to get you to the finish in good form.

The Newton Running “Active Membrane Technology” is part of the patented components of Newton Running shoes and is one of Newton’s proposed keys to stop wasting energy and thereby start running more efficiently and faster. By writing this review, I hope to determine whether or not this is true and if the shoes can actually live up to Sir Isaac’s name.

Expectations vs. Experience
I will have to admit that when I first read about Newton shoes I was skeptical. I understand that all energy lost in a running stride, in theory, could be harnessed and returned. But when I first heard this notion applied to the elastomeric lugs on Newton running shoes, I envisioned Wile E. Coyote with coiled bedsprings attached to his feet bounding down a desert highway in pursuit of the Roadrunner. But I put my imagination aside and decided to trust the voice of reason and experience.

When I first laced them up, I noted a perfect fit. As a men’s size 12.5, I seem to (more often than not) have trouble finding shoes that run true to size. For that reason alone, I am always sheepish about ordering shoes online. The Newton Running website claims that shoes should be ordered “true to size” and they were precisely that. Great fit!

Standing in my Newtons, the most perceptible difference (as compared to my old running shoes) was a slightly lower heel height. This, of course, is also by design. Its really partly a lower heel, but more a relative drop from the thicker lugs on the forefoot. But I realized that in order to run faster, more efficiently, and get to Kona, I would need to learn to more consistently avoid landing on my heels anyway.

The Right Shoe for My Foot Type
With the first few steps, the shoes felt soft and cushy. Given my high-arched “rectus” foot type (most often referred to as “neutral” or incorrectly termed “supinated”), I knew I would appreciate the give in these shoes.

For anyone with a rectus foot type, cushioning is key. The reason is because a person with a lack of pronation (the opposite of a “pronated foot” or flatfoot) simply cannot absorb impact effectively when the foot hits the ground.

One way to describe pronation is to say that it is the motion in the joints of the foot that absorbs energy as the arch collapses. But in my case, in a sense, the joints are locked. There is an absence of pronation during walking and running. This means higher impact and higher risk of injuries such as stress fractures, shin splints and some types of tendonitis.

How Newtons Might Help Me Run
The Newton Gravity Trainers have the potential to help lower my risk of injury in two ways. First, the lugs are soft and provide ample impact reduction to compensate for my biomechanical deficiencies in terms of using my joints to absorb energy through pronation (this is important). Second, they should be able to convert my running style to one that reduces the impact the road will deliver to my chasis (this is more important).

The highest impact that a runner can sustain is by landing on the heels. The higher the arches, the higher the impact. Every time the foot lands heel-first out in front of the runner, a braking force is applied by the foot and lower leg. This slows the runner. The energy loss is essentially converted to friction, heat and that pounding sensation hammering through your legs.

By contrast, when you land on your forefoot, the 26 bones, 33 joints and more than 100 muscles, tendons and ligaments work together to absorb that impact. By landing on the part of the foot that is by nature more flexible, the force is spread out and dissipated more naturally.

This is where the barefoot running concept comes in. It is well known that barefoot runners land on the forefoot and never on the heels. Landing on the heels is a learned behavior resulting from a lifetime of reliance upon shoes. Barefoot runners simply run more efficiently and should be at lower risk of injury.

But you cannot just go run barefoot and expect to become someone who has the running style of a life-time barefoot runner. First, the risk of injuries such as stress fracture and tendonitis is very high when running barefoot. Second, you still have to train the brain to restructure your stride to run “like” a barefoot runner.

The First Ride on My Newtons
With the first few strides I immediately noted something unusual. I was landing on my forefoot.

After reading the instruction card that says the goal should be to “land, lever and lift,” I assumed that I would have to put a lot of effort into landing on the forefoot, levering off of the lugs (without pushing off with my toes) and finally lifting my knees and feet. But in fact it was all very simple and natural.

I tried to focus on keeping a high cadence and short stride, leaning forward slightly at the ankles. And just like that, I was landing more consistently on my forefoot. The few times I landing on the heels, it felt rather unnatural. This is likely due to the excess stretch of the Achilles tendon. As promised, the shoes were gently keeping me off of my heels.

Break-in Time
Having gotten my new Newtons only a couple of weeks before Ironman Louisville, I knew I wouldn’t have time to adequately break them in before the race. These shoes require a slightly more conservative break-in period.

I wore my Newton’s for five runs of 2 miles before I tried anything longer. Then three miles, then four and so on. Before long I was out on the road for a 10 mile run. I am pleased to say that my first 10 mile run in the Newtons went very smoothly. I was relaxed and felt like I was moving well. And in fact I was. I can honestly report that it was the easiest 10 mile run I have had this year. Maybe it only felt that way because I had recently recovered from an Ironman, or maybe I am becoming a more efficient runner.

Overall Impression
I can say that for me personally, I believe Newton Gravity Trainers are proving to be a valuable training tool and are changing the way I run for the better. As an award-winning podiatrist and foot surgeon caring for athletes, I would recommended Newtons to any of my patients who have had a history of injury, or simply hope to run more efficiently. It seems the greatest benefit is, of course, for those demanding efficiency such as marathoners and Ironman triathletes.

At the time of this writing, I am doing all of my long runs, bricks and speed workouts with Newtons. No pain, no injuries and no complaints. I love my Newtons. In about six weeks I will apply the true test: Ironman Florida. I plan to run the race in them and will post a follow-up review to update you on my progress. With the changes I have seen thus far, I am fully expecting to set a substantial new run split personal record. Who ever said physics can’t be fun!


Dr. Christopher Segler
Award Winning Podiatric Surgeon
Stay Fit, Go Long, Run Fast, Be Strong!
www.MyRunningDoc.com

Disclaimer and Disclosure: This product review is meant to serve strictly as opinion and personal experience regarding the product described above. None of the content herein is meant to serve as medical advice, but is for informational purposes only. The opinions are exclusively those of the author and are not meant to necessarily represent those of Newton Running. The author of this product review is not affiliated with Newton Running, is not a shareholder in the company and has no relation to any stakeholder in the company.

APMA Creates New Patient Education Brochure on Heel Pain

Did you know that plantar fasciitis is the number one condition treated by foot doctors? In fact, plantar fascitis (the most common form of heel pain) accounts for about 40% of all visits to podiatrists. In response, the American Podiatric Medical Association has recently created a 12-page "patient eductaion" brochure on heel pain. It has been released to member podiatrists as a marketing tool to lure lucrative heel pain patients into their podiatry practices.

The bottom line is that many people can treat plantar fasciitis themselves using simple at-home treatments that are non-painful. No shots. No surgery. No expensive shoe inserts. Very few patients with plantar fasciitis every need surgery. If you have heel pain that has been bothering you for a short time and a podiatrist tells you that you need heel spur surgery...RUN!

Dr. Christopher Segler is an Ironman Triathlete and award winning foot and ankle surgeon who specializes in providing self-treatment for heel pain caused by plantar fasciitis. You can learn more about heel pain (especially morning heel pain) as well as request a FREE copy of his book on heel pain at http:www.NoMoreHeelPain.com.