Eli Manning's Season Done

New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning has taken a beating all season with a porous offensive line, and Sunday's game was no different.
Manning suffered a high ankle sprain during Sunday's 20-6 victory over the Washington Redskins. He was injured late in the first half of the game when he threw an incomplete pass under pressure and was hit by defensive end Chris Baker. It looked like Manning got his ankle rolled on as he was dragged to the turf. On the next play he was intercepted by Josh Wilson and limped off the field, going directly to the locker room.
"At this point I couldn't finish the game," Manning said. "I obviously wanted to. The doctor said it would not be a good decision, and I agreed with him. I don't think I could have been very effective playing after the injury."
Manning finished 10 of 24 for 152 yards with a touchdown and his career-high and NFL leading 27th interception. He was replaced in the game on Sunday by Curtis Painter. After the game he was seen wearing a walking boot and using crutches when he left MetLife Stadium.
"Rest for a few weeks and I'll probably be in a boot for a while, that's what they say with a high ankle sprain," Manning said. "Obviously I have time now, so I'll just rest it up and start rehabbing.
"It's serious, but you know it will heal. I have an offseason to do that. I'm not worried about it being a lasting effect."
References: The Republic and ESPN
If you are a football player with a foot or ankle problem, call our Rocky Hill or Middletown office to make an appointment.
Jeffrey S. Kahn, DPM
Connecticut Foot Care Centers
Sports Medicine Podiatrist in CT
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Changing Running Shoes Ideal

A new study published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports proves what you've heard and known for years: that switching out your running shoes throughout the week, between at least two pairs, lowers your risk of injury. 
Runners who rotate among different models of shoes during the 22 week study were 39% less likely to have a running injury than those who stay in the same shoes. 
Researchers in Luxemburg gathered information on training volume, injury rate, cross-training, shoe usage, and other variables from the 264 adult participants. During the 22 week study, 87 of the 264 participants

developed a running-related injury, which researchers defined as: "a physical pain or complaint located at the lower limbs or lower back region, sustained during or as a result of running practice and impeded planned running activity for at least one day."
116 of the participants were classified as single-shoe wearers; runners in this category did 91% of their total running in the same pair of shoes and ran in an average of 1.3 pairs of shoes during the study. The rest, 148 participants, were classified as multiple-shoe wearers. Those in this group tended to have a main shoe, which was worn for 58% of their mileage, but they rotated among 3.6 pairs of shoes throughout the study. 
Once the numbers were finalized, researchers found that those who were multiple-shoe wearers had a 39% decreased risk of injury. 
Researchers believe the answer to this lies in how different shoes distribute the impact forces of running differently, and therefore lessening the strain on tissues. 
"The concomitant use of different pairs of running shoes will provide alteration in the running pattern and vary external and active forces on the lower legs during running activity. Whether the reduced [injury] risk can be ascribed to alteration of different shoe characteristics, such as midsole densities, structures or geometries can be determined from those results and warrant future research," writes researchers.
Supporting this idea of reducing injury risk by changing tissue loads, researchers also found that runners who had more cross-training had a lower risk of injury. 
"Multiple shoe use and participation in other sporting activities are strategies leading to a variation of external and internal loads applied to the musculoskeletal system that could have a beneficial effect on [running injuries. Although speculative, it could be that any training paradigm that limits excess repetitions will decrease the risk of [running injuries], especially overuse injuries," the researchers wrote. 
If you are a runner with a foot or ankle problem, call our Rocky Hill or Middletown office to make an appointment.
Jeffrey S. Kahn, DPM
Connecticut Foot Care Centers
Sports Medicine Podiatrist in CT
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Tyreke Evans Out 1-2 Weeks

