Massage therapy uses suction to promote healing

“The best thing with which you can treat sickness is cupping.”
– The Prophet Muhammad

As a health and wellness hobbyist, I had been curious about cupping therapy and massage for years. During this alternative massage treatment, the practitioner uses varying sizes of suction cups to invigorate skin and muscle, usually on the back. The increased blood flow and circulation is thought to promote healing, reduce pain, relieve muscle tension, and remove toxins.

Until recently, the options to receive such a service in Lynchburg were either nonexistent or extremely hard to find. But I finally got to see what all of the hype was about when I booked a session with Liza Yowell at Telitha Apothecary in the Boonsboro Shopping Center. Yowell is an independent contractor who lives on the Outer Banks of North Carolina but is often in Lynchburg providing skincare and “MediCupping” at Telitha.

Yowell was introduced to cupping 12 years ago when she received the treatment from an acupuncturist on the Outer Banks. She says the practice of cupping stems from Traditional Chinese Medicine.

“Fire cups are typically used in Traditional Chinese Medicine where cotton is saturated in alcohol, lit on fire and inserted in glass cups with a hemostat in order to create a vacuum effect,” she explains. “The cups are then applied onto the patient’s skin in order to loosen the muscles, liquify the fascia, dispel blood and lymph stagnation and improve the flow of Qi energy (the body’s vital force).”

After mastering the art of firecupping, Yowell became certified in vacuum therapy MediCupping, using a machine that is safer, more subtle, and gentler than fire cups.

She describes the service she provides as “a combination of manual massage and MediCupping therapy. I rely on the cups to quickly and easily liquify the fascia and soft tissue so that I can access the deeper layers of the muscles.”

The service typically lasts about an hour.

Yowell is often amazed at how quickly the tissue softens with less effort than a conventional massage. She also has a personal story of how cupping helped her.

“Cupping is extremely effective at breaking down scar tissue,” she says. “I had breast cancer in 2016 and I felt such relief working with the machine to loosen up my mastectomy scars. It really helped release a lot of the tightness in my chest from the surgery.”

Former NFL football player Jake Grove of Forest was first introduced to cupping therapy in 2005 in San Francisco. He played center position in the league from 2004-2010 and had his share of injuries and soreness. Fellow teammates had suggested he try Chinese firecupping at an Eastern Medicine Clinic in order to improve his performance and decrease his pain.

At the time, Grove says he took all varieties of anti-inflammatories as well as narcotic pain medicine.

“Cupping helped me reduce the amount of medication I took on a daily basis,” he said. “I feel like it did help lower my pain and inflammation. Particularly later in my career and after multiple surgeries. The day after a game I could barely walk and cupping on my knees, back and shoulders helped me to recover quicker.”

Another place in Lynchburg to try cupping is The Spa in Wyndhurst, where massage therapist Denayha Cotton enhances her cupping massage with silicone cups.

She strongly encourages communication from the client as the process can actually be painful for some.

“Even though I use the softest cups possible, it can still be painful if a client has a large knot or tight ropey muscles that are causing them trouble. This is why feedback is an absolute must, that way you are not in any more pain than necessary,” says Cotton.

To prepare for your session, Cotton advises that clients drink lots of water and eat a clean diet before and after the treatment to help with the detoxing process. Clients should also avoid hot showers immediately after treatment.

There will most likely be markings or redness on the surface of the skin that can last up to two weeks on average.

The color will change and varies based on the amount of toxins and debris being released. These purplish circles are a side effect that indicates blood, lymph and Qi stagnation.

Grove attests that he always had the cupping marks on his skin wherever the cups were used after a service. Many people like to “see” the results left from the cups—and if they don’t, they are easy to cover up.

Whether you’re just curious like me, or want to relieve consistent pain like Grove, cupping therapy is definitely worth checking out.

“Most important to me, there is no downside to cupping,” says Grove.

