Elite runner Dr. Mark Cucuzzella discusses the biomechanics of running

Dr. Mark Cucuzella MD FAAP is the author of Run for Your Life and a Professor at West Virginia University School of Medicine. A competitive runner for over 35 years, Dr. Mark has more than 100 marathon and ultramarathon finishes, and has won the Air Force Marathon twice. He designs programs to promote healthier and better running in the military with the USAF Efficient Running Project. Mark has presented running workshops on over 50 military bases in the last 10 years, and he is also the owner of Two Rivers Treads – A Center for Natural Running and Walking in his hometown of Shepherdstown, WV. Mark is considered one of the world’s leading running doctors, and his pioneering work has been featured in the New York Times, NPR, Outside Magazine, Running Times, Runners World, Air Force Times, the Washington Post, JAMA, and other medical and media outlets.

Tell us about your best experiences as an elite runner. How did learning to run barefoot/in sandals change your understanding of biomechanics and gravity's impact on the body?

My best experiences as a competitive runner are the people I have met through travel and teams. In the Air Force we traveled as a team and this made it fun as we always had friendly competitions with other nations and other branches of the armed services. I still keep in touch with many of these friends.

Barefoot and sandal running forced me to slow down and learn how to minimize the impact forces of the ground. You must learn to land softly running barefoot and this translates to when you put shoes on. I have run up to 50 mile races in thin sandals.

What are the most important aspects of biomechanics and posture that runners need to be educated about?

Good posture and breathing are the foundations. Without these your body can't run with spring and relaxation.

What would you say to someone who feels running barefoot or in sandals is too intimidating or not accessible to them?

Just start with walking. This will help strengthen the foot and also add balance and enjoyment and maybe one day transition to very short runs mixed with walks.

What ergonomic product(s) would you recommend to elite runners as well as regular activity level people for better performance and injury prevention?

A stand-up desk for sure as well as a Venn Air Chair.

What movements and stretches do you recommend people do every day? Are they different based on type of work and activity level for each person?

This is very individual but the place most people have tightness is in the hips and in the ankles and Achilles tendon regions.

“Good posture and breathing are the foundations.”

With so many people shifting to working from home this year and many large running events cancelled, how do you recommend runners and desk workers stay motivated and incorporate more regular movement into their lives?

Getting outside and active is the best thing that one can do for their mind and body as well as to reduce the odds of getting a severe infection when exposed to COVID-19. This builds our resiliency and immune response so take the time to do it or you likely will pay the price later.

Chiropractor Dr. Seth Hosmer's approach to ergonomics and movement

Dr. Seth Hosmer of Hosmer Chiropractic Health is an experienced chirpractor, trail runner and triathlete. At his unique practice in Portland, OR, he helps patients with pain and flexibility issues by going beyond the usual chiropractic adjustments and working with them to find the root cause of their issue. Oftentimes, this means addressing soft tissues and movement patterns (or lack of them) in the patient’s lifestyle. Read our interview with Dr. Hosmer below to hear about an experienced chiropractor’s approach to solving pain issues and adding more movement to daily life.

How do ergonomics and your work intersect?

 Being aware of ergonomics is essential to what we do at all times. Whether you’re talking about a desk or computer or a setup or adjusting a bicycle - ergonomics matters.

Whether you call is ergonomics or just living life, ergonomics needs to be as good as it can be.

 What are the most important aspects of ergonomics that people need to know about?

 First, sitting posture. A lot of people this year are working on their couch or kitchen table, and then watching TV. Doing this 8-12 hours a day.

For athletes, sometimes they’re worse than regular folks because they are so tired from their workouts that they look forward to sitting and then they sit for long periods. They fall into a trap where they think they’re active for so much time they think it counterbalances sitting for prolonged periods. It’s not. Sitting for long periods is an early risk factor for mortality. Even if you’re an athlete, you still can’t get away with sitting for long periods of time; it’s still bad for you.

 Secondarily, standing posture. The real enemy is not the posture, it’s the fact that you’re not moving. The body is made to move and any time you hold a fixed position for an extended period, it does not promote health.

 Ideally, you should be moving all the time because that’s what it’s designed to do. Specific changes happen in the joints and ligaments if you don’t move them. The number one thing is to move more.

