Run Like an Avatar…..Barefoot!
I was watching the movie Avatar with my grandson and noticed something familiar about the way the Avatar characters were running. They stretched out their legs in front of them, long and lean, ending up with sticking the ground on the ball of their foot, just like I’ve been trained to do in barefoot running. Hmmm, I thought. Not a bad body image. If you’ve ever seen the movie, then you know I’m referring to the lean, 1% body fat and incredibly fit Avatar characters in the movie.
I avoid painful running in a whole different way. When I was road running or bounding around wooded trails in conventional running shows, I’d take it easy on myself by taking small strides. Again, heel striking, but with less force by implementing smaller and more numerous steps. Easy, right? Wrong. I still ended up sore, while my legs felt as tight as an oak door. I was sore one day before a barefoot run. I had a long day with patient care, on my feet for a twelve hour shift and was predictably tight the next day. I’ve learned to let my conscious mind go with barefoot running and let my body guide me, so without me thinking about it too much, I was taking long strides, slightly leaning forward and glancing the ground with the balls of my feet, just like in the movie. No pain with lots of gain! My legs loosened up, felt great all day and could imagine myself an Avatar.
Foot and heel pain have gone away! If you’ve been reading this blog, you know that I began looking into barefoot running by first reading Born to Run and became intrigued with ending my now frequent running injuries by going barefoot. As a medical provider I saw no logic in it based on my current education and it went completely against the advice of several friends of mine who are Podiatrists. I did it anyway. Those who know me will not be surprised.
I’m happy to report that after about seven months of slow and careful training, I no longer suffer from the ailments that had once plagued me. Barefoot running, using the new Vibram Five Fingers foot cover, which protects your bare feet from glass, has been able to strengthen my foot and produce a marked improvement in my feet’s stamina. I have seen my all too frequently diagnosed heel bursitis; plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendonitis first lessen and then disappear. All from barefoot running. I can and have treated myself and many others with acupuncture to relieve the above foot maladies. They always came back when I tried to get active again. Just about to turn 51 years young, I know the importance of staying fit and keeping my weight down. I tend to be a carb king, so I have to balance it out with vigorous exercise or I’m going the way of the dinosaur. Barefoot running has made a tremendous difference in my ability to exercise again and stay pain free.
How do you keep running barefoot when the weather gets cold? I live in New England. The weather is already turning with cooler fall winds blowing. I found some special socks, Injinji, which are form fitting to your toes and made to use in Vibram Five Finger foot coverings. They separate your toes, just as the shoes do and make it easier to get the Vibram covering on your feet. It originally took me about two weeks to get used to putting them on. The socks do make it easier. I got two kinds, one lighter weight and the other a neoprene type fabric similar to a scuba divers wet suit. Both are wicking fabric so they pull moisture away from the skin. I have to say my Vibram Five Fingers fit better with the socks. My feet are narrow, so I can get some uncomfortable rubbing on my feet after about 60 minutes of exercise. Using the socks, my Vibrams fit better and I was out for 90 minutes with only minor discomfort. I’ll let you know how the other socks do when the weather gets colder.
Hope you are looking into this if you enjoy running and have been frustrated with injuries. Barefoot running has made a huge difference in my health.
All for now. Next time we’ll discuss what the wooly worm knows and how to run on slippery fall leaves as well as tread mills.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Monday, September 13, 2010
Does Barefoot Running Hurt?
Does Barefoot Running Hurt?
Every time I mention that I am training myself to be a barefoot runner, people squinch up their face and say “doesn’t it hurt?” Funny that as an acupuncturist for now almost twenty five years, that exactly the same reaction I or a patient gets from saying you are having acupuncture therapy. I’ll give you the same answer, since in my opinion it actually applies. The experience comes with a variety of sensations and for me and many others it does not hurt. For both acupuncture and barefoot running there seems to be an equal fascination with something that people think could somehow be good for them, even though they don’t know exactly why, yet the idea of a small amount of sensations often keeps them from finding solutions for many of their colossal issues that cause tremendous pain and inconvenience.
I’ve always been an advocate for finding solutions. So it made sense to give it a try.