“There are no chemicals, no needles.”

Highlighting the hardworking individuals who are providing a range of healthcare services in the greater Lynchburg region.

There are a host of reasons why people feel like they can’t prioritize working out, but two of the most common are scheduling issues due to work or school and being a little overwhelmed by the public gym atmosphere.

In a survey done by OnePoll in conjunction with supplement company Isopure, out of 2,000 people, nearly 50 percent said working out around others at a gym can be intimidating.

But these hurdles are worth overcoming, because the benefits of exercise are widespread. Weight management and increased muscle mass are two of the most well-known perks, and, according to the CDC, some of the lesser known benefits are reduced anxiety for adults, lower chance of heart disease and prevention of certain types of cancers.
While a community gym may not be for everyone, that isn’t your only option. Working out at home is a great alternative.

Here are some tips and professional advice about working out at home from Heather Callahan, Liberty University’s Associate Director of Fitness and Programming for Campus Recreation. Callahan graduated from Liberty and has been a fitness professional in the area for 11 years; she also has been certified by the National Academy of Sports Medicine for six years.

The Benefits
Callahan believes home workouts provide countless benefits, one being you don’t have to follow a gym facility’s hours of operation.

“You get to work out on your own time,” she said.

This includes adding in small, intermittent workouts throughout the day versus just doing one long workout.

“I am a huge fan of staying active throughout the day. We can be sedentary all day at our desks and then exercise for one hour of the day, but at home, you can take little movement breaks,” she explained.

Another bright side of working out at home is you are always a few feet from your gym. Instead of getting ready and driving to your destination, you can simply roll out of bed and work out in your designated home gym area.

The Drawback
We can’t overlook the main benefit of going to a gym—the community. This community of people can, at times, help people stay accountable to their fitness goals. Liberty University Senior Andrew Eshleman feels the community is his main attraction to going to the gym.

“Working out at the gym is a way for me to relax and escape my normal day-to-day life,” Eshleman said. “It’s great to be a part of a community who supports you and shares the same goals as you.”

While home workouts do not possess a natural community, there are ways to work around that and stay motivated. Callahan finds a couple ways to build a sense of community while working out at home.

“I won’t lie, sometimes that is hard. No matter how long you’ve been doing it …” she explained.

“If you can work out with someone, do it. If not, maybe get a friend to keep you accountable even if they aren’t with you.”

The Equipment
You can make your home gym as cheap or expensive as you would like. Those with larger budgets may choose to spend thousands on top-of-the-line gym training equipment brands such as Rogue, Hammer Strength or Stairmaster.

But if you are just getting started with a home gym, it’s a good idea to start simple—which also turns out to be a cheaper route as well. According to Callahan, the first items to consider purchasing are resistance bands, a quality workout mat and some dumbbells.

“I would recommend getting a set of light, medium, and heavy resistance bands. Versa loop bands that fit around your knees are a great way to add resistance at home,” she said. “For a little bit more money, you can invest in smaller [weight training] equipment like kettlebells or dumbbells, lighter set and heavier set, to really set yourself up with a beginning and at-home workout space.”

The weight for your light and heavy set would vary depending on your strength, but a light set of dumbbells would be used for a higher rep count per set and a heavy set would be used for a lower rep count per set.

The Workout
Once you’ve created your space and are ready to get started, Callahan recommends two fitness apps to lead you in your home workouts. Glo and Alomoves both offer a range of workouts—from HIIT (high-intensity interval training) to yoga—to help you accomplish your goals. These apps do charge but typically start with a free trial.

If you don’t want to pay, Insider.com rounded up a few of the best free workout apps: Nike Training Club App, 5 Minute Yoga and 7 Minute Workouts. These aren’t as thorough as the subscription apps but are a good way to get started. Also check out YouTube for free workouts as well.

According to Callahan, if you desire to have more customized workouts curated for yourself to accomplish your goals, there are personal trainers who will travel to your house for at-home workouts or speak with you online.

