Trail Hazards for Trail Runners & Hikers (& It's Not Ankle Sprains)

Jason Kay — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 12:12:00 GMT

Trail Hazards for Trail Runners & Hikers (& It's Not Ankle Sprains)

Wingchi snapped this shot on July 4, 2011 of a brown bear on Big Tree Trail in Sequoia National Park, CA.

As the late-season snows finally start to recede in the high country, and mud gives way to wonderful wildflower displays, it has become time for the newest hazard to trail runners and hikers to emerge.

Any one watching the hiking / trail running blogs and news feeds know that it is now bear season. Yes, it’s time for BooBoo, Yogi, Smokey and all their friends to come out (or into your unlocked car or home as the case may be) and gorge themselves.

Bear Defense is not throwing your peanut-butter power bar at the 500-800+ lb animal and hoping that satisfies their need for 20,000+ calories a day, and then running away. It is NEVER a good idea to run from a bear. Nor is it wise to practice KungFoo. Instead, use Bear Defense Spray or Bear Pepper Spray.

This are NOT the same thing as personal defensive pepper spray, or throwing some cayenne pepper into the air.

So why not just shoot a gun in the air or at the charging bear? Well, first you need to carry the gun and be licensed to do so. You also need to practice shooting the gun. On the flip side, you can just buy a can of spray at your favorite outdoor store (and in many cases, the spray can is lighter too).... But don't take my word on it, a 2008 study from the Journal of Wildlife Management showed in 72 cases where people sprayed bears to defend themselves, bear spray worked as a deterrent involving grizzly, black and polar bear encounters.

98% of those people walked away uninjured.

I know I would not be able to hit a bear head-on that was charging with a bullet. And besides, not taking the bear down may make it angrier (or more protective of her young!)

Something else to consider: it is now *mandatory* that you carry bear spray into Banff National Park, or Parks Canada can fine you up to $25,000.

Don't spray bear repellent on camping gear, tents and backpacks to keep bears away, because once the volatile components have broken down, the pepper residue will actually attract bears!

Always carry the spray within easy reach (not in the bottom your pack, or jammed into a pocket where you can't get it out in a hurry.) You really want it handy in case of a surprise encounter while hiking, sleeping, cooking, and being generally out and about in bear country. Keep the safety clip on at all times, so you don't accidently spray yourself or your friend's dog.

Bear spray forms a big fluorescent cloud (so you can see it) that causes intense discomfort, burning and swelling of the eyes, nose and lungs, giving you time to leave the area. It doesn't cause permanent damage to bears or humans, but isn't pleasant to either.

Look for the EPA registration and establishment numbers, usually found at the bottom of the front label; only bear sprays will have this information along with a clearly visible expiry date (canisters last about three years). Also, bear spray labels will clearly refer to bears and canisters are a minimum of 255ml or 7.9oz.

But bear spray should be your last defense. Ideally, you want to avoid an encounter by "hiking in a tight group of at least four people, making lots of noise and being alert for signs of bears" (diggings, tracks, scat, overturned rocks & logs). Leash dogs at all times, but dogs are known for chasing off bears. Keep campsites clean and scent-free; cook and store food and toiletries at least 50 yards downwind from your tent.

I've personally hiked in bear country for years both on the east coast and in Colorado, and not followed all the rules above. However, I usually see bears closest to civilization, or where there are very large concentrations of food stuffs (like berry patches, unsecured garbage, or freezers/fridges eating ice cream and shrimp), but don't let Mama or Tedd.E Bear keep you from enjoying your favorite activity in the great outdoors... be like the boy scouts or when you wear your ankle brace for hiking or trail running, just Stay Protected.

Can Soft Ground Cause More Ankle Injuries than the Hard Stuff?

Jason Kay — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 11:38:00 GMT

Can Soft Ground Cause More Ankle Injuries than the Hard Stuff?

OK, I cannot tell a lie. I stole this idea from a NYTimes article I saw on July 18th.

The gist of the article says that people run on the soft ground to help prevent injuries.

Huh?

I'm sorry, I run on trails, because I like the scenery better. I also like the cooling effect of the trees or the cool temps of high altitude. That, and it is generally harder to get hit by a car, whose driver is too busy turned around yelling at the kids in the back or texting a sell order in to their broker, when you are on a trail.

In summer, I am certain that sun-baked asphalt is softer than the cement-like sun-baked dirt anyway.

It is like that famous quote by a certain Kennedy, "We choose to do (this), not because they are easy, but because they are hard."

Like the Times article points out, running on trails, which are uneven, can result in more ankle sprains and injuries than running on asphalt.

Right.

And that's why your mother told you not to run in the woods.

And that is also why I have sold many, many more ankle braces for trail running than road running.

Its also more efficient and easier to run on asphalt than dirt because you can get more power toeing off (it doesn't slip on dust or gravel as much), and road shoes soles don't 'squrim' or deform as much, which means less energy is wasted moving the treads around. But on trails you need that rugged, grippy, tread to grip rocks, stumps, gravel, branches, grass and so.

So now that you know why I run on trails, why do you?

And keep your eyes out for a special offer for those who read this blog regularly.
It might even be next week.

Hiking & Foraging the AT and no Ankle Sprains

Jason Kay — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 12:24:00 GMT

Hiking & Foraging the AT and no Ankle Sprains

Taken near the summit of Perkins Drive on while on the AT, overlooking the Hudson River and West Point.

So while it was a bit warm in the NY-metro area this weekend, the humidity was kept at bay, which meant that it was nice to escape and Take a Hike (yes the beer was tasty after wards too... after all carb replacement is key to maintaining health, or something like that).

So Trish and I packed up a light day pack with the usual stuff... Sunscreen (used liberally as the portion of the AT we were planning on hiking has some sun, but nice breezes and views), bug spray, water, some snacks, and 2 quart sized plastic bags.

Our friends from NYC were not amused by this last inclusion.

Mostly because Trish and I were picking blueberries. The friend from NYC thinks blueberries comes from little plastic bins in the store. We like the wild kind and brought home about 1 lb while eating at least another 1/2 lb to the tune of "what if those are poisonous?" "How do you know those really are blueberries?"

Well, the really obvious answer is I've seen and eaten blueberries before, and I know what a blueberry bush looks like.

I also know what a raspberry bush is (thank you grandma and grandpa for having a hedge in the back yard) as well as blackberries, and as of a few years ago, how to identify and pick wild mushrooms, like chanterelle, porchini, and oyster.

So if you're thinking this hike is more about getting some air and joying ourselves, you've got the right idea. It was only 7.2mi with about 1800' of elevation.

But if you were thru-hiking the whole AT, like the groups of people we saw, most of them could not afford to take a day picking blueberries, raspberries, and chanterelle mushrooms (the true mountain gold... Just lightly sautee them in butter with eggs or over fresh pasta.)

You would not get to enjoy the 'shrooms or berries especially if you are Jennifer     Your Humble writer
Pharr Davis. She is currently attempting to beat the record of hiking the 2,180      w/ a 5.2lb Giant Puff Ball
miles of the AT in less than 47 days, 13 hours and 31 minutes. That insane         Best sliced, brushed with
average of 47 miles a day (?!) leaves no time for picking tasty mushrooms to              olive oil & garlic.
cook in your morning eggs, let alone stopping to smell the flowers.                Grill to perfection.

Or stopping to do much else for that matter.

I simply cannot fathom what that would be like. An average of 47 miles per day. Just like I cannot fathom what it would be like to run 100 miles in one go. But as we have seen before many people do things that I don't ever want to attempt, and vice-versa, like picking mushrooms, berries, or driving a race car in anger on the track.

I know how sloppy I get at the end of a 12-15mi hike. Especially with a pack on. And like driving on a track, I use the appropriate protective gear so the activities stay fun. Because getting hurts sucks almost as much as having to do the rehab to get 'un-hurt.' My ankles are really prone to injury, even with all the strengthening I do mostly from the numerous sprains I've gotten over the years. (That, and being really flexible to begin with). So, like wearing insect repellant in an area full of deer ticks, I usually wear ankle braces on longer or technical hikes. I also call this product testing, and I have used my MaxX K Ankle Braces for to prevent ankle injury and help keep my ankles healthy for more than 75 miles of hiking so far, and the braces still work great.

