Pain deep in the glute can make a run feel terrible. For runners and non-runners alike, it is common to assume the issue is sciatica because the pain sits near the path of the sciatic nerve. But pain in the glute region can come from several different structures, and many of them feel very similar during running. The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in the body. It originates from the lower back, travels through the pelvis and posterior hip, and continues down the back of t

In my PT clinics we always know when a big race is coming up because one-two weeks before race day the phone is ringing off the hook. Pain or small injuries that could be ignored when mileage was low start to get louder and more difficult to run through. Why does this happen? Training Fatigue Most of the time our clients try to pin point the one thing they did that caused the injury, but it is usually not from one single workout - it is overall training fatigue. During the p

Runners hear a lot of advice. I get to hear all about it in clinic every week. Some of it is helpful. A lot of it sounds right. And some of it sticks around long after it should. Most of the time the advice is meant to help and not hurt from training partners, friends, people who have been in your shoes (okay their shoes, but you know what I mean) BUT general advice doesn’t usually address what you have going on. It might feel like a good idea, but it might also make things

Sometimes the first few minutes of a run feel stiff or painful, but after a mile or two the discomfort settles down and the run actually feels better. What does this mean? As a running physical therapist working with runners in Atlanta, this is something I hear fairly often: “If the pain goes away during the run, is it okay to keep running?” In many cases, the answer is yes, but with the right modifications. It depends on the type of tissue involved and how the pain behaves

GPS watches, running apps, heart rate monitors, and training dashboards have become nearly universal in running. Many runners now track everything, pace, cadence, heart rate, sleep, recovery scores, and training load. The question is no longer whether runners can collect data. The real question is: should runners rely on all of this data to guide their training? From my perspective as a running PT, wearables and running apps can be extremely helpful tools. But they can also

Photo: Alan Lam (Fast Bananas Trail Race 2025, pre run stretch) I love running. I hate telling people they can't run. Running is great exercise and it is so beneficial for both mental and physical health. But if you run long enough, chances are you will deal with pain or injury at some point. As a physical therapist who works with runners every day, these are the five most common questions runners ask about running injuries and answers that can help you to stay healthy and ke

Tech has completely changed the way we run. You no longer need to guess your pace or use a stopwatch and a paper map to figure out your...