Lynchburg expert addresses the fear of memory loss

Gerontologist Dr. Jay White studies age—or more specifically—the effects of age. After working in real estate, he made a career switch after realizing that many residents couldn’t stay in their homes after a certain point.

“I wanted to know why people couldn’t continue living on their own,” he says.

After earning his master’s degree in gerontology (he also has a Doctor of Education degree), White now dedicates his life to helping everyone enjoy their longevity and elderhood, which includes understanding the normal signs of cognitive decline. He says the fear of memory loss has become very prevalent in healthcare—and that fear can actually produce or exacerbate symptoms.

“Our brains work like a computer,” he says. “When a computer becomes overloaded with information, it processes things slower. As we age, the same thing happens. It can be difficult to recall certain names or memories.”

White says that doesn’t necessarily mean an individual has dementia. In fact, there are several ways to tell the difference between natural aging and a deeper neurological issue.

“What I see in private practice is that people concerned about memory loss don’t usually have dementia,” White explains. “Then you have to look at other underlying issues.”

According to White, talking about memory loss is the opposite of what dementia patients do. Many who start showing signs either hide their symptoms or don’t realize what’s happening.

Determining the root of memory issues is complex. Research shows there are more than 100 types of dementia, one of which is Alzheimer’s. Many of those types are highly manageable and even reversible.

“You can’t tell [if someone has dementia] just by having a conversation,” White says. “It usually involves a brain scan to get an actual diagnosis that shows brain patterns. But even then, there are types that don’t show up on a brain scan.”

While White says it’s common to get phone calls from concerned family members about loved ones who may be showing signs of dementia, his advice is to slow down and not jump to conclusions with a self-diagnosis.

“There are certain things that are a normal part of aging,” he says. “When you don’t see someone for a long period time, it can be hard to gauge what’s normal and what’s not.”

He says if there’s a concern that a relative may be “slipping,” then family members need to look at the whole picture. According to statistics, less than 12% of older adults have dementia, which White says is a small population.

“Start a conversation and ask questions like ‘How are you doing or feeling?’” he says. “Maybe your loved one is lonely and is showing signs of depression. Maybe it’s new medications and you need to talk to their pharmacist about side effects.”

Local stories of incredible life change through fitness and nutrition

While the saying “there is no better time than the present” always rings true for those looking to change their health, the beginning of the year is typically a popular time to jump into (or back into, in some cases) a fitness and nutrition plan. The food-focused holidays have come and gone, and indulgent vacations are likely on pause until spring.

But what does it really take to make a plan and stick with it? How can you make sure this attempt at weight loss isn’t just another botched New Year’s Resolution? We went straight to the experts for help—and we aren’t talking about personal trainers or dietitians (but of course, those are always great people to work with!).

These three inspiring individuals know what it feels like to be at the beginning. Read on to hear their stories.

Maria Carreno
Age: 25
Weight Lost: 80 pounds
Maria’s Story:
“Growing up I was always the ‘big girl.’ Every diet out there, I tried it, but I always gained the weight back a couple of months later.

When I came to this country six years ago, it was a cultural shock for me and I gained even more weight. In 2020, I reached my highest weight of 322 pounds. I was going through the most difficult time of my life. I wasn’t taking care of myself, I was depressed and it showed.

I finally decided that enough was enough. I joined Burn Boot Camp and started using the simple and old key to success: being consistent. Not only was I exercising consistently, but I worked with the personal trainers on my eating habits. I lost over 80 pounds in 18 months and plan to lose more in the coming year.

I learned that no matter where you are at, if you decide to do something and put your mind to it,
you will accomplish it.”

John Hobbs
Age: 30
Weight Lost: 175 pounds
John’s Story:
“Several years ago, I had gained a tremendous amount of weight. I knew it was time to do something when it started interfering with things that I loved to do, such as hunting and racing motorcycles.