The MaxX K is a great ankle brace for hiking becuase it is light wieght, cool, comfortable, and it allows the full range of motion that is so important in scrambling. Ok, my sales pitch is now over.

lastly, I want to thank my Grandpa for being able to identify the raspberries. That and unleashing the inquisitiveness of a young child in how things work which made me the engineer I am today.

Do you need to an ankle brace for hiking to help prevent ankles injuries?
Click the button below:

Train Delays, Twisted Ankles, & What Ankle Brace is the Best for You?

Jason Kay — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 12:12:00 GMT

Train Delays, Twisted Ankles, & What Ankle Brace is the Best for You?

As the joke goes, "This engineer walks into a bar..."

But first the buildup:
The train sat 2 stops before I normally get off for at least 15 minutes, with an unknown amount of time it will be sitting longer, when I called my lovely wife to see if she was willing to come pick me up at 10:30+ on a school night a few towns and a 30 minute drive away... Either that, or I 'll be in when the train starts moving again.

Eventually.

Hopefully.

She said 'yes' she'll come and rescue me, but in the mean time, go have a beer at the bar down the street... I really do love my wife.

So this tired, hot, frustrated engineer walks into a bar 15 minutes before closing, and the only open seat is next to this couple talking to the bartender about his recently sprained ankle.

I can't make this up. I just wanted a cold beer and a ride home, but not in that order... and now I'm talking to the bartender who just sprained his ankle playing softball.

I mean, really now, what are the chances. Delayed train, not my usual stop, and I walk into a bar where they are debating the merits of an Aircast brace.

I had to add to the conversation which started, "Hey I used to work for Aircast designing their ankle braces."

No, really, I did.

Anyway, the bar falls into silence. It only lasted a second or so, but it felt like I was in a Hitchcock movie. Everyone slowly turned to look in my direction. I didn't really want to drop into my sales pitch at that instant, so I started asking questions... I mean the bartender was hobbling around, well limping slightly is more accurate, and it was obvious he couldn't RICE at that moment... but he did say that he iced his ankle, and he was wondering what brace he should use...
(If you are wondering which brace to use, you might want to read this blog.)

This reaffirms my belief that softball is one of the most dangerous sports out there... I tore my quad playing softball in my mid-20's (and yes I even warmed up and stretched out, but that doesn't do squat when your standing in the outfield for 30+ min). Oh, that and my friend's dad broke his ankle while I was growing up.
I can go on and on, but I won't bore you.

So what did I suggest you ask?

Well, the Aircast stirrup would have been serious overkill (not to mention seriously uncomfortable playing softball). The bartender was walking around with a slight limp the day after he sprained his ankle. He did ice and elevate when he wasn't working, and he told me that he had little swelling and no bruising. He described his ankle as stiff, with little pain. He also said that he rolled (inverted) his ankle when he sprained it.

I recommended going to the drugstore (or internet) and picking up a lace-up brace like Swedo, or an ASO brace. These types of braces work well top help reduce what little swelling he had as well as giving a bit or extra support while the ankle heals. I also told him to do some strengthening and proprioception exercises (which can be found here as well) to help prevent future sprains, since this was his first, and hopefully last sprain.

If you're sharp, you'll notice that I didn't recommend the ankle brace I designed specifically because he still had some swelling... You wouldn't normally tape an injury like this at this point, so you should also not use my brace at this time either.... the brace I designed was specifically engineered to help those chronic ankle sprainers who need some extra support or those who have started the healing process and need a little something extra (which he clearly hasn't yet since his injury was only 1 day old at the time). Just like you wouldn't want to wear hiking boots for a marathon, you want the right ankle brace for your circumstances.

So got an ankle brace question?

Ask it in the comments section.

Want to buy a brace, Click the Get Protected button.

Meanwhile, Stay Healthy, Stay Active, Get Protected.

Trail Running on the Beach vs Ankle Injuries

Jason Kay — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 12:28:00 GMT

Trail Running on the Beach vs Ankle Injuries

Where I ran last weekend: Ortley Beach, NJ (but admittedly, closer to the water)

Trail running on the beach or beach running is actually a really great workout for the ankles (and butt, and legs, and...). All you need is beach access and sunscreen... its generally cooler and breezy near the ocean, so its somewhat pleasant (or much more so than inland, even with the lack of shade) but you also get some irregularities such as varying pitch, and the odd rogue wave or kids playing or dodging wayward balls which at least makes it interesting.

But the biggest benefit to your ankles and knees is the soft, variable surface (unless of course, you are running on Daytona Beach, in which case you will need running shoes, because it's surface is best described as near-sand stone... I mean cars used to RACE on its surface!).

The (usually) soft, viable surface acts much like those proprioception-strengthening exercises I keep going on about. The softness of the surface also greatly reduces impact shock to the joints and spine while increasing the effort. The softness and variable nature of the sand also requires all the 'little' muscles to help out to keep you stable as you keep your cadence.

This is the same thing that a balance-ball, or 1" thick foam mat (or a folded up towel) will do to cause you to work harder to balance, and thus build stability and increase your proprioception or kinesthetic awareness.

First, lets go back and define what proprioception is (incase you never read the medical definitions blog). Proprioception or kinesthetic awareness is the body's ability to sense movement and joint position. This is your body knowing where in space it is, without you looking.

With your brain knowing where your ankle is (or ANY other joint for that matter), your subconscious brain then "snugs" the joint tighter with the muscles at the appropriate time. If the receptors are used to measuring a specific body part, and that part is changed or damaged, then the brain is misinterpreting the signals, and needs to be retrained, which is why your ankle feels loose or insecure after you've healed from an injury, but haven't finished PT.

Basically, you are rebuilding your muscle memory. When you do this successfully, that loose, weak, floppy ankle will start to feel more secure. Unless you've destroyed your tendons and/or ligaments through repeated or severe injury (or in my case, both).

And to wrap up, the basic mechanics of working out on an unstable surface, like a balance-ball or a beach with help your brain recalibrate the signals it's receiving from the receptors throughout the body.

So beach running not only helps prevent ankle injuries, but it also gets you away from that annoying kid who keeps bouncing the sandy ball off your forehead as you're trying to read. And while you won't need one of my braces for the beach, you may still need it while running in the woods. I know I do, which is why I invented the MaxX K (and named it after my grandfather, who got me into engineering).

Go out, Stay Protected, Have Fun.

Hiking vs Trail Running (and how to prevent ankle injuries)

Jason Kay — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 11:13:00 GMT

Hiking vs Trail Running (and how to prevent ankle injuries)

The Best of Both Worlds: run down the beach, then hike up the bluffs. Near La Jolla, CA

As spring melted into summer, officially at June 21st 17:16 UTC (or 1:16pm for those of you on the east coast), my desire for trail running also melted some.

OK, it melted a lot... unless of coarse I’m in the cooler reaches above 9000’.

Well, the only other place I run when it gets really hot and humid is usually on the beach, and that is barefoot, but there are no real trails, and all you need is sunscreen and a bathing suit.

And maybe a sunglasses and a hat.

And as long as you don’t get bitten by a sand-snake (snag some driftwood) or trip over the toddler while ogling that hottie, the only things that cause injuries while beach running are sunburn and overusing muscles that aren’t used to running in the sand.

And maybe stubbing a toe on the odd rock.

But enough about running.

I find the slower pace of hiking more bearable in the summer heat. I also I hate carrying hydro-packs while running, all that jiggling up and down, even with every strap pulled tight.

So this way I can stay hydrated… and stop for a snack, or take a picture, or well, try and keep the sweat just short of Niagara Falls proportions.

And lets face it, anywhere above 9000', its usually not that hot, and definitely not that humid.

So to paraphrase my 11th grade English teacher, it is far easier to be “aloof and invite your soul,” or at least solve the world’s problems with your hiking buddy, when you are sedately walking through the glow of the aspens or the fresh scent of the pines than when you are gasping for breath on that last incline.

