Tag Archives: running

fashion, running

Live Broadcast: Why Wear Minimal Shoes?

If you do any sports that involve running, please tune in to my live broadcast on minimal shoes, Thursday, Jan. 19 at 5:30 p.m. PST/ 8:30 p.m. EST on Zubia.

I will explain how minimal shoes can help prevent joint pain. I’ve been using them for a few years, and they allowed me to run again after years when my knee hurt to much. But if you’re not careful, minimal shoes can cause other kinds of problem, so I’ll explain how to avoid that as well.

For iPhone users, click here from your iPhone:
https://12vn.test-app.link/tFMCPpCdUz.
Once you download Zubia (for free) the link will take you to the broadcast to add to your calendar. Or you can search at the top of Zubia by typing in “running” or “minimal running shoes” and the broadcast will appear. If you use an iPhone, you can ask questions during the broadcast.

People without iPhones can view the broadcast from a desktop here:
http://web.zubialive.com/signup.
Once registered, you can then scroll for upcoming broadcasts and see mine at 8:30 EST/5:30 PST on Thursday. (There is no app for the Android operating system on Zubia yet.)

Laird Harrison, CPT

running

Older Runners Slower to Adapt Footstrikes

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A parade of studies in recent years has been trampling the theory behind barefoot running. The latest of these comes from researchers here in Las Vegas at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS).

One key notion behind barefoot and “minimalist” running is that they encourage the runner to strike the ground first with the balls of the feet. This allows the ankle and calf to absorb more of the impact from each footfall.
Continue reading Older Runners Slower to Adapt Footstrikes →

running, Technology

What Exercise Monitoring Device Should You Use? (Part I)

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Until yesterday, I was feeling so good. I had overcome my knee pain and started running again, loving it like I never did before. I was bounding up the hills near my house, fit and powerful.

A model shows off a wearable monitor at Health 2.0. Photo by Laird Harrison. All rights reserved.
A model shows off a wearable monitor at Health 2.0. Photo by Laird Harrison. All rights reserved.

Did I really need to know that I was only doing a 10-minute mile?

That information came to me courtesy of a cell-phone app I just downloaded, RunKeeper. It’s part of a new era of devices that continually monitor all our bodily functions, aggregate the data, store them in the cloud, analyze them using artificial intelligence, compare them to the data of our friends or celebrities, and make them publicly available.

I am not exaggerating. On assignment for Medscape, I spent three days in Silicon Valley last week at Health 2.0 Fall Conference, a celebration of digital health technology. The meeting included a fashion show of health monitors inside pendants, bras, shirts and wristwatches.  “We envision a world with sensors all over the place,” said Christopher Glode, Under Armour vice president of connected fitness.

There was June, a bracelet that measures sunlight exposure and tells you to put on a hat. There was Sensoria smart socks that correct your gait. There was Medtronic’s Guardian Real-Time glucose monitoring device that literally  gets under your skin.

There was also an embarrassing moment when Continue reading What Exercise Monitoring Device Should You Use? (Part I) →