WOMEN RUNNERS AND SAFETY
It's not easy becoming a runner. At first everything feels awkward. Breathing is labored, muscles ache and the pace is painfully slow. With some persistence, however, movement becomes fluid, breathing easy and before you know it that daily run feels wonderful! An addicted runner is born. For many, we are a unique breed battling any weather at all hours of the day or night to get our "fix". It's hard for us to accept that this behavior could be life threatening...
more info.

“INSOLES or ORTHOTICS” --WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE AND

CAN THEY HELP YOUR ACHING FEET??

Insoles are store-bought inserts that add support or cushioning to a shoe.  The right insole for you depends on your foot type, the style of the shoe, the type of activity you plan to use the shoe for and the condition of your foot.  Most insoles are made of foam, silicone gel, rubber or plastic.  They may be soft to cushion and distribute pressure, or they may be firm to provide sturdy arch support.  Some can be customized by heating and forming them to the foot (“It’s Your Sole” brand).  Many can be modified with pads or other devices by a podiatrist. 

Orthotics are custom-made devices, prescribed by a medical professional to treat a specific foot or leg condition.  Generally these devices offer a higher level of precision, support, function and effectiveness than over-the-counter insoles.

 more info.

HOW DO I KNOW WHEN MY SHOES ARE TOO OLD?

Generally speaking you can expect your shoes to last 400 running or 500 walking miles.  Of course, some people get lots more miles out of a pair of shoes while others get less. So how do you know when your shoes are too old to wear?

It would seem logical to look on the bottom of the shoe -- if there are holes then the shoe needs to be replaced. However, most manufacturers reinforce the bottoms with a combination of blown and carbon rubber (the same material used in car tires) -- it’s pretty hard to wear out.  Further, the “heel strike zone” is reinforced for even better wear.  Shoes can actually be quite old and hardly show any signs of aging on the bottom.

The upper is not a good indicator of shoe age either.  The nice white mesh can get trashed the first time you run on a muddy path or dusty road.  Even the little holes your toes make in the soft mesh are not a good indication of shoe deterioration.
more info.

COMPRESSION OF MORBIDITY THEORY

A study published in the August 2008 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine, found that “elderly runners have fewer disabilities, a longer span of active life, and are half as likely as nonrunners to die early deaths.”

In 1984 when the study was initiated, the conventional wisdom was that vigorous exercise might do older people more harm than good.  It was widely expected that more orthopedic injuries would occur with those who continued to run for years and years.

But, James Fries MD, professor of medicine emeritus at Stanford University and the study’s senior author, hypothesized that “regular exercise would extend a high-quality, disability-free life.”  Keeping the body moving, he speculated, might not extend longevity, but it would “compress the period at the end of life when people couldn’t do daily tasks on their own.”  The idea

became known as the"compression of morbidity theroy."

more info.