UPDATE
Evans has returned early from his left ankle injury. We'll see how he does on his injured ankle, and if he has to be out again.
ORIGINAL STORY
What started out as the New Orleans Pelicans' "Big Five" is now down to three.
Tyreke Evans, a key player for the Pelicans, will be out at least two weeks with a left ankle injury. Evans

sustained the ankle sprain during the third quarter of the Pelicans' 109-95 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder last Friday night. This is the same ankle he sprained in the preseason opener on October 5th keeping him out for three weeks and out of six exhibition games. 
Evans was injured while trying to get past Kevin Durant in the third quarter. As Evans darted to his left, he landed on the outside of his left foot, rolling his ankle. He went down to the ground on the baseline and needed help getting off the court to the locker room.
Evans joins power forward Anthony Davis, who is out four to six weeks with a broken hand. Prior to the injury Evans was averaging 11.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.3 steals in 24.9 minutes per game. 
Pelicans coach Monty Williams says his team will continue to play hard, even without two of their key players. 
"I'm no excuses, no explanations," Williams said. "I'm going to be that way while I'm the head coach. I don't believe in all that. We got enough to win games. The guys who get on the floor and have a chance to play, if you execute the game plan and you believe you can win, man that's all you need.
"We didn't have A.D. (Anthony Davis) in Chicago, and nobody thought we'd win that game. Look, this is the NBA, you got a chance to play you got to go get it. The guys who get a chance to play, they're going to be a lot better the next time we step on the floor. We can't worry about who's on the floor. I'm never going to allow that to be an excuse. And the guys will be ready to play the next time we step on the floor."
References: ESPN and NOLA
If you are a basketball player with a foot or ankle problem, call our Rocky Hill or Middletown office to make an appointment.
Jeffrey S. Kahn, DPM
Connecticut Foot Care Centers
Sports Medicine Podiatrist in CT
Podiatrist in Rocky Hill and Middletown, CT
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Quincy Pondexter Out Indefinitely

Memphis Grizzlies guard/forward Quincy Pondexter will be out indefinitely with a stress fracture in his right foot. 
The team announced Monday that Pondexter had a MRI which revealed how severe his injury was. Pondexter sustained the injury to his right foot Saturday night in the 108-82 loss to the Golden State Warriors. 
The injury occurred when Pondexter was guarding Warriors guard Klay Thompson and fighting over a screen. 
"Just the way I took off, it wasn't feel right," Pondexter reflected. "That's kind of when the impact happened." He tried to play through the pain, but had to leave in the second quarter. 
The fourth year small forward walked out for Monday night's pregame availability on crutches and expressed his shock at his diagnosis. 
"It was not the news I was expecting," Pondexter said before Monday night's game against the Orlando Magic. "I was expecting maybe a week or two or a couple of weeks. I didn't think this."
He tweeted his disbelief: "But I GUARANTEE I will be back next season BETTER THAN EVER!! Joshua 1:9."
Before Monday's game Pondexter wrote, "I've been told it's going to be a while. We haven't had surgery or a timetable on what we are going to do yet. Once we get down to that in next week or two, I think I'll have a good idea of how long it is going to take. If there's an opportunity for myself to come back or whatever, I'm going to do whatever it takes." 
Previous to the injury the 25 year old was averaging 6.3 points, 1.7 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 18 minutes per game this season after signing a four-year extension on October 31st. 
The Grizzlies are having a difficult season with injuries already. Two weeks ago the team lost Marc Gasol to a medial collateral ligament sprain in his left knee. The loss of Pondexter impacts the team's depth and puts them at risk for missing the playoffs. 
Pondexter was a key factor in the Grizzlies' playoff run last season, providing perimeter scoring on a team that had virtually none. 
References: USA Today and ESPN. 
If you are a basketball player with a foot or ankle problem, call our Rocky Hill or Middletown office to make an appointment.
Jeffrey S. Kahn, DPM
Connecticut Foot Care Centers
Sports Medicine Podiatrist in CT
Podiatrist in Rocky Hill and Middletown, CT
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K. J. Wright Has Surgery On Foot

