It's time for a mailbag round where we dig through our emails and DMs to answer your questions! Matt & David team up to tackle questions about heel drop, stable-neutral speed shoes, treadmill shoes, how they'd build a rotation, and more. Want your question answered on the next mailbag? Email us at doctorsofrunning@gmail.com.

Get your DOR Merch: https://doctors-of-running.myspreadshop.com/

Get 20% off your first order from Skratch with code: DOCTORSOFRUNNING! https://www.skratchlabs.com

LEVER Movement⁠ is portable and effective body weight support systems. Our products, including the LEVER System that allow users to reduce their effective body weight during exercise ( from 0 to 45 pounds off). This reduction is achieved through our bungee system that redistribute a portion of the user’s body weight, making exercises less strenuous and more manageable. LEVER Movement is committed to revolutionizing the way you train and recover, providing you with the tools to achieve your fitness goals with greater confidence and reduced risk.

Chapters

• 0:00 - Intro
• 1:32 - In for Testing: Powered by Skratch Labs
• 8:40 - Is the stated heel drop the same no matter the size of the shoe?
• 12:00 - Shoe suggestions with a heel rocker, but mild forefoot rocker
• 17:30 - Shoe & exercise options for toe flexor pain
• 22:48 - Toe numbness in Vomero Plus
• 26:30 - Book recommendations
• 30:08 - Wide options similar to the original Saucony Tempus
• 36:16 - Choosing shoes for treadmill running
• 39:46 - How would you build a 3, 2 or 1 shoe rotation?
• 48:26 - Wrap-up

It's that time of year! We get the whole team, Nathan, Andrea, Matt, and David, together to round up our favorite shoes of the year. This time we're doing things a little differently for the pod: no categories, just favorites. We list out our straight-up favorite shoes that released in 2025 and tell you why we love them so much. We'd love to know what's on your list! Email us at doctorsofrunning@gmail.com.

Get your DOR Merch: https://doctors-of-running.myspreadshop.com/

Get 20% off your first order from Skratch with code: DOCTORSOFRUNNING! Visit https://www.skratchlabs.com

This episode is sponsored by RunDNA. We love the Certified Endurance Running Course, designed for anyone that wants to deepen their understanding of running and training. It’s not only deeply scientific, but also practical and applicable. Over 10,000 people around the world have enjoyed this course. If you want to check it out, go to RunDNA.com and use code DOR20 to get 20% off.

Chapters

• 0:00 - Intro
• 3:31 - In for Testing: powered by Skratch Labs
• 15:27 - #5 shoe of the year
• 26:17 - #4
• 38:18 - #3
• 49:36 - #2
• 1:06:24 - #1 Favorite shoe of the year
• 1:26:10 - Wrap-up

Matt is joined by a familiar face this week as Saucony’s Senior Performance Engineer Cory Hofmann joins for a discussion about super shoes. Matt and Cory debate whether this unique footwear is the cause of overuse injuries among runners in recent years. Hear what both sides have to say on this issue and let us know what you think in the comments or at doctorsofrunning@gmail.com.

Get your DOR Merch: https://doctors-of-running.myspreadshop.com/

Get 20% off your first order from Skratch with code: DOCTORSOFRUNNING! https://www.skratchlabs.com

LEVER Movement⁠ is portable and effective body weight support systems. Our products, including the LEVER System that allow users to reduce their effective body weight during exercise ( from 0 to 45 pounds off). This reduction is achieved through our bungee system that redistribute a portion of the user’s body weight, making exercises less strenuous and more manageable. LEVER Movement is committed to revolutionizing the way you train and recover, providing you with the tools to achieve your fitness goals with greater confidence and reduced risk. https://levermovement.com