Even Barefoot, you must Walk before you can Run
Medical people make the worst patients. Let’s just get that out of the way. I was told to start out slow. Here’s the right way. Walk in the most beaten up pair of shoes you own, so that all the technology of shaping and molding your foot has long since been busted up. For me, this meant my three years ago running shoes, that went to walking shoes and finally the elephant burial ground for tennis shoes called my yard shoes. You know the pair of shoes you wear when you garden, play in the dirt, put fertilizer or lime on your yard. We all have a pair of these once glorious servants of our feet, now relegated to hanging out to dry on a nail in the garage, only to be called on for the most disgusting jobs around the yard. Yeah, those shoes. They must have cheered when I put them on and they realized we were going out for a walk that did not involve fertilizer.
The barefoot running experts tell you to walk and run in these old beat up shoes and then during the last five or ten minutes, take off your shoes. That’s right, just take them off! So I did. Right on the side of the road I pulled off my shoes, then without much fanfare, the socks came off. I started walking with a combined sense of both exhilaration and fear. Yes it was freeing, just like being a kid again, when we hardly wore shoes in the summer, but this time I had the adult’s mindset of “what about stones?”, “watch out for acorns this time of year” and of course “Oh my god, what if I step on a broken piece of glass!” Come on now, I bet you thought the same thing when you began to read this post.
To my surprise and relieve the sensation was wonderful. It probably looked like I was dancing or tip toeing along the side of the road, but for me I was taking steps onto a new path of freedom and health.
Next post will detail the sensations following the walk run and the key steps to take to remain safe. Happy tip toeing!
Every time I mention that I am training myself to be a barefoot runner, people squinch up their face and say “doesn’t it hurt?” Funny that as an acupuncturist for now almost twenty five years, that exactly the same reaction I or a patient gets from saying you are having acupuncture therapy. I’ll give you the same answer, since in my opinion it actually applies. The experience comes with a variety of sensations and for me and many others it does not hurt. For both acupuncture and barefoot running there seems to be an equal fascination with something that people think could somehow be good for them, even though they don’t know exactly why, yet the idea of a small amount of sensations often keeps them from finding solutions for many of their colossal issues that cause tremendous pain and inconvenience.
I’ve always been an advocate for finding solutions. So it made sense to give it a try.
Even Barefoot, you must Walk before you can Run
Medical people make the worst patients. Let’s just get that out of the way. I was told to start out slow. Here’s the right way. Walk in the most beaten up pair of shoes you own, so that all the technology of shaping and molding your foot has long since been busted up. For me, this meant my three years ago running shoes, that went to walking shoes and finally the elephant burial ground for tennis shoes called my yard shoes. You know the pair of shoes you wear when you garden, play in the dirt, put fertilizer or lime on your yard. We all have a pair of these once glorious servants of our feet, now relegated to hanging out to dry on a nail in the garage, only to be called on for the most disgusting jobs around the yard. Yeah, those shoes. They must have cheered when I put them on and they realized we were going out for a walk that did not involve fertilizer.
The barefoot running experts tell you to walk and run in these old beat up shoes and then during the last five or ten minutes, take off your shoes. That’s right, just take them off! So I did. Right on the side of the road I pulled off my shoes, then without much fanfare, the socks came off. I started walking with a combined sense of both exhilaration and fear. Yes it was freeing, just like being a kid again, when we hardly wore shoes in the summer, but this time I had the adult’s mindset of “what about stones?”, “watch out for acorns this time of year” and of course “Oh my god, what if I step on a broken piece of glass!” Come on now, I bet you thought the same thing when you began to read this post.
To my surprise and relieve the sensation was wonderful. It probably looked like I was dancing or tip toeing along the side of the road, but for me I was taking steps onto a new path of freedom and health.
Next post will detail the sensations following the walk run and the key steps to take to remain safe. Happy tip toeing!
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Today I Lost a Couple Toes
Tales of a Rookie Barefoot Runner
I was trying to put on my new Vibram Fivefingeres barefoot running footwear, when I kept loosing toes. It happened when trying them on in the store, so much so that I bought a pair with only having tried on one of the seemingly floppy glove-like slippers. But first, let’s go back to why I would even consider making such Cinderella moment.