I reached out to Tim Wamsley at Kratos Fitness. The entire staff used their knowledge of health and fitness to motivate me to work hard, eat healthy, and stay consistent. Not only did we work hard, but they made it fun and a team effort! The combination of accountability and workouts that were actually enjoyable was key to keeping me consistent. In just over one year I was able to lose 175 pounds!

Since then, I’ve gotten back into hunting and racing and have never felt better. After losing weight, Kratos helped me modify my nutrition and exercise routine to maintain the results and have continued to check up with me to help me through my transition.

I really encourage people that want a life change to work with the staff at Kratos—they understand the struggle and want to help with a change! Thank you Kratos for helping me to not only lose the weight, but to keep it off for four years now!”

Connie Moore
Age: 64
Weight Lost: 48 pounds
Connie’s Story:
“The nurse at my family doctor’s office called me in May 2018 to give me the results of my bloodwork and told me my A1C was now in the pre-diabetes category. When the A1C test was done again one year later in May 2019, I was still in that category.

The nurse told me that there was a YMCA Diabetes Prevention Program I could enroll in which consisted of 25 one-hour sessions over the course of one year, led by a trained lifestyle coach to learn healthy eating and the importance of getting regular physical activity. So, I enrolled and started taking the class in June 2019.

I did not want to go down the path of becoming diabetic so I stayed focused on eating healthier and exercising at the YMCA on a regular schedule. It has been a long 2.5 year journey for me of being consistent and dedicated to becoming a healthier version of myself, and I have met many new friends along the way.

I am very happy to say that when I went to see my family doctor in November 2021 that my A1C bloodwork came back as now being in the ‘normal’ category.”

Do you, or does someone you know, suffer from migraines? Given the statistics that 1 in 4 households in the US includes someone who suffers from these menacing headaches, it’s likely you do. Migraines are three times more likely to affect women than men, but they aren’t just the bane of adults—children can suffer from them as well.

Migraines are more than just a bad headache. Migrainous episodes are ignited deep within the base of the brain. Once activated, they set off a cascade of electrical and vascular changes across the brain which can result in a myriad of symptoms. Typical migraines present with moderate to severe, throbbing head pain. Additionally, as if throbbing head pain wasn’t enough, many migraineurs endure sensitivities to light, odors, sound, and touch, as well as experience various visual disturbances, nausea, and vomiting.

Migraineurs know “their” migraine patterns well, and because much has been written about food, smell, light, or noise triggers, they do their best to avoid their known triggers. Some will take preventative medications on a daily basis, which have been prescribed by their physicians—all in an attempt not to set off a migraine. When these preventative steps prove inadequate, and they sense a migraine beginning to brew, their last possible way to escape this “headache hurricane” is to take a prescribed, often times injectable, abortive medication. Sadly, if the abortive medication fails, a migraineur has no other choice but to cancel their plans for the day and seek the cover of a dark, quiet room to ride out the storm.

For decades now, managing migraines has been the best a migraineur can do. Copious books written on the subject discuss in great detail dietary and atmospheric triggers a migraineur would do best to avoid. Then, as a consolation, long lists of available medications, to be taken daily or abortively, are provided. But today, current research has revealed that there is a rarely-discussed, yet highly influential migraine trigger: the upper neck.

For 30+ years I have been treating head pain patients—many of them migraineurs—by using a hands-on (manual) physical therapy treatment approach. What I discovered long ago, and which has only recently been verified by neurologic research, is that muscle, joint, and disc dysfunction in the upper neck is a MAJOR migraine trigger!

To understand this better, think of potential head pain as a stick of dynamite. The length of the fuse depends on the individual. Researchers have discovered that a migraineur’s brain is more sensitive to stimuli than a non-migraine sufferer. This means a migraineur has an inherently shorter “fuse.” The “matches” in this analogy would be headache triggers such as stress, food sensitivities, surrounding noise levels, bright or flashing lights, low barometric pressure, and upper neck dysfunction. When enough of these matches are bundled together, they can flame up sufficiently enough to ignite the fuse. Then—KABOOM—a migraine explodes on the scene!