While some trail runners will sneer at hiking, it can be more extreme than trail running… (Hello AT, Pacific Crest Trail, and Continental Divide Trail… each over 2000 miles long, and each takes months to thru-hike). I’ve never tried to run with a hammock, food, and water, let alone with a tent, sleeping bag, and camp stove, but I can’t imagine that its much fun. Besides I’m clumsy enough, and have injured my ankles enough, to need ankle braces with a 30-40lb pack to keep from blowing out my notoriously bad ankles when I’m just walking.
Especially when I get tired at the end of the day when carrying a heavy pack.
And, yes that’s one of the reasons I designed the MaxX K Premium Ankle Brace the way I did).
So what do you like to do? Hike, run, both, or it depends.

Trail Running and Hiking Gear: What you Absolutely, Positively Need.

Jason Kay — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 12:34:00 GMT

Trail Running and Hiking Gear: What you Absolutely, Positively Need.

The Lower Falls - Calf Creek Recreation Area
Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument, Utah

So have you ever headed out and felt like you forgot something?

And I'm not talking about one of those dreams that you forgot to put your shorts on either.

I've actually hiked in flipflops along Calf Creek outside of Escalante, UT and while some munch ies would have been really nice, I was kicking myself for only bringing one water bottle on the sandy 5½ mile round trip... which leads me to THE LIST... this list of course changes based on season and location, but there is one constant:

WATER - I don't care where you are, or what you are doing. It is no fun if you are thirsty and dehydrated. Besides, it can be down-right dangerous.

If you run or hike more than a few miles you need to bring wa ter. For runners, this is more important than trail running shoes because regular running shoes work just fine, and then there is the whole barefoot movement, which by definition means no running shoes.

So how to carry the water? Well I think it kinda depends on how much you plan on consuming... anything over 3L I like to bring two hydropacks in a backpack with waist and compression straps. Keep in mind I've hiked with 8L in Colorado and Utah... which = 8 Kg or just over 17½ lbs! That's a LOT of 'extra' weight to be lugging up 10,000+' of elevation gain!

I typically run 3-5 mi at altitude, and usually only carry 0.5-0.75L of water in a bottle (and I really hate running with a water bottle in my hand). I've also used those hydro-belts with the 4-6oz containers (also totaling about .7L), but I also hate losing stride as I try to jam thos e things back into the belt...

And that brings me to the next two most important items for hiking/running... and their order depends on where you are (as well as time of year)... and that would be sunscreen and bug spray. And to me sunglasses are sunscreen for the retinas, which are VERY important! If the sun is up, I don't go anywhere without my shades.

It is both unhealthy and painful if you get sunburned, and premature-aging is not looking wise beyond your years...
If your summiting a 14'er, not only is there 39% less oxygen there (along with 100% fewer mosquitoes) there are 39% less air molecules to reflect the UV radiation, so you can burn 3x's faster!

Its equally joyless feeding the 'skeeters or green flies in the woods of the NE as it is in a horse meadow at 11,000'. And in some places, you run a very real risk of getting a mosquito-born illness.

My top 3 absolutely, positively, must have gear picks are:

Water
Sunscreen
Bug spray
and
Sunglasses...
because putting sunscreen on your retnas is slightly impractical.

So, let me rephrase that.

My top 4 absolutely, positively, must have pieces of gear are:

Water
Sunscreen
Bug Spray
Sunglasses
and
Ankle Braces...

OK, One More Time.

Again.

So my top 5 absolutely, positively, must have pieces of gear are:

Water
Sunscreen
Bug Spray
Sunglasses
and
Ankle Braces...

Ankle Braces?

Well, I've destroyed my ankles enough playing soccer while growing up that its not a matter of "if" but "when" I'll sprain my ankle again, and I really want to prevent ankle sprains, not get another one. No matter how many strengthening or proprioception building exercises I do to help recuperating from an ankle injury, I am still at a high risk of spraining my ankle again.

After the top 5, and much farther down the list, I would add in technical clothing to keep me dry and a hat (as my head is clean-shaven, so I need some sort of protection up there... but I digress)

Notice, missing here are the trick shoes (remember that whole barefoot running thing... no shoes) or a multi tool with GPS or even ankle braces, well, ankle braces did make the list... While good shoes (or a good pack with snacks) can make hikes or runs more enjoyable, I've done both barefoot (esp. on a beach) or in sandals or gone without snacks till I got back (because it was such a short duration). And while a GPS or a map is a great idea on new trails, they are not needed on trails that you have memorized.

So what is your in you absolutely must have list?

When to Begin Rehab on a Sprained Ankle

Jason Kay — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 11:23:00 GMT

When to begin rehabilitation on a sprained ankle

Today's blog slots nicely between the prior blogs "just sprained your ankle" and having healed enough to "start strengthening and proprioception exercises."

So one of the questions I get a lot is when can I get back to my sport (like trail running or hiking) or when should I start PT?

Well, lets take this one step at a time... You've sprained your ankle playing soccer, volleyball, basketball, hiking or trail running or maybe more creatively like by getting bitten by the concrete sidewalk snake while you've been texting. You've gone and RICE'd yourself sufficiently so that there is little swelling and minimal pain. Your starting to walk around with out limping and with almost no discomfort, but still not back to 100% because your ankle is still weak.

Now is the time to start rebuilding your strength and proprioception. Go easy with 10min on a bike to warm up, and then do about 1 hr of these exercises. Follow the exercise with 10 min of icing. Do this about 2-3x's / wk for at least 4-8 weeks.

After the initial 4-8 weeks of exercises, you have begun to rebuild your strength and proprioception, but your ankle is still weak. Therefore, you should get protected... You should use an ankle brace when you first return to your activity, unless you have access to a trainer to tape your ankle after every 10-15min of activity. And yes, I've written a blog about picking the best ankle brace for you.

As you get back into your activity, you really should continue strengthening exercises for at least 1 year since your last injury (seriously!)
You really should also continue to do 3 exercises with your normal strength training exercises to minimize your chance of re-injuring your ankles... change up the exercises so you don't board with them.

So why bother with all this exercise stuff in the first place?

Well the simple answer is that NCAA data shows an athlete who does not rebuild strength and proprioception after an injury is 70% more likely to re-injure themselves.
Or put another way, the study showed that baketball players who have not undergone PT after sprains are FIVE TIMES more likely to RESPRAIN their ankles than those who are uninjured.

Stay Protected.

Yes BarCampNYC, Trail Running, and Twisted Ankles

Jason Kay — Wed, 25 May 2011 15:34:00 GMT

Yes - BarCampNYC, Trail Running, and Twisted Ankles

For those of you who were at Barcamp, this is the Angel (and not the fairy) in her Merrill's on Angel's Landing
- Zion National Park -

So I am not going to blog too much about trail running, hiking, or sprained ankles. Again...
However, the next blog will be back to normal, what ever normal is.
Right now, I'm going blog about my experiences at going to BarCamp in NYC this last weekend.

I didn't meet any trail runners, which was not terribly surprising, but then again, I didn't goto barcamp to meet trail runners.

However, I did meet several soccer players, basketball players, volleyball players, and lacrosse players during the weekend. Several of which were really, really interested in the brace, how I came up with it, and why it works so well to help prevent ankle injuries. I didn't go to barcamp to meet these people either, but its was really cool to see all the positive reactions to the MaxX K Premium Ankle Brace as well as One Tree Products.

So as I mentioned last week, a big part of barcamp is giving a presentation as well as sitting in on them... I learned just as much researching my talk as I learned from sitting in on other talks.

I've posted my presentation on the One Tree Products facebook page. "Like" the page, fill out the really short form, and you can watch my presentation to find out what is going on with the angel above, and why she landed where she did.

Great. So what's the point of going other than to talk about ankle braces, sports people play in NYC and listening to generally really clever people?

Well the point is this (and it can be true of all networking). You just don't hear about other people's idea, you give input on them. Or help them design stuff. Or help them solve one of their problems. Or help connect people to launch businesses from their ideas. While I went with a very specific goal in mind - looking for a business partner to help with the growth of One Tree Products, and I learned a few things along the way - I learned about what makes successful partnerships and what I should be looking for.

Barcamp was fun and exciting to attend, and I plan on attending the next one as well mostly because you never know what is going to happen when you get like-minded people together in one place and what new and cool ideas present themselves and my help you out too.

So you know anyone who whats to be a partner in a booming business? Have them click on the button below.

Twisted Ankles, Trail Running, and Barcamp NYC?

Jason Kay — Wed, 18 May 2011 12:54:00 GMT

Twisted Ankles, Trail Running and Barcamp NYC?