Turns to Pursuit Punishment
Players of almost any high schools sport who are being punished for something, anything, are frequently asked to run as a form of punishment. Since my scholastic athletic career is dotted with many misunderstandings between myself and the coaching staff, I have put in my share of running around many fields. I actually enjoy running. I found it then and now a refreshing distraction and a wonderful way to have inspirational thoughts glide into my mind. I began to run in earnest and was able to letter early in high school. Running kept my endurance level in good enough shape to excel in both fencing and martial arts. Running has, quite by accident, become the backbone to my fitness and peace of mind.
Oops! The Trail Ends Here
It was one of the first gorgeous warmish and sunny days of the spring when I knew it was the perfect day for my first trail run of the season. I went to a local reservation where I know the terrain well from snowshoeing during the winter and in warmer conditions I enjoy mountain biking, walking or running the trails. Perfect! So I thought. In my excitement, I my first run was about 90 minutes of hill climbing, which was exhilarating and unfortunately exhausting.
When I finally limped back to my car I was experiencing significant pain in both feet. Had I gone too far? I know how to treat a variety of foot complaints with acupuncture, massage and herbal foot soaks. This pain was more significant than I had previously experienced, even when I added ice and Advil. I made an appointment with a Podiatrist that I had referred many patients to with great satisfaction. He diagnosed me with a trifecta of pain: Achilles tendonitis, heel bursitis and plantar fasciitis. Wow, a trio of tremendous pain that was keeping me from doing anything fun or athletic.
Time Heals All……well almost.
My staff and I did an admirable job with treating these ailments. It is, after all, one of our specialties. Acupuncture, massage, herbs, stretching and therapeutic icing stopped the pain….as long as I was a good boy. Never having been a good boy, it was challenging for me to avoid aggravating my foot pain. Symptoms kept returning and it seemed no matter what I did, it would end up causing more pain. I was disappointed and disillusioned with my limited choices of exercise. I began to gain weight and loose my patience with this ongoing pain. Almost three painful years passed until by chance I stumbled on a solution.
Fly Me to the Moon
Travelling to the west coast on a business trip, I rebelled against the workload weighing down my carry on, by buying a book at the airport entitled “Born to Run” subtitled A hidden tribe, superathletes and the greatest race the world has never seen, written by Christopher McDougall. The author’s story hit me close to home and I devoured the book as I learned about barefoot running, staying healthy and the conspiracy of shoe companies to control our feet. Is it at all possible that running barefoot or wearing just a thin soled covering could help my banged up feet stay fit and healthy? I was willing to experiment on myself to find out.
This is the first entry for this topic. Stay tuned for more of my saga, detailing the journey of an acupuncturist who is embracing a novel footwear craze to keep up his running without injuries. I’ll be adding my experiences, medical perspective and the training tips I learn along the way.
Dave Sollars
Tales of a Rookie Barefoot Runner
I was trying to put on my new Vibram Fivefingeres barefoot running footwear, when I kept loosing toes. It happened when trying them on in the store, so much so that I bought a pair with only having tried on one of the seemingly floppy glove-like slippers. But first, let’s go back to why I would even consider making such Cinderella moment.
Turns to Pursuit Punishment
Players of almost any high schools sport who are being punished for something, anything, are frequently asked to run as a form of punishment. Since my scholastic athletic career is dotted with many misunderstandings between myself and the coaching staff, I have put in my share of running around many fields. I actually enjoy running. I found it then and now a refreshing distraction and a wonderful way to have inspirational thoughts glide into my mind. I began to run in earnest and was able to letter early in high school. Running kept my endurance level in good enough shape to excel in both fencing and martial arts. Running has, quite by accident, become the backbone to my fitness and peace of mind.
Oops! The Trail Ends Here
It was one of the first gorgeous warmish and sunny days of the spring when I knew it was the perfect day for my first trail run of the season. I went to a local reservation where I know the terrain well from snowshoeing during the winter and in warmer conditions I enjoy mountain biking, walking or running the trails. Perfect! So I thought. In my excitement, I my first run was about 90 minutes of hill climbing, which was exhilarating and unfortunately exhausting.
