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Interdisciplinary Case Miles

Interdisciplinary Case Miles

By: Dr. Kate Mihevc Edwards PT
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 Real runners. Real problems. Real solutions.

The Interdisciplinary Case Miles podcast dives deep into clinical cases affecting runners of all levels, analyzed through the lens of three leading experts in running health. Each episode presents a runner’s story—pain, performance, or puzzling symptoms—and explores it from the collaborative perspectives of an orthopedic physical therapist, a running medicine physician, and a sports dietitian. Tune in for practical, evidence-based strategies and behind-the-scenes insight into what really helps runners return to the roads stronger than before.

Dr. Kate Mihevc Edwards PT, DPT, OCS
Dr. Kate Mihevc Edwards is a board-certified orthopedic clinical specialist and founder of Precision Performance & Physical Therapy and Fast Bananas RUNsource. She is a researcher, author, and national speaker on running-related injuries, performance, and recovery. Kate treats runners of all levels—from recreational to professional—and specializes in working with those who haven’t had success elsewhere. She is part of the interdisciplinary team for the Atlanta Track Club Elite, serves as adjunct faculty at Emory University School of Medicine, and regularly lectures at running camps, universities, and team programs nationwide.

Dr. Sara Raiser MD, FAAPMR, CAQSM, LMT
Dr. Sara Raiser is a sports medicine physician and academic physiatrist at the University of Virginia Runner’s Clinic, where she specializes in the care of runners across all levels. Her clinical and research work focuses on bone stress injuries, gait mechanics, female athlete health, and interdisciplinary care models in running medicine. Dr. Raiser has served as team physician for Atlanta Track Club Elite, Stanford University, and several collegiate and high school programs. She brings a deeply collaborative and evidence-based approach to helping runners recover, adapt, and perform.

Kelsey Pontius, RD CSSD
Kelsey Pontius is a board-certified specialist in sports dietetics and the founder of Meteor Nutrition. A two-time U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials qualifier, she combines elite-level athletic experience with clinical expertise to help runners fuel for performance, recovery, and health. Kelsey is the sports dietitian for Atlanta Track Club Elite and consults with NCAA Division I teams, as well as individual runners across the country. Her practice focuses on endurance nutrition, gut health, injury recovery, and hormone balance through food.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/interdisciplinary-case-miles--6623567/support.Copyright Dr. Kate Mihevc Edwards PT Hygiene & Healthy Living Physical Illness & Disease Running & Jogging
Episodes
  • 13: From Pool to Pavement: Low Ferritin, Bone Stress Injuries, and the Swimmer-to-Runner Trap

    13: From Pool to Pavement: Low Ferritin, Bone Stress Injuries, and the Swimmer-to-Runner Trap
    Feb 20 2026
    What happens when a highly conditioned collegiate swimmer transitions into marathon training too quickly? In this episode of Interdisciplinary Case Miles, a 23-year-old former swimmer increases weekly mileage from 15–20 miles to 40 miles, adds hills and speed work, and begins to worry about low ferritin when performance stalls.What initially appears to be an iron concern reveals a broader picture involving low energy availability, fueling gaps, training load errors, and bone stress injury risk, ultimately resulting in a diagnosis of femoral shaft stress fracture.Dr. Sara Raiser (running medicine physician), Kelsey Pontius (sports dietitian), and Dr. Kate Mihevc Edwards (physical therapist) discuss:
    • Why ferritin is often a marker of a larger issue
    • The relationship between nutrition, iron stores, and bone health
    • Unique injury risks when transitioning from non-weight-bearing sports
    • How cardiovascular fitness can exceed musculoskeletal readiness
    • Rehabilitation principles, plyometric loading, and safe return-to-run progressions
    This episode is essential listening for runners, clinicians, coaches, and endurance athletes navigating performance concerns, injury prevention, and the demands of marathon training.