Chapters

• 0:00 - Intro
• 4:11 - An overview of Cory's article on injury risk & running in super shoes
• 6:35 - A 2023 study on bone-stress injuries when running in carbon-plated shoes
• 12:49 - What is "advanced footwear technology"?
• 18:57 - Does footwear influence stress injuries?
• 24:19 - A study on foot movement while running in super shoes
• 30:45 - How can we summarize the injury effect of super shoes?
• 39:33 - How do super shoes impact training load?
• 49:10 - How can we be cautious not to overtrain?
• 53:43 - Can we train all the time in super shoes?
• 1:01:19 - Wrap-up

It's critical to take time off after a big training block, but as runners it can be hard to convince ourselves to do it. Nathan and Andrea team up to talk all things offseason and base building to help you plan how to build back stronger after your latest training. They give you their favorite strategies and tips as coaches on how to effectively recover, incorporate strength-training, and plan for the next big race.

Get your DOR Merch: https://doctors-of-running.myspreadshop.com/

Get 20% off your first order from Skratch with code: DOCTORSOFRUNNING! Visit ⁠https://www.skratchlabs.com⁠

LEVER Movement⁠ is portable and effective body weight support systems. Our products, including the LEVER System that allow users to reduce their effective body weight during exercise ( from 0 to 45 pounds off). This reduction is achieved through our bungee system that redistribute a portion of the user’s body weight, making exercises less strenuous and more manageable. LEVER Movement is committed to revolutionizing the way you train and recover, providing you with the tools to achieve your fitness goals with greater confidence and reduced risk. Visit ⁠https://levermovement.com⁠.

Chapters

• 0:00 - Intro
• 1:56 - In for Testing: powered by Skratch Labs
• 17:40 - Our current favorite winter gear
• 25:34 - What does an offseason look like?
• 35:56 - You actually have to take time off running
• 41:12 - Offseasons are the time to change things up
• 44:22 - Reflect & plan
• 50:16 - Have a consistent weight-lifting routine
• 54:44 - How to get started lifting
• 57:26 - When's the best time to lift?
• 58:42 - Add plyometrics
• 1:01:50 - The offseason is the time to pain & injuries
• 1:08:04 - Wrap-up

On this episode we've got a bit of a spinoff of our buy/sell format where Matt & David break down what each running shoe brand does best and worst. They take a broad look at what each company offers across their lineups, talk about their most & least favorite shoes from each, talk innovation, and more. We want to hear from you! What's your favorite brand? What do you think each company does best? Email us at doctorsofrunning@gmail.com.

Get your DOR Merch: https://doctors-of-running.myspreadshop.com/

Get 20% off your first order from Skratch with code: DOCTORSOFRUNNING! Visit https://www.skratchlabs.com

LEVER Movement⁠ is portable and effective body weight support systems. Our products, including the LEVER System that allow users to reduce their effective body weight during exercise ( from 0 to 45 pounds off). This reduction is achieved through our bungee system that redistribute a portion of the user’s body weight, making exercises less strenuous and more manageable. LEVER Movement is committed to revolutionizing the way you train and recover, providing you with the tools to achieve your fitness goals with greater confidence and reduced risk. Visit https://levermovement.com.

Chapters

• 0:00 - Intro
• 1:44 - In for Testing: Powered by Skratch Labs
• 9:00 - The Best & Worst things Nike does
• 18:54 - Brooks
• 27:12 - Hoka
• 34:38 - Asics
• 43:16 - On
• 1:51:22 - Adidas
• 1:00:52 - Puma
• 1:06:34 - Mizuno
• 1:13:36 - Saucony
• 1:19:12 - New Balance
• 1:23:50 - Wrap-up

Shin splints (or medial tibial stress syndrome) are the bane of many a runner, proving hard to find a cause for and hard to treat. Nate is joined by Dr. Doug Adams to demystify this frustrating ailment. Nate & Doug break down the physiology of shin splints and its most common causes. They offer strategies to both prevent and rehab from shin splints, and offer insights on how your footwear might be affecting your shin pain.