When I finally limped back to my car I was experiencing significant pain in both feet. Had I gone too far? I know how to treat a variety of foot complaints with acupuncture, massage and herbal foot soaks. This pain was more significant than I had previously experienced, even when I added ice and Advil. I made an appointment with a Podiatrist that I had referred many patients to with great satisfaction. He diagnosed me with a trifecta of pain: Achilles tendonitis, heel bursitis and plantar fasciitis. Wow, a trio of tremendous pain that was keeping me from doing anything fun or athletic.
Time Heals All……well almost.
My staff and I did an admirable job with treating these ailments. It is, after all, one of our specialties. Acupuncture, massage, herbs, stretching and therapeutic icing stopped the pain….as long as I was a good boy. Never having been a good boy, it was challenging for me to avoid aggravating my foot pain. Symptoms kept returning and it seemed no matter what I did, it would end up causing more pain. I was disappointed and disillusioned with my limited choices of exercise. I began to gain weight and loose my patience with this ongoing pain. Almost three painful years passed until by chance I stumbled on a solution.
Fly Me to the Moon
Travelling to the west coast on a business trip, I rebelled against the workload weighing down my carry on, by buying a book at the airport entitled “Born to Run” subtitled A hidden tribe, superathletes and the greatest race the world has never seen, written by Christopher McDougall. The author’s story hit me close to home and I devoured the book as I learned about barefoot running, staying healthy and the conspiracy of shoe companies to control our feet. Is it at all possible that running barefoot or wearing just a thin soled covering could help my banged up feet stay fit and healthy? I was willing to experiment on myself to find out.
This is the first entry for this topic. Stay tuned for more of my saga, detailing the journey of an acupuncturist who is embracing a novel footwear craze to keep up his running without injuries. I’ll be adding my experiences, medical perspective and the training tips I learn along the way.
Dave Sollars
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Guiding, teaching and treating is what we do!
FirstHealth of Andover works in collaboration with other medical providers to find solutions for today’s challenging family health concerns. We have a unique niche in that many of the methods or techniques used in Integrative Medicine may very well be described as older home remedies or kitchen medicine. These may combine with very old techniques such as acupuncture therapy for instances where inflammation, spasm, circulation or pain are at the center of a patient’s complaint.
The goal has always been the same. Relieve a patient’s suffering and teach them to be independent guardians of their own healthcare. This type of medicine was practicing and guiding our patients in preventative medicine long before it was a corporate catch phrase.
We serve family's health care. As a community based Integrative medical center, we see patients from infants receiving care for chronic ear infections, coughs or reflux all the way to the elder citizen who wishes to find relief for arthritis. Our model is to listen to the complaints, refer to other practitioners both in the clinic and our many area collaborators, while designing an effective treatment plan that fits their time and money parameters.
We will let our patients speak to you in their own words. It is a unique privilege to serve the community using these Integrative Medical Therapies. Changing lives is an honor and a responsibility that both inspires and humbles you on a daily basis.
Please view our patient video stories
http://www.firsthealthofandover.com/videos.htm
Please feel free to browse through our patient video and written testimonials.
http://www.firsthealthofandover.com/Testimonials.htm
Other examples include:
"We just wanted to say thank you to David Sollars for everything! We were blessed with a little baby girl named Grace. We don't think it would have happened without you!"
Sincerely,
K&A, MA
I have known about Dave Sollars for over two years now. I met his wife before and we have talked about a consultation for over a year now. I just did not have had the time to seek advice from him. This time, however, I had all the pressure to make the time. I went to his office and discussed my problem. To my surprise, he knew my condition, and devised a plan to address it. From that moment on, my life changed. I was able to wake up during the weekend without a bitter taste in my mouth. I was very surprised that I did not have any headaches and most important that I had the time to help my wife to take care of our children. To date, I have not been sick. It has been the beginning of a new life for me. I can now enjoy my weekends and family and there is less overall stress to cope with. Thank you." E.P., Arlington, MA
The goal has always been the same. Relieve a patient’s suffering and teach them to be independent guardians of their own healthcare. This type of medicine was practicing and guiding our patients in preventative medicine long before it was a corporate catch phrase.