What I have seen, time and time again, is that by removing the “match stick” of upper neck dysfunction—which is a very large match when compared to the other triggers—the rest of the would-be triggers can’t build enough “heat” to the light the fuse. This method of head pain treatment has been successful even with those patients whose migraines are tied to their monthly hormonal cycles.
At last—you can quit managing your migraines, and instead, put an end to them!

So, what do you need to do to break free from a lifetime of migraines? Find yourself a healthcare practitioner who has the necessary keys to unlock your upper neck dysfunction. This person will need to be highly skilled; able to address joint, muscle and disc problems; and be knowledgeable in offering you guidance regarding the best postures (sleeping, sitting, and standing) and ergonomic sets ups to enhance the hands-on treatment they’re dispensing.

This approach sounds so much better than being married to medication, doesn’t it?

Lisa Morrone, PT is an orthopedic, manual, physical therapist and prolific author who practices privately in Forest, VA. Contact Lisa through her website: www.LisaMorrone.com and sign up for her Monday Morning Health Tips! Also check out her book, Overcoming Headaches and Migraines, available on Amazon.com.

HOW TO TRANSFORM YOUR THOUGHTS WHEN LIFE GETS TOUGH

“The unthankful heart discovers no mercies; but the thankful heart will find, in every hour, some heavenly blessings.” – Henry Ward Beecher

We often see cards, plaques and decorations boasting words such as “grateful” or “give thanks.” Don’t we all wish for more sentiments of gratitude and appreciation these days? Yeah, me too!

Rising quickly in my professional journey, this driven, energetic and successful young professional was on her way to a life of comfort and contentment. But what happens when the plans you’ve made, the life you’ve built, comes to a screeching halt? Can you be grateful? Can you find the good?

How do you find and maintain gratitude and joy when you get a cancer diagnosis? When you lose a family member suddenly? When you walk alongside an addict who’s trying to get sober? When you can’t get up every day and do the job you love?

Well, I learned how because that was my life in 2017. My husband and I had purchased a 17-acre farm in Bedford County and were on our way to open the vision God had given us—the Sanctuary Farm and Retreat Center, a place for people to come for rest, peace, dreaming and praying in solitude.

Our full-time jobs were going great. Our families were happy. And just like that, everything changed. Within one year, I was on hiatus from work after having a double mastectomy due to breast cancer, my father-in-law died of pancreatic cancer, we were caregiving for loved ones as a result of a family member’s addiction—all within the same year. We learned how to fight for the very thing we were building, for “Sanctuary,” and we were learning how to live a life of gratitude, despite all that was happening in our lives.

With a background in psychology and as a life transformation coach, I had studied the brain. But knowing how the brain works and leaning into the research are two different things. Research has proven that thoughts create actions, and actions create habits, and habits create life patterns. Meaning, what you think about matters.

People tend to filter events and circumstances in one of two ways: with a positive lens or negative lens. You know the old adage, “Is your glass half full or half empty?” Turns out, science has proven that if you’re a glass-half-empty thinker, it leads to more mental and physical stress and has been known to increase the prevalence of certain health conditions such as cardiovascular disease, hypertension, immune function, and panic attacks, just to name a few.

But, there’s hope! By shifting the way you look at things on a regular basis, numerous studies show you can transform your thinking patterns and, ultimately, transform your life. I learned how to do this through my own hard circumstances and you can too.

Here are four ways to find your own Sanctuary and live “in gratitude.”

1. Think about what you’re thinking about. By bringing your default negative thoughts to the forefront and questioning them, you actually stop the subconscious negativity from having free reign.