    00:00 – Welcome to Interdisciplinary Case MilesMeet the hosts and the evidence-informed approach behind real runner cases.
    02:10 – The Case Introduction
    A former collegiate swimmer increases mileage from 20 to 40 miles/week while marathon training.
    04:45 – “Is It My Ferritin?”
    Why athletes fixate on iron and ferritin when performance plateaus
    .07:30 – Ferritin vs Iron Explained
    What ferritin actually represents and why it changes slowly.
    10:15 – Red Flags for Low Energy Availability
    Sleep, libido, GI symptoms, recovery, and early warning signs of REDs.
    15:40 – Nutrition, Bone Density, and Stress Injury Risk
    How low ferritin, low energy intake, and bone health intersect.
    18:30 – Thigh Pain Isn’t “Just a Quad Strain”
    Why distance runner thigh pain raises concern for femoral stress fractures.
    22:15 – Diagnosing a Femoral Shaft Stress Fracture
    Why this injury matters and how it differs from higher-risk stress fractures.
    26:40 – The Swimmer-to-Runner Problem
    Cardio fitness vs bone loading, gravity, and anti-gravity sports.
    31:50 – The Three Pillars: Nutrition, Training Errors, Biomechanics
    A framework for evaluating bone stress injuries.
    36:20 – Training Errors That Add Up Fast
    Mileage spikes, speed work, lack of rest, and life stress post-college.
    41:10 – Starting PT Before You Run Again
    Strength, education, and early rehab during protected weight-bearing.
    45:30 – Plyometrics, Bone Loading, and Return-to-Run
    Why jumping matters and how bones adapt to force.
    50:40 – Bone Geometry, Density, and Multi-Directional Movement
    Why specialization matters—especially in adolescence.
    55:30 – The “Engine vs Chassis” Problem
    When cardiovascular fitness outpaces muscles, tendons, and bones.
    59:20 – Why Return-to-Run Feels So Hard
    Managing athlete frustration while protecting long-term health.
    1:02:30 – Final Takeaways from Each Expert
    Big-picture thinking, history matters, and don’t self-coach in isolation.
    1:06:00 – Wrap-Up & How to Submit a Case

    Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/interdisciplinary-case-miles--6623567/support.

    If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to follow and subscribe so you never miss a case.

    Have a question or a case you'd like us to explore on the show? We’d love to hear from you. Reach out anytime at runcasemiles@gmail.com.
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    24 mins
  • 12: Exertional Leg Pain in Runners — Diagnosis, Gait, and Fueling

    12: Exertional Leg Pain in Runners — Diagnosis, Gait, and Fueling
    Feb 6 2026
    In this episode of Interdisciplinary Case Miles, Co-hosts Dr. Kate Mihevc Edwards (PT), Dr. Sara Raiser (MD) and Kelsey Pontius (RD) discuss a case about a exertional leg pain in a 19-year-old collegiate distance runner.

    Dr. Sarah Raiser leads this case and explains how exertional leg pain can present in runners, outlining key diagnoses such as chronic exertional compartment syndrome (CECS) and popliteal artery entrapment syndrome (PAES). The discussion also covers how these conditions differ from stress fractures, nerve-related pain, and other causes of lower-leg symptoms, as well as how these cases are properly evaluated and diagnosed.Dr. Kate Mihevc Edwards addresses the physical therapy and gait-related factors that may contribute to exertional leg pain, including overstriding, crossover gait, heavy landings, strength deficits, and footwear considerations. She discusses when conservative management may be appropriate, when surgery may be indicated, and the importance of runner-specific, functional strength training during rehabilitation.Sports dietitian Kelsey Pontius shares the nutrition considerations relevant to these cases, including hydration, blood flow, anti-inflammatory nutrition, nitrates, and the role of adequate fueling to support recovery, gait changes, and long-term adaptation—particularly in injured collegiate and high-level runners.Key topics in this episode include:
    • Common causes of exertional leg pain in runners
    • Chronic exertional compartment syndrome vs. other diagnoses
    • Gait retraining and physical therapy considerations
    • Surgical and non-surgical treatment options
    • The role of fueling and hydration in injury recovery
    This episode is relevant for runners experiencing persistent lower-leg pain, clinicians working with endurance athletes, athletes, coaches and anyone interested in an interdisciplinary, evidence-informed approach to running injuries.

    Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/interdisciplinary-case-miles--6623567/support.

    If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to follow and subscribe so you never miss a case.

    Have a question or a case you'd like us to explore on the show? We’d love to hear from you. Reach out anytime at runcasemiles@gmail.com.
    Show More Show Less
    25 mins
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