We serve family's health care. As a community based Integrative medical center, we see patients from infants receiving care for chronic ear infections, coughs or reflux all the way to the elder citizen who wishes to find relief for arthritis. Our model is to listen to the complaints, refer to other practitioners both in the clinic and our many area collaborators, while designing an effective treatment plan that fits their time and money parameters.
We will let our patients speak to you in their own words. It is a unique privilege to serve the community using these Integrative Medical Therapies. Changing lives is an honor and a responsibility that both inspires and humbles you on a daily basis.
Please view our patient video stories
http://www.firsthealthofandover.com/videos.htm
Please feel free to browse through our patient video and written testimonials.
http://www.firsthealthofandover.com/Testimonials.htm
Other examples include:
"We just wanted to say thank you to David Sollars for everything! We were blessed with a little baby girl named Grace. We don't think it would have happened without you!"
Sincerely,
K&A, MA
I have known about Dave Sollars for over two years now. I met his wife before and we have talked about a consultation for over a year now. I just did not have had the time to seek advice from him. This time, however, I had all the pressure to make the time. I went to his office and discussed my problem. To my surprise, he knew my condition, and devised a plan to address it. From that moment on, my life changed. I was able to wake up during the weekend without a bitter taste in my mouth. I was very surprised that I did not have any headaches and most important that I had the time to help my wife to take care of our children. To date, I have not been sick. It has been the beginning of a new life for me. I can now enjoy my weekends and family and there is less overall stress to cope with. Thank you." E.P., Arlington, MA
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Acupuncture Effective for Depression During Pregnancy
More good news on the effectiveness of acupuncture this week. A recent study has shown acupuncture to be an effective method for treating depression during pregnancy! This is great news because many women are hesitant to take an antidepressant during pregnancy and acupuncture is a safe alternative. Also, depression during pregnancy has negative impacts on not only the mother, but also the baby and the entire family. To read more on this topic check out the news article here.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Gua Sha for Pain Relief
Gua Sha is an East Asian healing technique that has been researched and shown to be effective for many types of pain syndromes. Gua means to rub and Sha refers to small reddish petechiae that arise as part of the therapy. This Sha or petechiae will last for 2-4 days. The interesting thing about Gua Sha is that when performed, over time the darkness of the sha lessens and eventually goes away as the underlying tissue heals.
Check out this study showing the dramatic effects of Gua Sha for pain - Gua Sha Study
Also, for more information on Gua Sha this website is very informative - www.guasha.com
For those of you that spend hours in front of a computer and have a habitually tight neck and shoulders, monthly acupuncture treatments with Gua Sha can be very beneficial to ease that strain.
~Jason Henson, MAOM, L.Ac.
Check out this study showing the dramatic effects of Gua Sha for pain - Gua Sha Study
Also, for more information on Gua Sha this website is very informative - www.guasha.com
For those of you that spend hours in front of a computer and have a habitually tight neck and shoulders, monthly acupuncture treatments with Gua Sha can be very beneficial to ease that strain.
~Jason Henson, MAOM, L.Ac.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Study Shows Effectiveness of Electro-Acupuncture for Knee Arthritis
It's wonderful to see modern research catching up with what acupuncturists have known for a long time.... Acupuncture is an effective treatment for managing knee pain.
Check out this article for more info on the study - Reuters
How much acupuncture can help for knee pain depends on how much damage has been done. We see people who are just in the beginning stages of arthritis who can often have complete pain relief, and we also see people who are in need of knee replacement surgery and we work with them to help manage their pain and have more comfort until they are ready to schedule the surgery. In any case acupuncture has been shown to be effective in yet another condition!
~Jason Henson, MAOM, L.Ac
Check out this article for more info on the study - Reuters
How much acupuncture can help for knee pain depends on how much damage has been done. We see people who are just in the beginning stages of arthritis who can often have complete pain relief, and we also see people who are in need of knee replacement surgery and we work with them to help manage their pain and have more comfort until they are ready to schedule the surgery. In any case acupuncture has been shown to be effective in yet another condition!
~Jason Henson, MAOM, L.Ac
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