2. Eliminate extremes. “I’ll never be able to.” “Things can’t change.” “That won’t work.” All of these statements limit or rule out possibilities. Instead of these statements, open your mind up to possibilities. Here are some questions to help get you out of extreme thinking:
• What’s possible here?
• What could I do differently?
• What’s one step I can take?
• What am I in control of?

3. Reframe. When negative things happen or you find yourself defaulting to glass-half-empty thinking, learn to reframe. When I received my breast cancer diagnosis, fear, worry and dread for what was to come were consuming me. I had to learn to reframe thoughts and feelings away from the negative. Here are some questions to help you reframe:
• What are my options?
• How can I best prepare for the journey ahead?
• What can I learn through this about myself and my strength?
• What are the opportunities in the midst of the “hard”?
• What can I still do despite this challenge?

4. Celebrate what’s good. When life isn’t going as planned or you have a season of hardship, it’s important to find and celebrate the good. Some ways to do this include:
• Slow down and savor the first sip of your morning coffee.
• Play your favorite music and linger in your comfy chair for a few minutes.
• Journal the positives in your life.
• Do something healthy for yourself daily.
• Subscribe to positive podcasts or TED talks, and get in the habit of making these part of your daily or weekly routine.
• Be a “noticer” of the beauty in a day.

Sources:

www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/positive-thinking/art-20043950

www.amazon.com/Deadly-Emotions-Understand-Mind-Body-Spirit-Connection/dp/0785288082

greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_gratitude_changes_you_and_your_brain

A FITNESS STUDIO ADDS FAITH INTO THE #WOD

Photos by Ashlee Glen

In a world where we always seem to be focused on appearances, sometimes the emotional, mental and spiritual aspects of our lives can get overlooked. When Kat Seay opened Live Move Be Fitness on Timberlake Road last year, she was on a mission to provide a well-rounded fitness experience that went beyond what you could see in the mirror.

“The name [of the studio] came from the Bible verse Acts 17:28, ‘For in Him we live and move and have our being’,” said Seay. “As soon as people walk through our doors, we want to help them live with purpose, move with joy, and be all that they were created to be. We want them to feel like they belong here.”

Live Move Be (or LMB for short) is a faith-infused fitness studio that offers exercise for the body, mind, and soul. There is a place for everyone, and there is a class for everyone—from cardio kickboxing to yoga.

LMB has many unique group class formats that are hard to find anywhere else. Want to get the heart pumping? There’s RW HIIT, a 30-minute high intensity class. Want to take it easy but still get a good workout? Try Rev and Flow, a movement-to-music class.

“We kind of run the gamut of all the different types of classes you could be looking for in a fitness class,” said Seay. “I feel like we really do have something for everyone.”

One of Seay’s favorite workout formats is movement-to-music: “I just like moving with joy. I love movement. I love music.”

Seay got her first taste of this when she began teaching Zumba classes at the YMCA in Bedford in 2009. From there, she began a women’s fitness ministry at her church. In January 2020, she opened Live Move Be.

“I saw the positive results of addressing someone’s full person. Their whole body, not just their physical body but their spiritual and emotional needs, addressing all those needs in a fitness class.”

Seay and six other instructors have carried this positive impact into LMB, especially the spiritual and emotional aspects. At LMB, exercise is more than just a physical activity.

“You see these hashtags, #legday or #armsday. Here we have #everydayisheartday. Having a strong healthy body is important, but we want the heart to be the primary focus of our classes,” said Seay.

From their inspiring music choices to the intentional words that they speak, the instructors do everything they can to motivate participants. They want participants to leave the studio with full hearts and fewer burdens.

“It’s very important to us that we speak life over the people in our class. It’s a big responsibility to have people’s ears and hearts in your class for an hour. We want them to feel mentally and emotionally lighter than when they came in,” explained Seay.