Dr. Doug Adams is a Physical Therapist who has published and spoken at an international level on all things related to running. Doug has taught thousands of professionals his systematic approach to providing personalized plans for runners through the Certified Running Gait Analyst and Endurance Running Coaching courses. He also designed and created a portable 3D Motion Analysis system called Helix 3D for analyzing and categorizing running form that is used widely throughout the Department of Defense and commercial sectors. You can find him on Instagram at @RunDNASystem and @DougAdamsPT.

Get your DOR Merch: https://doctors-of-running.myspreadshop.com/

Get 20% off your first order from Skratch with code: DOCTORSOFRUNNING!

Chapters

• 0:00 - Intro
• 4:34 - Defining the term "shin splints"
• 7:04 - Can I run through shin splints?
• 12:10 - How do I get to race day healthy if I'm experiencing shin splints?
• 15:24 - What can I do to prevent shin splints?
• 25:56 - How to tell whether it's shin splints or a stress fracture
• 30:30 - What causes shin splints?
• 35:26 - The role of gait retraining
• 48:42 - How to manage training load wisely
• 54:36 - Do shoes cause shin splints? Will better shoes fix it?
• 1:02:56 - Wrap-up

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Time to check the mail! We love answering listener questions and on this round, it's all about shoes. Nathan, David, and Matt talk about the best shoes for Haglunds, fun stable-neutral options, shoes to help with easily-rolled ankles, and more. Want your question on the next mailbag episode? Email us at doctorsofrunning@gmail.com!

Get your DOR Merch: https://doctors-of-running.myspreadshop.com/

Get 20% off your first order from Skratch with code: DOCTORSOFRUNNING!

LEVER Movement⁠ is portable and effective body weight support systems. Our products, including the LEVER System that allow users to reduce their effective body weight during exercise ( from 0 to 45 pounds off). This reduction is achieved through our bungee system that redistribute a portion of the user’s body weight, making exercises less strenuous and more manageable. LEVER Movement is committed to revolutionizing the way you train and recover, providing you with the tools to achieve your fitness goals with greater confidence and reduced risk.

Chapters

• 0:00 - Intro
• 2:05 - In for Testing: Powered by Skratch Labs
• 15:12 - Fun alternatives to the Supernova Solution
• 25:56 - Matt's current favorite shoes for Haglund's deformity
• 32:14 - How to explain rockered shoes to the general population
• 39:00 - Shoes similar to the Brooks ST 5
• 46:34 - Shoes to help guard against easily-rolled ankles
• 55:06 - Replacements for the ASICS Glideride 3
• 1:02:22 - Wrap-up

As physical therapists, we get to see a lot of runners stuck in frustrating situations. Andrea, Matt, and David draw on their years of experience to discuss the most common mistakes they see runners make, some leading to injury and some not. They talk about the risks of over-training, playing the comparison game, idolizing achievements, and more. We'd love to hear from you! What are some of the mistakes you've made in your training or running career? Drop a comment or email us at doctorsofrunning@gmail.com.

Get your DOR Merch: https://doctors-of-running.myspreadshop.com/

Get 20% off your first order from Skratch with code: DOCTORSOFRUNNING!

LEVER Movement⁠ is portable and effective body weight support systems. Our products, including the LEVER System that allow users to reduce their effective body weight during exercise ( from 0 to 45 pounds off). This reduction is achieved through our bungee system that redistribute a portion of the user’s body weight, making exercises less strenuous and more manageable. LEVER Movement is committed to revolutionizing the way you train and recover, providing you with the tools to achieve your fitness goals with greater confidence and reduced risk.

Chapters

• 0:00 - Intro
• 3:18 - In for Testing: Powered by Skratch Labs
• 14:39 - The biggest mistakes we see runners make
• 15:46 - Not running easy runs easy enough
• 19:20 - Over-estimating your abilities
• 22:22 - Doing too much too soon
• 25:16 - Not accounting for outside-of-running variables
• 29:58 - Not adapting training to life stressors
• 33:42 - Basing self-esteem on athletic performance
• 39:26 - Not having a good healthcare practitioner
• 43:50 - Chasing medals & achievements
• 52:14 - Top shoe mistakes
• 1:02:18 - Wrap-up