The Little Red Lighthouse under the George Washington Bridge from the children's book.
Taken from the path down to Battery Park

So I am not going to blog too much about trail running or sprained ankles, right now.
Right now, I'm going blog about going to BarCamp in NYC this weekend.

Barcamp NYC?

What's that?

And what does it have to do with Preventing sports injuries?

Or trail running?

Beside, there aren't even trails in NYC!
(There aren't any there, right?)

Well, first off, there are trails all over NYC... Long ones in Central Park, the West side Greenway, and The Esplanade. There is one running along the West Side from the Battery Park in the south, through Riverside Park, all the way up to and beyond the GWB (George Washington Bridge at the top of the island). That is almost 16 miles one way, and nearly all of it on the island of Manhattan.

Granted, you may be running next to the West Side Highway for some of those 16 miles, but what do want from the most densely populated spot in the US and one of the largest cities in the world?

So, there are lots of people. And this leads nicely to my second point. When there are lots of people, and lots of people on cell phones, and lots of bad pavement, you typically get lots of twisted ankles and ankle sprains.

Lastly, Why BarCamp NYC and what is it?

Well, I lifted this from their website:

"BarCamp is an ad-hoc gathering born from the desire for people to share and learn in an open environment. It is an intense event with discussions, demos, and interaction from attendees."

And its nearly sold out (Well, Saturday is sold out, Sunday nearly so as of this writing).

For those of you interested in my 30 min talk (20 really, with time left over for questions), I'll post the presentation and video online (Facebook and website in all likelihood) for your enjoyment. It won't be up till Tuesday or Wednesday though because Barcamp ends late on Sunday night and I'd still have to edit the raw footage some.

Great. So what's the point of going other than to talk about ankle braces, trail running and hearing about other people's inventions?

Well the point is this. You just don't hear about other people's idea, you give input on them. Or help them design stuff. Or help them solve one of their problems. Or help connect people to launch businesses from their ideas. While I am going with a very specific goal in mind - looking for a business partner to help with the growth of One Tree Products - I will also be helping other people with their businesses and ideas.

And that is why I am excited about going.

So you know anyone who whats to be a partner in a booming business?

Do Trail Running Shoes Help Prevent Ankle Sprains?

Jason Kay — Mon, 16 May 2011 11:49:00 GMT

Do Trail Running Shoes Help Prevent Ankle Sprains?

A Dusty Trail Running Shoe with a seperate strap-on timing chip

First off, we need to figure out what differentiates a regular running shoe from a trail running shoe.

Well, trail shoes have aggressive treads on their soles which are generally more rigid than road running shoes. The midsole often has a lightweight, semi-rigid nylon plastic layer to protect from puncture wounds.

Since trail running take place on softer surfaces (e.g., grass, dirt) than running on asphalt or concrete cushioning is not as important and the shoes are less 'cushioned' than their counterparts designed for tarmac.

Lastly, trail running shoes are low to the ground which provides the best stability on uneven terrain.

One other differentiator is that trail shoes are generally dustier than their road counterparts, but that is true only after use.

Now for the fun part... There are generally 3 types of shoes out there:

Motion Control
Cushioned
Stability

And if you don't already know about running shoes, what they are and how they work may surprise you. And if you get the wrong type of shoe, you might increase your chances of an ankle sprain.

The right shoe, like orthotics, will help give the appropiate support where its needed and keep the ankle from moving more than it should and rolling over.

Motion Control shoes have an extra medial support (support towards the inside) that slows the rate of over pronation or rolling to the inside. As the previous sentence implies, these shoes are for an Over Pronator, who can also be called flat footed. As these types of people walk barefoot, the foot arch collapses and ankles roll inwards.

Cushioned shoes, just like the name implies, have enhanced shock absorption usually in the heel and forefoot areas of the midsole to enhance the cushioning properties of the shoe.
These shoes are for Supinators - or people with high arches that don't colapse enough. If this person walked through a puddle, the footprint left behind would show nearly separate to completely separated heel and ball prints. This is because of an extremely high arch.

Stability footwear combines cushioning features and support features into its design for a Neutral or Mild Pronator.

A new class of trail shoes are the minimal-cushioning and barefoot classes. These follow the trend of barefoot running with the concession that sharp rocks or broken glass might not be the best for feet, but other than some minor protection, there's not much else. Some runners swear by these shoes. Others are not convinced.

I've also seen some interesting mods done to trail shoes over the years, like very short screws used as studs for ice traction. (I've also seen this done to townie bicycle tires too, along with rope and chains wrapped around the tire and wheel). I've also seen yaktrax and other crampons duct taped or screwed to running shoes. Then again, I've seen snowshoe racers duct tape their shoes on prior to races as well.

Lastly, I want to wrap up with the age-old question of "When is it time to get new running shoes?" The best answer I've ever heard of is when everything starts hurting. (Which is a not-so-subtle way of saying that the cushioning is shot).

Help! I've Just Sprained My Ankle Trail running! Now What?

Jason Kay — Wed, 11 May 2011 11:42:00 GMT

Help! I've Just Sprained My Ankle Trail running! Now What?

Warning on Fairyland loop trail in Bryce National Park. And the NPS MEANS it!

OK, I didn't just sprain my ankle, but I've been fielding a lot of questions about recently twisted ankles and what to do about it...

So lets say you twisted your ankle trail running. Good chance you'll do that hopping on a rock that moved or got tangled up by a dirt-snake (aka a root) or just hitting a hole wrong that you didn't see. And to make matters worse, you had to limp out on the injured ankle to your car and civilization.

You've done this before. It hurts, but is not excruciating. There is a little swelling, its tender, and it really only hurts moving it in a certain way. You know it's nothing major, and the worst of the swelling is yet to come but you'll have little if no bruising.
It still stinks because you have stop training and Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevate.
No Running for a week! ARGH!

Instead of no running, think of it as a week vacation that will help you break through that plateau that you hit.
R I C E.
Rest as in stay off your feet. And that is not easy to do with work, cooking, cleaning, taking the dog out and so on.
Ice - 10min on, 10min off. Wash. Rinse. Repeat. Ice frequently. Ice often. 2-3xs per hour for the first 72 hours. Except when your sleeping. It should feel like a drug killing the pain almost instantly, and helping to reduce the edema (swelling).
Compression - like an ACE bandage or one of those neoprene sleeves. Also helps to reduce the swelling.
Elevation as in keeping you foot above your heart since your staying off it. Well you can at least keep your foot up at your desk even if it is not above your heart. Also helps to reduce swelling. (Do you notice a trend yet?)

I've now seen a P as in PRICE added to the front and that is for Protection. A brace will help give extra support while the ankle heals, but its also a good idea to stay protected on future runs to prevent reinjury. I'm not talking about running with a big-honking, restrictive brace, but something light-weight like taping to give a little extra support and prevent injury-producing motion.
Some trail runners (like me) actually like to run with braces all the time, especially on more technical trails.
You should especially consider an ankle brace to prevent injuries if you've already sprained an ankle or are really flexible because that greatly increases the chances of another sprained ankle in the future.
Check out my previous blog Which ankle brace is the best for me? for more on ankle braces.

NSAIDs - or Non-Sterodial Anti-Inflammatory Drugs. Ibuprofen (like Advil) or Naproxen (like Aleve) works great in reducing swelling, but as always, consult your doctor before taking any drugs.

The above treatment works great for minor grade 1 ankle sprains. You might remember the definition of the different grades of sprains from my previous blog 10 Ankle Sprain Definitions you'll Never Find in Medical Text.

However, if you have more pain, significant swelling or bruising, then these might be signs of something worse that needs medical attention, like a grade 2 or grade 3 sprain, or worse, a broken bone. I would suggest seeking out a doctor that is an orthopedic who specializes in sports medicine. They may order an MRI or C-T scan to check for ligament or muscle tears, an x-ray to check for broken bones, and may articulate joints in a specific way to check for motion that shouldn't be there.

As your ankle sprain starts to heal, you will then need to do some rehab to help rebuild your strength and proprioception so can help prevent injury to your ankle in the future. Here is another previous 2-part blog with The 10 Exercises you need to Help Prevent Ankle Sprains.

Good Luck and Stay Healthy!