 What ergonomic product(s) do you recommend to people you work with?

We usually recommend elevation desk that goes up and down. They are relatively inexpensive and come in different sizes that can be transported almost anywhere. We want people to have the choice whether they’re sitting or standing. We want you to be moving around a bit ant not stuck in one place.  Along with that, make sure you have a as big and good a monitor as your can so you’re not being drawn into a poor neck position.

One of the coolest products we’ve come across is the Hyperice vibrating foam roller - it’s really good at mobilizing stiff joints and muscles. Athletes need a way to recovery quickly. It greatly accelerates the speed at which that can happen. Standard foam rolling can be painful. Vibration helps break through quicker.

 What movements and stretches do you recommend people do every day? Are they different based on type of work and activity level for each person?

You can have movements for specific conditions but 10 things wed love to see everyone doing, especially this Banded Shoulder stretch (video #69.)

With so many people shifting to working at home this year, has your practice changed in terms of the needs and pains people are experiencing?

Yes, we’re seeing lots more neck and shoulder pain from relatively poor ergonomics and fixed postures. We’re seeing a lot more TMJ cases -  a lot of people clenching their teeth because they’re experiencing more stress. We’re seeing a lot more thoracic or brachio-plexus problem because their neck and shoulders are so tight, and a lot of lower back issues. People are just stiff all over because their gym is closed and they’re not moving as much.

Other the other hand, it’s been a great opportunity for some people because they can get in for treatment, wear sweatpants and loose fitting clothes that allow them to move more and make some new habits.

The vast majority of problems we see is lack of good movement. Move more move better and you’ll feel better.

Hosmer Chiropractic’s extensive video library is chock full of helpful information and recommendations for healthy stretching and movements that anyone can benefit from. Be sure to check it out and let us know what your favorite moves are!

Olympic level archer Tyler Martin creates SessionFit app for virtual fitness

Former Olympic level archer Tyler Martin is currently a personal trainer and computer scientist. In 2020, he combined his passion for health and fitness with his coding skills to create Session Fit, a virtual fitness class app that brings live classes to your phone. In the past six months, he’s fostered a virtual fitness community on the app to help others stay accountable for their health while staying connected with their friends during the pandemic. Get Session classes here and read on to learn more about Tyler’s story.

Tell us a bit about your work, inspirations and passions.

I’m a former competitive archer. I trained at the Olympic training facility in San Diego with about 10 years ago. Since then, I’ve been in love with health and fitness. In recent years, I earned my PT certificate, and I currently work with individuals and groups. I’m also a computer scientist and spend quite a bit of time working at the computer.

What does a typical day for you look like through the lens of movement?

I have what I call “home poses.”  If I’m coding, I prefer not to be standing, so I’ll sit on the Venn Air Chair and shift around a lot.  If I’m in thinking mode or taking notes, I will stand up and work on my feet. I sit on the chair about 20% of the time while doing desking work; it helps me as I switch up my positions from standing to sitting. I also like to use my Venn more in daily workouts and especially for balance work. I’ll do plank moves, push-ups or bench presses with shoulders on the ball.

Working from home has been nice because I don’t have to keep shoes on when I’m at my desk. I have pebble mats that I stand on that help to stimulate thought. Typically, I spend a couple of hours in the morning walking around for 20 minutes and thinking.

Most days I teach classes on Session. We have a community of people we've been working out with for about half a year. Because it’s live, other class takers can see what you're doing, and because it’s a small group, it’s very apparent if you’re not there. Having a community helps with accountability around moving your body.

What's something in work or life that you approach differently - philosophically, physically, emotionally-  than others?

Management classes teach you about certain management approaches. At the end of the day every person has their own thing going on. I allow for time to delight people during my day and give them time to chat.

When it comes to ergonomics, I consider myself very deliberate when it comes to setting up the spaces to work in. I’m a big fan of personalizing things and that informs how I view ergonomics and fitness. I built my own keyboard and desk that are ergonomic. We tend to balk at spending money on certain things for our workspaces or home but if you think about how much time you spend on these things - it’s important to figure out what works well for you and invest in that. 

Download Session Fit for iOS and Android and follow on Instagram @session_fit.