6 days ago

151. Built to Run | Dr. Matt Silver

Running is a high-intensity sport—more than just putting one foot in front of the other, it’s about understanding mechanics, building strength, and managing stress on the body. In this episode, Dr. Andrew Fix is joined by Dr. Matt Silver, physical therapist and author of “Built to Run,” to discuss the common injuries runners face and the unique challenges of the sport. Pointing out running as a high-intensity activity—essentially a series of single-leg hops—they explore how this repetitive motion places significant stress on the body, often leading to injuries like runner’s knee, IT band syndrome, shin splints, and Achilles tendinopathy.

Dr. Silver shares his journey of overcoming running injuries and how it inspired his work at Alpha Project Phyzio & Performance, helping runners achieve longevity in their sport. He points out the important role of strength training in injury prevention, and debunks the myth that stretching alone can resolve running-related pain. Instead, he explains how strengthening muscles and tendons enhances their spring-like qualities, enabling better recoil and support during runs.

Join Dr. Fix and Dr. Silver’s discussion to gain insights that’ll indeed help you optimize your performance as a runner and stay injury-free.

Quotes

“Once we understand that running is essentially a single-leg hop repeated over and over, it’s clear that it’s a jumping exercise—a high-intensity exercise. I can’t think of any other sport that involves as much single-leg jumping as running does.” (07:59 | Dr. Matt Silver)
“We have to ensure we build strength and think of the muscles and Achilles as muscles and rubber bands. The Achilles acts like a spring—there needs to be a certain level of tension there. So, when we hit the end range, it can contract out of it, making us run more efficiently. If your tendons are loose, you’re going to have to work a lot harder to run.” (17:37 | Dr. Matt Silver)
“Strength training is important—you’ll gain a lot of adaptation just from that alone. But something else that I think would really help runners is jump training. If we know running is essentially jumping, then we need to incorporate jump training into our routine. It’s not only great for becoming a more efficient runner and training your tendons to contract and relax the way we want them to, but it’s also fantastic for your bone health.” (20:24 | Dr. Matt Silver)
“Before we even talk about how your foot’s hitting the ground, we need to address your running form. Shoe wear does play a role in this—if you’re wearing a shoe with a massively built-up heel, you’re probably going to heel strike more aggressively. But if you’re overstriding, that’s what we need to fix first before even discussing how your foot is hitting the ground.” (37:23 | Dr. Matt Silver)

Links

Connect with Dr. Matt Silver:

https://www.alphaprojectphyzio.com/built-to-run-book

https://www.instagram.com/alphaprojectphyzio/

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=running+rewired&hvadid=241596968295&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9028754&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=4347788781906826674&hvtargid=kwd-377142194578&hydadcr=22534_10353871&tag=googhydr-20&ref=pd_sl_4ngqsthky4_e

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PeVgsbB_TW4

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