Doc On The Run Podcast

Are you testing your stress fracture every day just to see if it's getting better? That simple habit may actually be slowing your recovery. In this episode of the Doc On The Run Podcast, Dr. Christopher Segler explains why repeatedly testing a stress fracture—especially by intentionally reproducing pain—can keep you above your healing threshold and delay your return to running. In this episode you'll learn: • Why runners naturally want to "check" their injury• How repeated testing can increase stress on a healing metatarsal• Why pain-testing is different from progress tracking• How to identify useful recovery milestones without slowing healing• The concept of your healing threshold—and why it matters• A smarter way to monitor recovery while preserving your fitness

What is the fastest way to calm down extensor tenosynovitis when you are a runner trying to keep training? In this episode of the Doc On The Run Podcast, Dr. Christopher Segler explains his personal “secret weapon” for reducing inflammation in extensor tenosynovitis and helping runners get back to training faster. Extensor tenosynovitis happens when the tendon sheaths on the top of the foot become irritated and inflamed. It can become painful with every step, every toe movement, and every run. In this episode, you’ll learn: • What extensor tenosynovitis actually is• Why inflammation inside the tendon sheath becomes so painful• Why tight shoelaces often trigger the problem• Why oral anti-inflammatory medications may not help much• The risks of corticosteroid injections around tendons• How the contrast bath routine works• Why alternating hot and cold water may rapidly reduce swelling• How runners can calm irritation while protecting fitness The goal is not simply reducing pain. The goal is calming the inflammation fast enough that you can safely get back to running.

What happens when a former professional triathlete and endurance coach suddenly develops a painful plantar plate sprain? In this episode of the Doc On The Run Podcast, Dr. Christopher Segler speaks with Marcus, a former professional triathlete and current triathlon coach from Brazil, during a real running injury strategy call focused on plantar plate injuries in runners and triathletes. Marcus had to cancel an upcoming 45K trail race after developing sudden pain under the ball of the foot consistent with a plantar plate sprain. During the call, they discuss how plantar plate injuries develop, why bunions and shoe selection can increase stress on the plantar plate ligament, and how endurance athletes can protect the injured ligament while maintaining fitness. They also discuss: • Why MRIs often fail to tell the whole story with plantar plate tears • Whether carbon-plated running shoes can reduce plantar plate strain • How to maintain fitness without worsening the injury • Why boots alone are often not enough • The biggest mistakes runners make during plantar plate recovery • How shoe construction can affect forefoot stress • Why triathletes are uniquely vulnerable to forefoot overload injuries If you’re a runner or triathlete struggling with forefoot pain, second toe pain, a plantar plate tear, or a plantar plate sprain, this episode will help you better understand the injury and what actually matters during recovery.

How do you know if your stress reaction just turned into a stress fracture? That’s one of the most important questions a runner can ask—because once there’s a crack in the bone, everything changes. In this episode of the Doc On The Run Podcast, Dr. Christopher Segler explains the 5 key signs that indicate your stress reaction may have progressed into a true stress fracture. Understanding these signs can help you avoid making the injury worse and make smarter decisions about training and recovery. In this episode, you’ll learn: • The difference between a stress reaction and a stress fracture• Why that distinction matters for runners• The 5 warning signs your injury has progressed• The most reliable sign that you may have a crack in the bone• Why bruising is a major red flag• How to think about injury severity when making training decisions If you want a clearer way to assess your injury, get the free Stress Fracture or Injury Self-Assessment Worksheet at:https://www.stressfracturesecrets.com/mistake

If you have a calcaneal stress fracture and a 100-mile race on your calendar, the question is simple… Can you still run it? In this episode of the Doc On The Run Podcast, Dr. Christopher Segler lets you listen in on a real strategy call with an ultrarunner trying to decide whether he can complete a 100-mile race in just over two months after being diagnosed with a calcaneal stress fracture. This episode breaks down the real risks, the real decisions, and the exact strategy needed to balance healing with maintaining fitness. In this episode, you’ll learn: • Why calcaneal stress fractures are especially risky for runners• The biggest danger that could permanently end your running• The 3 key signs that tell you if you're getting better or worse• How to maintain fitness without making the fracture worse• The most dangerous time before your race (when most runners make mistakes)• How to find the exact line between healing and training If you want a clearer way to assess your injury, get the free Stress Fracture or Injury Self-Assessment Worksheet at:https://www.stressfracturesecrets.com/mistake

Can you still run a race if you have a stress fracture—or will it permanently set you back? In this episode of Doc On The Run, Dr. Christopher Segler answers the most urgent question injured runners ask when a big event is approaching: can I still run my race with a stress fracture? You’ll learn how to assess risk, distinguish pain from damage, and make a clear decision without sabotaging your long-term recovery.

Today I was on a strategy call with an injured, but recovering runner who is trying to figure out how to organize his workouts to get strong quickly, without re-injuring his stress fracture. He was headed in the right direction, but was making a critical mistake when trying to do more with split workouts. It’s not about splitting workouts. It's all about the stressors that are applied to the stress out bone. But this also applies to other overtrain injuries like Achilles tendinitis, perennial, tendinitis, or plantar plate sprains. If you understand, this basic principle, you will definitely get back to running a whole lot faster! Today on the Doc On The Run podcast, why any runner with any overtraining injury should focus on making sure there are no big stressors on the same structures.

Kettlebell workouts can be a great way to maintaining strength, even if you have a running injury. If you are a runner who has an overtraining injury like a metatarsal stress fracture or a plantar plate sprain, you are probably doing everything you can to keep the rest of your running body strong, while that one injured part heals. Kettlebell training can help, as long as you don’t let those kettlebell workouts overload that injury to the ball of the foot. You have to pay close attention to form and technique. Today on the Doc On The Run podcast, we're talking about Kettlebell mistakes and modifications for injured runners.