Mike Swinger Is Providing Runners With A DIY Guide To Injury Prevention

My guest today is back for round two!

He is a physical therapist that is a runner and is also passionate about working with other runners.

Mike Swinger and Some Schlub

I am excited to welcome Mike Swinger to the show again, and to my house, as we discuss his new book, “Runner’s Fix.”

Efficient Running

Running cadence is defined as the number of steps per minute a runner takes.

Many sources over the years have referenced 180 steps per minute as the ideal cadence all runners should strive to achieve.

Mike agrees that while cadence is important there are also other factors that shouldn’t be overlooked.

Due to the variation in height and leg length from runner to runner, ideal cadence is unique to each athlete.

Mike does agree that all runners should be in the ball park of 180, but that number can be higher or lower and still be an efficient cadence.

He would like runners to focus more on not over striding and in return be able to effectively load the muscles.

Mike explained that loading a muscle is when the muscle lengthens while under a load.

An example of that would be when squatting the calf muscles lengthen while under the load of your body weight.

Runner’s Fix

Years of working as a physical therapist primarily working with runners inspired Mike to write a book.

He noticed injury patterns emerge with the athletes that he worked with.

Many of the common pains that Mike saw could easily be fixed before even bigger issues arose from them.

In his experience, most people don’t schedule a doctor’s appointment at the first sign of an injury.

Mike wrote, “Runner’s Fix,” as a resource to help runner’s address their issues rather than ignore them.

His first chapter is about laying the foundation for a lifetime of running.

The biggest mistake Mike sees runners make is by building up too quickly.

He suggests setting goals 6 months to a year out and working gradually to achieve them.

Runner’s Fix by Mike Swinger

Improve Form

Mike is able to learn a lot about a runner by watching their form.

There are some common inefficiencies that many runners make.

An ideal arm swing should NOT cross the mid line of the body.

According to Mike, if a runner swings their arms too much it may suggest a rotational weakness in the core or hips.

A runner’s arm swing can also indicate what is going on with the lower body.

Foot strike while running is another area Mike commonly sees that can be improved.

Ideal placement of the feet while running should be underneath the body.

Mike has learned that properly loading your muscles will help you to tap into your full potential.

Improving form requires patience along with trial and error to see what works for each individual.

Mentioned In This Episode:

• Runner’s Fix: DIY Guide to Running Pain-Free
• Mike Swinger (Round 1)

Stay connected with Mike by checking out his Website and/or following him on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

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