Because they want everyone to experience a fulfilling workout, LMB offers a non-traditional membership format. Anyone can drop into a class for $5. For $40, 10 classes can be attended, and one month of unlimited classes is $70. Angie Coleman is on her third 10-class pass.

“I came out to my first class, and I just loved it. I’ve been coming for three months, twice or sometimes three times a week,” said Coleman.

Coleman was diligent about exercising her brain by playing solitaire and doing word searches, but she realized that her body needed exercise too. After coming to classes at LMB, Coleman has seen various improvements in her life.

“My attitude is better. My breathing is better. My clothes fit better. I feel so energized. People are starting to ask me what I do because they are seeing the differences,” she said.

Coleman is just one of many who faithfully attend LMB.

“We have people that are 20 years old and there’s a lady here that’s 80 years old. You don’t feel like you’re out of place. Everybody’s welcome,” said Coleman.

Learn more about Live Move Be Fitness at www.livemovebefitness.com.

That Are On the Nice List

You don’t have to skip the sweets this holiday season to stay focused on your fitness goals. Local blogger Laura Miner, founder of Cook at Home Mom (cookathomemom.com), shares a few of her favorite diet-friendly desserts that are perfect for parties or after a weeknight meal at home.

Chocolate Pumpkin Protein Balls
paleo, grain-free, gluten-free

Who doesn’t love a good no-bake dessert recipe during a busy time of the year? These little bites of fall flavor are easy to whip up and are always crowd pleasers. But Laura prefers to savor them by herself with a steaming hot cup of coffee on a chilly morning. She also likes that they aren’t overly sweet and the pumpkin flavor is subtle.

Servings: 4 (16-18 balls)
Calories: 352

CLICK HERE FOR THE RECIPE!

Snickers-Stuffed Dates
paleo, vegan

These are an absolute must-try if you’re like Laura and love that classic combo of chocolate and peanut/almond butter. With just four ingredients, this no-bake dessert is also a fan favorite due to its convenience.

Servings: 8
Calories: 160

CLICK HERE FOR THE RECIPE!

Sweet Potato Chocolate Mousse
paleo, vegan

Laura came up with this recipe as a way to satisfy her husband’s post-dinner sweet tooth without derailing from their clean-eating habits. It’s a concoction that’s so delicious, no one—including the kids—will ever know it is made with vegetables!

Servings: 4
Calories: 246

CLICK HERE FOR THE RECIPE!

Chocolate Covered Apple Slices

With apples as a base and nuts providing protein, you won’t feel so guilty about snacking on this treat anytime of the year.

Servings: 4-6 (4 slices)
Calories: 198

CLICK HERE FOR THE RECIPE!

A local expert helps navigate the often-complicated world of athletic shoes

If you’re like me, no purchasing decision is easy these days. What’s supposed to be a simple transaction can turn into hours of scrolling through customer reviews, which then leads to a Google search and all of those catchy blogs people write about products. (Aren’t those addicting?) Next thing you know, two hours have passed and not only have you still not made a decision, but you are likely even more confused than when you started.

This scenario played out recently for me as I searched for new athletic shoes. My current pair was worn out after about a year of heavy use in daily HIIT (high-intensity interval training) classes. I felt overwhelmed by my options, and realized that I wasn’t alone. Conversations about what kind of shoes to buy often surrounded me at the gym.

I tracked down Perry Mundy, a certified pedorthist for Virginia Sport and Spine Institute, to see if he could share some shoe insight. A pedorthist is a healthcare professional specifically trained in comprehensive foot care using therapeutic foot wear and supportive orthotic devices for the foot.

He was upfront that his answer to my question, “What kind of shoes do I need?” might be disappointing at first.

“One of my teachers in college said, ‘The answer to every question is, it depends. But if you ever answer that on a test it’s wrong’,” Mundy recalls. “The right shoe completely depends on the individual and that individual’s activity. There are a wide range of variables that are specific to each person.”

But he acknowledges there is a lot of information to sort through regarding athletic shoes. Here, we asked him a few of the top questions.

