Doc On The Run Podcast

Peroneal tendinitis can become a huge problem when you are a runner with a race on the calendar.   In this episode, Dr. Christopher Segler explains three things runners should question when trying to calm down irritated peroneal tendons without unnecessarily losing running fitness.   We discuss why corticosteroid injections around a tendon can create concerns, why randomly switching among differen...

If you are a runner with a plantar plate sprain and you already had an MRI, but you are still not getting better, the MRI report may not answer every question that matters.   In this episode, Dr. Christopher Segler explains four questions he believes runners should ask their doctors about MRI imaging of a plantar plate injury. He discusses MRI slice thickness, why the plantar plate is difficult to...

A runner recovering from an overtraining injury may notice new sensations, tension, discomfort, or other “noise” as activity increases. That can be confusing, especially when the goal is to rebuild strength without overloading tissue that is still weaker than normal. In this episode, Dr. Christopher Segler explains a simple construction-site analogy for understanding some of the sensations that ca...

What should you do if you are five weeks away from a half marathon and develop a metatarsal stress reaction? In this episode, Dr. Christopher Segler talks with a real runner who is preparing for a half marathon in Argentina after developing a fifth metatarsal stress reaction. He has already stopped running for five weeks and has been maintaining fitness with stationary cycling. The discussion focu...

How much should you move your ankle when you have a metatarsal stress fracture? An elite Masters track athlete asked Dr. Christopher Segler this question after noticing that her ankle was getting stiff while wearing a fracture walking boot for a third metatarsal fracture. Ankle stiffness matters because once you return to running, restricted motion can increase the forces applied to the foot and m...

What should you do when Achilles tendon pain comes back after you thought it was better? In this episode, we listen in on a real strategy call with a runner who had Achilles tendinosis for years, improved after treatment, returned to running, and then had the pain flare again after hill training. The key lesson is that the next step is not guessing which treatment might work. The next step is figu...

A runner with a third metatarsal stress fracture was doing everything right. Her injured left foot was getting much better — but then her “good” right foot started aching. That can be frightening. Does it mean you are developing another stress fracture? In this episode, Dr. Christopher Segler explains why the uninjured foot can become overloaded when you are using a fracture walking boot, crutches...

A runner thought he had another ordinary ankle sprain. He could still walk, he checked the Ottawa Ankle Rules on himself, and he concluded that he did not need an X-ray. But almost a week later, the swelling and bruising still were not behaving like his previous ankle sprains - and the X-rays showed that his ankle was actually broken. In this episode of the Doc On The Run Podcast, Dr. Christopher...

Can a stress fracture actually heal with too much bone? Yes - and in some runners, that extra bone canbecome a problem of its own. In this episode of the Doc On The Run Podcast, Dr. Christopher Segler explains why a very large bone callus does not always mean a stress fracture is safely healed. He walks through two runner cases: one in which a large callus hid an unstable fracture heading toward n...

Can you still do your race after breaking a toe? Many runners assume a broken toe automatically means canceling the event. But that's not always true. In this episode of the Doc On The Run Podcast, Dr. Christopher Segler shares a real strategy call with a runner preparing to hike the Tour du Mont Blanc after suffering a displaced fourth toe fracture only one week before departure. In this episode...

Have you ever felt guilty about taking a day off during stress fracture recovery? For many runners, the hardest part of getting back to running isn't the injury itself—it's resisting the urge to complete every planned workout. In this episode of the Doc On The Run Podcast, Dr. Christopher Segler shares a simple mental strategy that can help runners recover faster by changing the way they think abo...

Have you ever felt a strange sensation that seemed like a rubber band squeezing your Achilles tendon, shin, or foot? It may not be pain… But it might be one of the earliest warning signs that you're about to make a running injury worse. In this episode of the Doc On The Run Podcast, Dr. Christopher Segler introduces what he calls the "Rubber Band Sign"—a subtle sensation reported by runners with A...

When your doctor recommends surgery, there is one question most runners never ask. But it may be the most important question of the entire conversation. In this episode of the Doc On The Run Podcast, Dr. Christopher Segler explains why runners should not simply accept a recommendation for surgery without understanding how confident the surgeon is that the procedure will actually get them back to r...

When is the single most important time during the healing of a metatarsal fracture? Most runners assume the hardest part is waiting weeks to get back to running. In reality, the most critical period may be the very first week after the fracture occurs. In this episode of the Doc On The Run Podcast, Dr. Christopher Segler explains why the first seven days after a metatarsal fracture lay the biologi...

If your stress fracture seems to be healing, should you keep repeating the exact same run? It sounds safe… But it may actually slow your progress. In this episode of the Doc On The Run Podcast, Dr. Christopher Segler explains why repeating identical runs can prevent a healing stress fracture from adapting and getting stronger. Using the example of a runner returning from a tibial stress fracture w...

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...

If you’ve had multiple fifth metatarsal fractures and you also have osteoporosis, can you still run safely? Many runners assume the answer is automatically “no.” But that is not necessarily true. In this episode of the Doc On The Run Podcast, Dr. Christopher Segler explains how runners with osteoporosis can sometimes continue running safely after stress fractures or fifth metatarsal fractures—as l...

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...

If you have a stress fracture and you’re trying to figure out whether it is safe to run again, should you get an MRI or a CT scan? Many runners assume there is one perfect imaging test that can tell them exactly when they are cleared to run. Unfortunately, it is not that simple. In this episode of the Doc On The Run Podcast, Dr. Christopher Segler explains the real difference between MRI scans and...

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...

If you have popping or clicking around the outside of your ankle, do you actually need peroneal tendon surgery? Not necessarily. In this episode of the Doc On The Run Podcast, Dr. Christopher Segler explains the 5 reasons runners might actually consider surgery for painful popping peroneal tendons—and why many runners may not need surgery at all. In this episode, you’ll learn: • What the peroneal...

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 sig...

If you have plantar fasciitis and you’re trying to keep running, you’ve probably been told to stretch, rest, or stop running altogether. But what if the solution is much simpler? In this episode of the Doc On The Run Podcast, Dr. Christopher Segler explains the one simple trick he personally used to fix his plantar fasciitis while training for Ironman races—without stopping running. This episode b...

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 e...

What do you do if you’ve been training for months and suddenly get a stress fracture right before your race?   In this episode, I explain the four real options runners have when they don’t want to cancel—and how to think about risk, recovery, and still crossing the finish line.   If you want a clearer way to assess your injury, get the free Stress Fracture or Injury Self-Assessment Worksheet at: h...