Springy Air, Springy Step, and a Sprained Ankle

Jason Kay — Mon, 09 May 2011 11:43:00 GMT

Springy Air, Springy Step, and a Sprained Ankle

Nothing says "spring-time" like cherry-blossoms in DC. This is one of my favorite "non-trail" runs.

"Springy Air, Springy Step, and a Sprained Ankle"

Hmm, sounds like a bad movie that you were forced to sit through that the neighborhood kids put together last weekend during the BBQ when the 6yr-old commandeered the camera and other one edited 'it' on the i-Thingie...

I really wanted a title something more like:
"Spring Is In the Air & Your Step, Unless You Just Twisted Your Ankle"
But that violates the "must have keyword in title" rule for blogging.

And besides, its way too long.

So what to do? Well, you could always grab a beer.
Or as my high school junior-year english teacher liked to say
"Sit aloof and invite your soul."

Uhm, Right.

"The Meaning Of Life"

At age 17.
(Only by Monty Python.)

Now, going back to the "grabbing-a-beer-comment"... If you grab 3 beers, it'll officially be happy hour, and well, that could turn alcoholic very fast.
Not to mention cutting into being productive.
Especially early in the morning.
So I like to turn to Google and Twitter.

No, Really!

Nothing can turn the light bulb on faster than reading what somebody else did or reading the news on or even off topic.

Disclaimer: I still don't "get" Twitter, and don't spend more than a few minutes on Facebook, but then again, I spend most of my time in front of a computer or testing all things that have to do with ankle braces for trail runners...

So if I want to relax, I'd rather go "take a hike"*, or even a trail run in the park.
I might even call it product testing.
Especially if I head to a technical trail with my ankle braces. Besides calling it product testing, I twist my ankles way too easily, so I like to stay protected. Actually, the only time I ever trail run without ankle braces is when I am on a pristine dirt road, and well that isn't really trail running, anymore than it would be called mountain biking, at least in my book anyway.

Just thinking about trail running or being outside with low pollen counts and dry, blue skies makes me feel better.

* Note: "Take a Hike" was shamelessly liberated from Long Trail Breweries. This is their tag line, and I shameless used it in a cheesy way only because I am a connoisseur of their fine beverages.
Especially during 'Happy Hour' when I no longer have to be productive or after taking a long hike or trail run and am in desperate need of replenishing complex carbs.

Well, what do you use to refuel your complex carbs?

Cheers!

So go "Take A Hike" or a trail run, and don't forget to Stay Protected.

Preventing Sports Injuries During 3 Ankle-Twisting Activities

Jason Kay — Thu, 05 May 2011 11:22:00 GMT

Preventing Sports Injuries During 3 Ankle-Twisting Activities

Product Testing: 10+ mi hike along Fairlyland Loop at Bryce National Park last spring

Contrary to popular belief, my 3 favorite spring-time ankle twisting activities do not include the seasonal-allergy sports of competitive nose-blowing or power sneezing.
Nor does it include spraining my ankles, but I have done a lot of that as well.

Trail Running
Its no secret that I love trail running. I find road-running tedious and at times life-threatening, like when "mom" nearly clips me with her Escalde because she's on the phone and turned around yelling at the kids.

But I digress because I actually like to run on trails for a variety of reasons. Most of them are the same reasons that people give for liking cross-country mountain biking:

It gets you out
You get exercise
You cover more distance than while hiking

And the more ethereal reasons:
Allowing you to unplug and commune with nature
Which also allows your subconscious to chew on the problems that you haven't been able to solve...

And then there's physical reasons:
Hard-packed earth and rock feels more forgiving to run on than concrete and asphalt
Its a tougher workout

and my favorite
Your not sucking on car fumes as you work out.

Hiking
I like hiking for many of the same reasons above:

It gets you out
You get exercise
You take your time seeing the details
Time to unplug, switch off the phone, and commune with nature
Which also allows your subconscious to chew on the problems that you haven't been able to solve...
An added bonus is that it is perfectly legal to summit or hike to a lake and have a picnic with wine in many places in Colorado. (The same cannot be said of NY or NJ). Just remember to carry out what you brought in.

Soccer
And then there is soccer, which is supposed to be a non-contact sport. Its a great excuse to go out for a beer afterward with your teammates (the same can be said of the first two activities as well). I've also been playing soccer since I was 5 with my German neighbors, so its just something fun to do that doesn't take massive amounts of time.

This has me now wrapping up with the injury-prevention section of the post... As I was going through rehab for an ACL repair, I was talking with the Tim The PT about exercises to prevent ankle sprains and exercises to prevent reinjury since I was developing the MaxX K Ankle Brace at the time. He told me what I have now been blogging about in many of my previous posts: Exercise and training can help build strength and rebuild proprioception, but exercise alone will not stop all ankle sprains during activities, which is why you should use a preventative ankle brace if you have a tendency to twist your ankle. He did say though that training and exercises will help reduce the severity and healing time of an injury is sustained. After having a few beers with Tim, this reasoning is what lead to "Get Protected."

So what do you like to do that you've sprained your ankle while doing?

How to Make an Ankle Brace for Trail Runners

Jason Kay — Tue, 03 May 2011 11:37:00 GMT

How to make an ankle brace for trail runners.

Taken April 2010 Trail running Natural Bridges National Monument in Utah

In order to make a product for any specific sport, you need to determin what those users need. (If this is a head-slapping "dOh!" moment, you'd be amazed at the companies that don't do this type of research before the marketing department goes and slaps a specific sport, like trail running or soccer on their package without every even trying it first.) In the case of trail runners, it's really easy to try the sport first, but be careful as it's wildly addictive!

The best ankle brace for trail runners must have:

Decent range of motion
Allow the user to precisely place their foot
and
The brace must have minimal (or preferably no) abrasion or pinch-points

Range of Motion:
The foot rotates outwards to push off a rock, or toes-down like a football player running through tires, except this time it is to avoid roots.
You also want to be able to fully plantarflex (point your toes) both for technical trails as well as to get the most power down as efficiently as possible. The last thing you want is a brace that prevents toe-over ankle sprains or something so bulky and restrictive that you cannot move naturally or comfortably.

Ability to Place the Foot:
Yes this is a take-off of Range of Motion from above, but it is SO critical in trail running that I'm mentioning it again. If you cannot plant and push off that rock or this stump, trail running becomes downright dangerous. Getting the cadence just right is especially critical be it stump jumping, root leaping, rock hopping, or out running that black bear... OK, outrunning a bear is not really a great idea, especially if cubs are involved, but you get the idea.
You want to be able to point those toes downward without the brace cutting into the bottom of your foot. A brace that provides high levels of toe-over sprain protection WILL restrict plantarflexion and cut in, causing reduced efficiency and soreness or blisters on the bottom of the foot.
Ouch.

Lack of Abrasion and Pinch-Points:
Have you ever seen a marathoner with blood dripping down from a timing chip velcroed onto their leg? That is abrasion. As a runner it sucks big time! Pinch-points and abrasion can cause blisters and eventually cut into the skin. No this isn't life-threatening, but its annoying enough to not stay protected from twisting your ankle by wearing a brace. The annoyance factor also takes your mind off the task at hand, which disrupts your cadence and timing. Abrasion doesn't feel good, and worse, it makes you slower!

So make sure if you have a tendency to twist your ankles while trail running that you go out and get a brace that is comfortable, that doesn't pinch or cause abrasion, that doesn't restrict your normal range of motion or hamper your proprioception and foot placement.
And go out there and have fun!

The 3 Most Common Misconceptions About Ankle Braces

Jason Kay — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 11:49:00 GMT

The 3 Most Common Misconceptions About Ankle Braces

Ankle braces can do a lot: help heal a sprained ankle, prevent an ankle injury or lessen the severity of what could have been a serious injury. But, (and there always is a but, isn't there?) not every brace can do everything you need...

Leaping over a tall building in a single bound? Or more likely jumping off a tall building, a bridge, or out of an airplane? Then you might need jump braces and a parachute, which are worn by paratroopers for their landing, and then promptly removed. Cutting your sandwich? Try a knife.

1. Any ankle brace will do, right?

Wrong.
Just after twisting your ankle, you need compression, along with the rest of RICE. Then you need support as you begin to walk around. Range of motion should be limited and is not as important as later.