How important is fixing a shoe issue to overall health?

Feel like your foot is slipping from side to side during that CrossFit workout?

Notice substantial arch aches during those early morning runs? This is not the time to channel those popular fitness mantras such as “no pain, no gain.”

“The foot is the foundation of the house, everything else is up the line,” Mundy says.

The pain in your calves, knees, even hips, could be due to an improperly fitting shoe or, in some cases, a structural problem with your body, such as leg length inequality. If one leg is even just a tiny bit longer than the other, that foot will not pronate properly in your shoes. Your doctor may recommend you to a certified pedorthist to see if a special shoe insert could help.

Mundy typically stops his evaluation “at about hip level,” so if you have shoulder pain for example, you probably don’t need to blame your shoes.

What exactly is pronation?
“Pronation is our natural ability to absorb shock, an inward rotation of the foot that occurs very quickly, every time we step,” Mundy explains.

When he says quickly, he means quickly—300 microseconds is all it takes. But it’s a crucial split second of time for our bodies.

“Pronation is necessary, we have to do it to absorb shock the right way, if not, something else in our bodies will,” says Mundy, adding that abnormal amounts of pronation (either overpronating or underpronating) can cause a wide range of difficulties.

What about all of those words you see describing shoes?
While there is a lengthy shoe vocabulary companies like to use when describing their shoes, Mundy says running shoes can generally be classified into three categories: control, stability and neutral. You will see these words written out in the description of the shoe either on the box or online.

A control shoe is a very strong “posted” shoe, with a variety of different materials intended to decelerate the speed of excessive pronation in the foot.

A stability shoe is less “controlling” and can include mild to moderate levels of “posting” but could also include neutral shoes based on how they function with the foot. “Some shoe companies are moving to ‘dynamic posts’ in response to increased research on how the foot behaves during running,” Mundy says.

A neutral shoe is just that, a shoe without additional materials for controlling pronation. “They are cushioned to aid in shock absorption. This is a large category that is not limited to running shoes but functionally includes sport-specific shoes like tennis, basketball, volleyball, crosstraining and even CrossFit-style shoes.”

What are some signs I’m in the wrong shoe?
Let’s say you are at a shoe store—or maybe you even ordered some shoes online to try out at home. First and foremost, Mundy says the top test of the “right” shoe is pretty simple: “What is the most comfortable? When our feet hit the ground and we have pain, we have a problem.”

Next, he recommends the pinch test.

While standing up, pinch the inside of the shoe near the toe box to see how much space there is.

“See how much of your foot, your pinky toe, is hanging off the edge of the shoe. If you are sliding off the outer edge of it in the store, don’t buy it. Because in a few weeks of use, your foot is definitely going to be off the edge.”

Finally, check what he calls dynamic alignment. March in place for a bit, stop, and unlock your knees: “If your knees are over top of your second toes, that’s where they need to be. If they are not, you need to look for something else.”

Is there a good “universal” shoe out there?
“Some shoes can cross over, some cannot,” explains Mundy. “Again, it depends on what you are trying to do.”

Take running shoes for example. Trail running is very different from road running. Distance running is different than sprinting.

“Can you play basketball in a running shoe?
I wouldn’t recommend it due to the lateral motion. But you could run in a basketball shoe if need be,” says Mundy.

Cross-training shoes may come the closest to being a “universal” shoe and have become a popular category because they can do a little bit of everything.

Mundy recommends looking at four components for cross-training shoes: durability, versatility, specificity and price.

“You want a shoe to hold up to the demands you place on it (durability), to be able to do multiple activities (versatility), contain components that help your foot do its job better (specificity) and you don’t want to break the bank when buying the shoe (price),” Mundy says. “Finding the correct shoe is a fairly daunting task so soliciting professionals to help with these characteristics will help guide you towards the correct shoe choice for your specific activity.”