Compression is nolonger needed after the swelling has subsided, but you still need extra support well as having a moderate range of motion to help strengthen the ankle, along with doing your PT... you are doing your strengthening exercises to help rebuild proprioception right?

Finally, after your ankle is nearly back to full strength, you might need a brace that allows full range of motion and gives only a little extra support, and most importantly it restricts inversion. you should look for a slim design that fits comfortably in your sports shoe, especially if you are participating in high-risk sports like trail running, volleyball, basketball, gymnastics...
Because as I've said before, if the brace is not easy to put on or comfortable, then you probably won't wear it. And an ankle brace left in the bag cannot protect ankles like it was designed to.

2. Wearing an ankle brace for extra support with healthy ankles will weaken my ankles and actually cause more injuries.

If this is true, then why would a Physical Therapist wear an ankle brace while playing volleyball to prevent injury?

Additionally why would athletes get their ankles taped prior to competition knowing that an ankle brace that provides the same support as tape, yet doesn't loosen up over time?

And why would trainers or physical therapists put their athletes in braces or tape prior to play if it would weaken their ankles? These are the same people who have created a strength-training regimen for their athletes and who want to keep them healthy.

3. You should only wear an ankle brace after an injury.

Do you tell your kids NOT to wear a bicycle helmet because it causes them to take more reckless chances?

Do you refuse to wear a seatbelt so that you'll be thrown free of all that twisted metal in case of a car crash?

Of Course not!

While some braces are designed to heal acute injuries, others are designed to specifically help prevent injuries or re-injury. In medical jargon, the first type of brace is called theraputic, the latter prophylactic.

Now I am not suggesting that you would want to wear an ankle brace all the time anymore than I would suggest wearing football pads and a motorcycle helmet while walking down the sidewalk in New York City.

However, some people (like myself) are predisposed to ankle inversion sprains because prior injuries damaged the tendons and ligaments or the through natural flexibility the same situation occurs...

If you think of a teeter-totter or seesaw... and the fulcrum is moved far to one end and you push down on the long end, then its very easy to move a much heavier person. Likewise if you push down on the shorter near-side, it is very difficult to move an empty seesaw. The same thing happens as the ankle begins to roll over during inversion.

Proprioception causes muscles to fire to straighten the ankle. Either through damage or flexibility, the tendons stretch while the ankle continues to invert. By the time the "slack" is taken out of the system, the fulcrum has effectively shifted all the way to the near-side, so that a lot of force still won't pull the joint back into proper alignment. If the muscles continue to pull on the tendons, something has got to give... either the tendon tears from the bone, the tendon fails somewhere in the middle, or the muscle tears.

All a brace or taping does is keep the ankle from reaching this critical point.

So like a racer who gets into their car with all the appropriate safety gear, get protected when you go out there and give it your best, even during training.

Can a One-size "Fits All" Ankle Brace Be As Good As a Custom Brace?

Jason Kay — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 10:52:00 GMT

Can a One-size "Fits All" Ankle Brace Be As Good As a Custom Brace?

Picture taken while I was trail running on West Maroon Pass Trail, between Aspen and Crested Butte, CO, 2010.

So, can a one-size fits-all ankle brace be as good as a custom brace?

Yes, but (there is always a but) you need to look for several key features...

First what sort of adjustability does the brace have? Does it give you the support your looking for to help prevent ankle injuries? And does it need to be readjusted every time you put the thing on?
Which then takes us to: "How easy is it to put on?" & "Is it comfortable?" (and who cares, it's an ankle brace, which shouldn't be comfortable anyway, right? Well, no actually.)

<deep breath> Just put the coffee down and just step away... Even if it's decaf.

So, with all that said, I now need to the required disclaimer:

I have been involved with the design of ankle braces since 2005 when I worked for Aircast in R&D engineering their ankle braces and walking boots. That said I've recently designed a one-size-fits-all ankle brace quite by serendipity, and it works better that the multiple-sized ankle brace I started designing... but that is my bias coming through again.

Now with that out of the way;
The first thing I look for is adjustability. Will the brace conform to my foot nicely and thus give me the support I'm looking for? You don't really want anything poking and rubbing you the wrong way. (Literally. No really.)
This is why rigid braces are uncomfortable, and only one of the reasons why I don't like them. (The other reason is that the more rigid a brace is, the greater chance that the shells will separate during inversion and thus allowing your foot to roll inside the brace... not to mention how easy it is to form a hotspot or blister in one of these things... Remember this is a one-size-fits-all brace, not a custom ankle brace.)
A lace up brace on the other hand is very conforming (it is fabric afterall).

The next thing I look for is it easy to put on. Why? because if the brace is a PITA to get on, the chances grow exponentially higher that you won't use the ankle brace after a very short time if it takes forever to get the thing on and off.
Lace-ups really fall down here. I would know too as I have several I used for soccer. I stopped using one in high school just because it was such a PITA. (Rigid braces are a bit better here.) This is "Where does the brace retain some of its prior settings comes in"... well you can see where this is going...

And now you can start to see the problem... So how do get something that fits well, is easy to put on, and works?

But I'm not done yet... the last thing I look for is how much does the brace impede my normal range of motion? Can I still play soccer? Do I still sense where my foot is falling (and on what) when I'm out on a trail run? Can I get all the power of "toeing off" down onto the ground or is it dissipated into the brace and cutting into my foot?

My answer was that you need to take the best of both worlds... a semi-rigid ankle brace does this in spades... It is soft enough to mold to your anatomy, rigid enough to stop inversion from spraining your ankle, and doesn't take forever to get into and out of... because if the brace isn't worn, it doesn't protect anything.

But hey, that's just my own biased opinion... So what do you look for and like in a brace (and what braces do you wear?)

7 More Ankle Sprain Definitions you'll Never Find in Medical Text

Jason Kay — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 12:28:00 GMT

7 More Ankle Sprain Definitions you'll Never Find in Medical Text

So today we have part 2 of 10 Ankle Sprain Definitions you'll Never Find in Medical Text that relate to twisted ankles, sprained ankles, ankle sprains, things to do to help prevent ankle injuries, how to help heal your injuries, and other things that go bump in the night (or day). Either that, or these terms will help you decipher all those medical dramas like Gray's, Scrubs, ER reruns, Off the Map, and so on ad nausium.

And Now, Without much further ado: <drum roll please, and my apologies to Will>

Medial (me deal or what a 4-yr-old says when handed a deck of cards)
Towards the center or centerline... the medial side of the left and right Malleolar face each other

Lateral (later-all or what you say when toss a football back onto the field as you run home)
Towards the side or outside... just like a lateral that is thrown to the side (and cannot have forward motion)

Dorsal (Doris sailing or just like the top fin on a fish)
Towards the top... or towards the top of the foot.

Plantar (a gardner or a thing with flowers in it)
Towards the bottom... when you plant your feet, you dig the bottoms in

Calcaneus (cal's caned us again)
The heel bone in the foot (from the Latin calcaneum which means heel <insert headslap> And for Trivial Pursuit fans, this is the largest bone in the foot.

Malleolar (Mall-o-mar that heavenly chocolate-covered marshmallow topped cookie)
Also known as the Malleolus. These round protrusions are found on either side of the ankle (typically called the ankle bone, but infact are part of the Tibia on the medial (in)side and Fibia on the lateral (out)side.

Met Head (the "other" NY baseball fan who tours the country following their team in a VW Vanagon)
Metatarsal Head - usually referring to either the 1st (big toe or the one who went to the market) or 5th (pinkie toe or the annoying one who went "Wee! Wee! Wee!" all the way home). The Met heads are also called the ball of the foot. This area is under extreme pressure as they are effectively the foundations of the foot arch.

And so with our prayers to St. st00pid complete...
Welcome to Spring, and look where you leap (or at least watch your step)

How to Design a Great Ankle Brace (or Why technology is cool)

Jason Kay — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 21:48:00 GMT

How to Design a Great Ankle Brace (or Why technology is cool)

I admit it. I am a techno-geek. There I said it. Now, I am not so sure if it happened because of getting a Master in Mechanical Engineering, or the MSME just is an indication of that geeky trend.

I really hate it when a software vendor “updates” their tools by moving around their icons and menus and calling it "new"… Especially when it means I have to make more mouse clicks or move the cursor completely across the screen multiple times. Hello Microsoft? Office 2007 is a perfect example of this! So is the new Firefox4 with their refresh button. HELLO? Are you people Listening?

No, Obviously not.

However, occasionally, (and I mean very occasionally) there really is a breakthrough that can save serious time and money. These are the ones that are worth spending some time learning. One such advance, especially for those who are involved with the creation of new products, or any new object for that matter, was the recent breakthroughs in reverse engineering… And before I lose even more of you, give me a sentence to explain.

Reverse Engineering is nothing more than taking an existing object, and getting it into the computer, and I don’t mean stuffing it through the DVD slot either. (Your 2-yr-old stuffing a PB&J into the VCR doesn't count either... and I just dated myself.)

For example, I designed the MaxX K Premium Ankle Brace not that long ago… and I wanted to make sure it fit on myself and well as many other people as possible out there. The "Old School" method was to designing the brace on the computer, get a prototype made, test-fitting it on not just myself but many others, and the guessing where it's rubbing and causing irritation.

I can now scan my ankle, and that of 20, 50, or 200 other people… which then lets me import this into the computer and virtually fit and tweak the brace to fit everyone at the same time.

Then I can "print" the brace in 3D in plastic to test to see how it fits not just myself but everyone who let me scan them earlier. I can then modify the brace by sanding, cutting, or adding material (like plaster or clay) and then rescan it back into the computer. And this isn’t for enginerds or large corporations with huge budgets (or Jay Leno and his car collection). This is for people who make jewelry, artwork (like salt and pepper shakers, or custom action figures), or just plain like to invent (do you want a Millennium Falcon mouse? Or need a custom bracket to mount your iPad in the kitchen?) About 1.5 years ago, I bought my scanner for about $500 for a kit (David 3D Laser scanner), and the 3D printer for about $1000 for a kit from MakerBot. You can now use the Microsoft Kinect as the scanner, and there are new low-cost printers too.

So how does this relate to you and the stuff in your house? Simple. From now on, everything, EVERYTHING (and I really mean everything!) you buy should just work, and just fit. No "If's" No "And's" or "But's."
And if it doesn't work "just right", then you should return it and get something that does.

Now a great ankle brace is one that is:

Easy to use
Because your not likely to use something that is a PITA.
Fits you well
Because your not likely to use something that irritates you.

And the Best Ankle Brace for you (or you read more on this here), is like asking "What is the best car for me?" It depends on how your going to use it. While a Ferrari is a great sports car, it doesn't work so well to take the twins to their soccer game. Like-wise an ankle brace designed for Volleyball players won't work so well for soccer players or trail runners where foot movement is so critical.

So make sure you can try out your brace and that it works for you.

Part 2 of Exercises you need to Help Prevent Ankle Sprains

Jason Kay — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 21:47:00 GMT

Part 2 of Exercises you need to Help Prevent Ankle Sprains

This is Part 2 of the nolonger April Fool's days' Top-Ten lists, and one I've used to help rebuild proprioception and strength after an "injury event" to help prevent future ankle sprains. (No foolin'! (OK, that was a really bad pun, I'm sorry. No Really.) But the computer won't let me start this list at 6!)

So we were discussing that you not only need to rebuild your strength, but also your proprioception (or body's ability to sense movement within joints and joint position) as well.

Here are 5 more exercises that have helped me out.

Plyo Squat Jump
Its another squat, except you explode upwards as you jump "for the stars." You'll feel your ankles wobble slightly as you land. Same squat rules apply: knees behind the toes please.
The landing is what helps build ankle strength and restore proprioception.
(3 sets of 10)
Plyo Split-Squat
Yes another squat with a twist. This time think of what would happen if you breed a lunge with a squat and you'll get a great idea of what we're doing here...
Start with your front leg in a "squat" position (leg bent 90 degrees, knee behind the toes).
You back leg is in a lunge position, but with your knee bent and slightly on your toes.
Jump and switch positions before landing.
Make sure that your front knee is behind your toes on landing.
(3 sets of 10)
Plyo Line Drill
This looks easy, but gets tiring fast. Again, the landing is what helps rebuilt proprioception.
On one leg, quickly hop over a line and back.
(5 sets of 30 over and backs, both legs)
Single Leg Hop for Distance
This is just as easy as the one above.
Stand on one leg and Hop as far as you can.
Repeat with other leg. Do 5 sets of 5 hops. Try not to fall over.
Not recommended to do next to the china cabinet.
Single Leg Hop to Bench (or landing)
If you have that step-aerobics platform from the Step-Ups #4 great. If not, use the landing of a stair.
Face the stair while standing on one leg, and hop from the ground to the landing and back.
Switch Legs. Do 3 sets of 12-15

Now I usually don't do all of these exercises in one go, but I work some of them into my usual workout just to keep my ankles strong and minimize my chance of another ankle sprain.

So what is your favorite exercise?

The 10 Exercises you need to Help Prevent Ankle Sprains Pt.1

Jason Kay — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 12:38:00 GMT

The 10 Exercises you need to Help Prevent Ankle Sprains Pt.1

Everybody Loves Top-Ten lists, and this is one that I've used to help rebuild proprioception and strength after an "injury event" to help prevent future ankle sprains.

Proprioception: from the Latin proprius, meaning "one's own" and perception, is the sense of the relative position of neighboring parts of the body.
Or in English, the body's ability to sense movement within joints and joint position.

Besides damaging tendons, ligaments, muscle, and possibly bone when your twist your ankle, you also damage your proprioception.

Most of these exercises are great for building knee strength too.

"Toe Scrunches" - This is what Bruce Willis was doing in the opening sequence of Die Hard 1.
Place a towel on a hardwood floor in front of a chair.
Sit with the heal of your foot just off the back of the towel.
"Make a fist" with your toes, which slightly drags the towel closer. One rep is fully dragging the towel to you.
Do 3 sets of 5 reps.
1-Legged Squats (Great for knees too)
If you were in a PT's office, they'd have a "squishy pad" or 1" thick foam pad. A folded towel or exercise mat on a deep-pile rug works nearly as well.
Also done barefoot.
Balance on one foot and do a "regular" squat. And just like with any squats, keep your knee behind your toes, and don't let it wobble side-side.
Repeat with other leg.
Do 3 sets of 12-15 reps. Add weights only once you've got the motion down.
Single Legged Squat in a Chair
It's a squat like above, but instead of holding your leg up, your toes go onto the seat of a chair. Otherwise it's the same as above.
Step-Up.
(This may seem like it is more for knees, but it the ankle gets worked hard here too)
Got steps in your house? Great. Its better if you have an old step-aerobics platform. (With my long legs, I usually skip one step from the landing to get a nice 90 degree bend in the knee, or when I'm at the gym, I use 2 "steps" plus the landing platform.)
Start with both feet on the landing, take one step, then instead of taking another, kick the knee up.
Return to the landing.
Add weight only once you've got this one down. Please do this on a staircase with a railing... you'll need it the first few times doing this one.
Switch legs, Do 3 sets of 12-15.
Ball Hamstring Curls
This exercise you'll need a Pilates' ball or a nice, strong beach ball.
Another barefoot exercise, but this one you'll be on your back too.
Lay on the ground, one barefoot 1/2way down the ball, the other held up and bent at a 90 degree angle.
Push your butt and back up off the floor into a plank position.
Roll the ball away and back. Try not to fall off. This is NOT as easy as it looks.
3 sets of 10-15 for both legs.

Here is Part 2 of Exercises you need to Help Prevent Ankle Sprains.

So what is your favorite exercise?

10 Ankle Sprain Definitions you'll Never Find in Medical Text

Jason Kay — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 12:02:00 GMT

10 Exercises to Strengthen Your Ankles and Rebuild Proprioception will be published on Monday, as it just didn't seem appropriate for today.

So today we have "10 Ankle Sprain Definitions you'll Never Find in Medical Text" that relate to twisted ankles, sprained ankles, ankle sprains, things to do to help prevent ankle injuries, how to help heal your injuries, and other things that go bump in the night (or day).

And without much further ado: <drum roll please>

Proprioception (Pok-e-o-ception or to see someone poke)
The body's ability to sense movement within joints and joint position. You need to do your PT or exercises to rebuild this as much as you need to rebuild your joint strength after an ankle injury so you don't re-injure yourself.

Ligament (Leg-a-Mint or something to freshen one's leg)
Typically refers to the fibrous tissue that connects bones.

Tendon (Tend End or Payin' 'ttention til somethin's done)
Fibrous tissue that connects muscle to bone.

Sprain (SS'erious Pain or what ur feeling after you mess up big)
Grade 1 - An over-stretched ligament
Grade 2 - partially torn ligament
Grade 3 - ruptured or completely torn ligament
Typical ankle sprains are to the anterior talofibular ligament.

Strain (Strane or what you do to your pasta before adding meatballs. Not to be confused with Shear Strain, which, well, I'm just not stooping to bathroom humor.)
A muscle injury which can be graded similar to sprains.
Grade 1 - injury to some muscle fibers
Grade 2 - partial muscle tearing
Grade 3 - complete muscle rupture

And now Ankle Joint Basic Motions:

Plantarflexion (Planter's Flexin' or a peanut farmer flipping you the bird).
The motion of pointing your toes down.

Dorsiflexion (Doris's Flexin' or The farmer's wife flipping you the bird).
The motion of pointing your toes up.

Inversion (Doris flipping you off upside down)
The motion of pointing your toes inwards or pigeon-toed.
This is the most common direction people roll their ankles and injure themselves.

Eversion (Doris flipping you off backwards)
The motion of pointing your toes outwards or duck-footed.

Edema (Edna, Doris's friend, flipping you off forwards)
An abnormal amount of fluid beneath the skin or in joints.
Otherwise known as Swelling.

And of course, we must finish with:
RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation, or what everyone should do when Edema is present after Hyper-Inverting and spraining their anterior talofibular ligament.)
I personally like my brown RICE with spicy garlic chicken or chili verde.

And this nearly concludes my first exceptionally cheesy April Fools Day Blog.
Except I need to wish both my Mom and my neighbor a Happy Birthday, and my wife a Happy Anniversary!

Happy Friday to everyone else!

And don't forget to see part 2 of this post "7 More Ankle Sprain Definitions you'll Never Find in Medical Text"

A Continuation of: What ankle brace is best for me? Part II

Jason Kay — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 12:32:00 GMT

A Continuation of: What ankle brace is best for me? Part II

So the last Blog Post started with this most excellent picture from Jonathan Mallard with a Medic in Training from the 10th Mountain Division.

And it left us hanging just before I divuldged the good juicy (and most useful) part. So without much further do: I give you Part II.

Now for that gray area of completing rehab and not yet being back to 100%. (You did do rehab to rebuild your proprioception and strength, right? If not, do not pass go, do not collect $200, and GO DO THE EXERCISES!) The best ankle brace for you at this point really depends on what you are going to do with it... a volleyball player could use something like a Active Ankle T2, where a soccer player can't.

Lace-up braces are great, except that they are a pain to put on and adjust once you have your shoe on, and they tend to limit range of motion (especially dorsiflexion (pointing the toes towards your head) and plantarflexion (pointing the toes away from your head) or more commonly the motions usually associated with running). Some braces just won't fit into a close-fitting soccer cleat or running shoe.

Both lace-up braces and Velcro braces (some have both for added confusion) could be soft braces, or those without stirrups or supports, or rigid braces (which aren’t sometimes) with supports.

Confused yet? (yeah, me too)

Ok, so this is the most important thing you need to know about these types of braces is.

Get one that is comfortable and easy to put on.

That's it.

Let me say it again... The best ankle brace for you is one that is comfortable for your activity and easy to put on.

Why?

Simply because if its not comfortable and easy to put on, you're not going to use it for very long, and then its worse than useless... you can still get hurt and you've wasted your money.

Everything else is just marketing fluff. And I know this because I am busy creating this marketing stuff you're reading this. Just make sure what ever ankle brace you are thinking of getting, you can try it in the store or at home (if you've bought it online) with the right gear on making the moves you usually make...

Stay Safe, Stay Healthy,

& I hope you enjoyed your Twinkie if not its nutritional value.

And the next episode: The Return of the Top Ten Lists... The 10 Exercises you need to Help Prevent Ankle Sprains

Which ankle brace is the best for me? Part 1

Jason Kay — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 12:49:00 GMT

Which ankle brace is the best for me? Part 1

First of all, I am not a doctor, so I cannot give out medical advice, other than in general first-aid terms that a Boy Scout might know.

I must also disclose that I never made it past Cub Scouts into actual Boy Scouts.

This article is not intended for use as a medical diagnosis or treatment.

Lastly, Do Not Eat This Page as it contains no nutritional value (kind of like Twinkies).

So with that out of the way and the lawyers quietly sulking in the corner... You've gone out and busted up your ankle, possibly very creatively (which I'd love to hear about in the comments below), and you need, well, something (hopefully other than crutches).

But what?

Ankle braces, wraps, and supports can range from a few dollars to nearly a hundred for a single brace. They can range from an ACE-type elastic wrap or sleeve, to something that might be used by a scuba diver to something that looks like it was used by Spanish Inquisition.

Some of them feel like they were designed for the Spanish Inquisition too.

So lets start at the beginning... you rolled (sprained) your ankle. There is swelling, discomfort, pain, it hurts to walk but you can bear weight... then you need something like the Aircast stirrup. You know, the big dorky white splint. If you think you need this, then by all means, go see a doctor because you really screwed-up and you really screwed something up. Maybe even broke something (Yes you can have a broken foot, and still walk on it, my friend did it to herself by missing a step this last holiday season). However, this is not a brace you want to use to do much more than walk around in (if you can that is).

While the Aircast is a great brace (Disclosure: I was on their R&D team, but I did not work on that specific product) it is NOT what you need if your ankle is slightly swollen and doesn't hurt... an elastic or neoprene wrap (for Compression) is really all you need, along with the rest of RICE (Rest Ice Compression Elevation (preferably elevated over the heart)... just like those Boy Scouts teach. Supposedly. I learned RICE in first-aid classes as a Life Guard, but I digress.) Anyway, these things could look like the ACE bandage that you sneaked out of the cupboard and wrapped yourself up as a mummy when you were a kid. Or they could look like a sock for a scuba diver minus the toes… both work for compression. However, these types of elastic or neoprene wraps just don’t give much support.

And coming up next is Part 2, the Final Conclusion of "What ankle brace is best for me."

Are Men and Women Equal? (In preventing ankle sprains)

Jason Kay — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 15:39:00 GMT

Are Men and Women Equal? (In preventing ankle sprains)

The short answer is "No." At least from a biological standpoint.

The long answer, obviously, is more complicated.

I won't bore you with NCAA data or the medical studies that show a woman is 25% more likely to sprain their ankle than men while playing Basketball.

Additional studies have shown that women are between 3 and 8 TIMES (?!) more likely than men of tearing their ACLs than men while playing soccer.

While the NCAA data does show that women may have fewer ankle sprains than men, but their injuries are usually more severe.

So why is this the case?

Well, women are biomechanically different than men because they have wider hips due to child bearing, which yields a larger "Q" angle (or the angle between the upper and lower leg). Without really getting into the boring mechanics of it, these difference in the bones yield different stresses... which is one reason for the greater ACL injury rates and more severe ankle sprains...

But there is more.

Additional studies that show women use their muscles differently than men (when soccer players were studied kicking the ball in the same manner). This means that not only are women's skeletons different than mens's, but the soft tissue is used differently as well.

Lastly, women are generally more flexible than men.

And a growing body of research is showing that women can become even more flexible during their menstral cycle. So what you ask? Well, as the ligaments strech more, the propioception (or involuntary muscle firing) becomes less effective as the tendons stretch, and at least during an ankle sprain, allow the ankle to continue to roll over until it can no longer recover... at which point something gives (usually an ankle ligament).

So what to do?

Well, taping and bracing have historically been used in addition to strength training and propioception exercises (think Plyo's or jumping exercises). Bracing is better than taping as it doesn't loosen up over time and is easier to put on yourself. (have you ever tried to tape yourself?) However, most braces are usually a pain to put on or adjust properly, as well as being less comfortable. And just as bad is the question, "Which brace is right for me?" Which will be the topic of our next installment.

So are men and women equal. No.

Are women better than men? I'm just not going to touch that one.