Seattle Seahawks linebacker K. J. Wright will miss four to six weeks after having surgery on a broken bone in his foot yesterday. 
Wright sustained the injury during Sunday's 19-17 loss to the 49ers in San Francisco, leaving in the second

quarter. The linebacker has started every game this season for the Seahawks and was obviously disgusted with his injury, as he threw his helmet. It was a non-contact injury. 
Monday head coach Peter Carroll said Wright is a question mark for returning for the postseason. 
"We'll find out, I think, after they do the surgery and find out what the extent of it was, and all that," Carroll said at the Monday press conference. "Six weeks, usually, on broken bones, is what they talk about, and he's a good healer. So we'll see how it goes."
Wright's replacement, Malcolm Smith, finished the game with four tackles, with one for a loss. He has been a solid backup in the linebacker corps this season. 
"Malcolm goes to 'Will' (weakside linebacker), which is his long-time, natural position," Carroll said. "That's where he has played a lot for us over the years. He understands the position really well. He's a fantastic athlete- really good coverage guy, speed guy on the field. So he's played quite a bit for us this year. We're comfortable with him playing and he should do a good job for us."
Smith, at 6 feet, 226 pounds, has started four games this season and played in all 13 outings. Wright's injury could also mean more play time for O'Brien Schofield, a player with both linebacker and defensive end experience. 
References: Epoch Times, ESPN, and Seattle PI. 
If you are a football player with a foot or ankle problem, call our Rocky Hill or Middletown office to make an appointment.
Jeffrey S. Kahn, DPM
Connecticut Foot Care Centers
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How Can I Run Faster?

If you're a runner, you're always looking to go faster, farther, and longer. Maybe you've been able to increase your mileage, but can't seem to go any faster. Good news! There are ways to help you go faster by changing your form, your training plan, and your mind. Here's how:
*Try different speeds
"One thing people don't do enough is play around with different speeds," says Jason R. Karp, Ph. D., a San

Diego based running coach and author of 101 Developmental Concepts and Workouts for Cross Country Runners. If you're going out and running the same speed every time, you'll always go at that speed. 
But Karp says, "If you do intervals or fartleks (unstructured periods of going faster and slower) during a run, you'll learn what it feels like to run fast."
Or, you can do strides at the end of your run. Strides are 20 to 30 seconds of running faster- not exactly a sprint, but definitely faster than your normal pace.
*Don't be stressed!
"To run fast, you have to remain relaxed," says Todd Weisse, cofounder and head coach at the Williamsburg Track Club (Brooklyn and New York City) and a volunteer assistant coach at Columbia University. "When the jaw, face, arms, and limbs start to tense up, there's deceleration," Weisse says. 
So relax! If you're out running, you hopefully enjoy what you're doing, so don't be in a rush or clench up. "You can see your workout through pinched eyes and a scrunched-up face, or through a nice, relaxed face and a nice, relaxed jaw," Weisse adds. Which will make you run faster.
*Stay off those heels
"Too many people strike the ground on their heels. That engages a braking mechanism that conflicts with running fast," says Weisse, who has coached marathon runners who have completed the race in less than 3:10. "Speed starts with a forefoot strike," Weisse says. This way, you are spending less time on the ground, and more time moving faster. 
However, this is not a change that will happen overnight. Weisse recommends getting a coach, or trying to practice by jumping rope and landing on your toes. Don't expect it to happen right away. 
"There's a cost to the calf when you make that change. It's never really been used to that way and will be sore. Make the switch slowly and practice landing on the forefoot over and over again. It takes two or three months, but it's completely worth it," Weisse says. 
*Get off the ground
"A lot of new runners spend a lot of time on the ground and let their weight settle into every step," says Karp. Do drills that help you generate "pop" off the ground as soon as you make contact. One drill to try is hopping up bleacher steps on one foot.
*Push down and back
Weisse says that to run fast, "you need to apply force in a horizontal way." Going around and around a track doesn't get you to go faster, it just makes you bored. 
Here's an example: if you want an airplane to move horizontally, you wouldn't put the engines vertically. So when you run, Weisse says, "focus on pressing your forefoot down into the track and pressing back through the foot as you push off so you're moving down the track horizontally."
*Watch the pros
Who are the great runners? Sometimes just by watching legendary runners you can learn about running form and speed. "All baseball fans know who Derek Jeter is, but most runners don't know who the running pros are, like Paula Radcliffe or Shalane Flanagan," Weisse says. "We encourage our runners to watch and imitate the athletes who are the great craftsman of our sport."
*Be consistent
If your goal is to run faster, plan on running shorter times rather than one long run. The more you run in the right form, the more your muscles get used to it, and it becomes muscle memory.
Reference: Active.
If you are a runner with a foot or ankle problem, call our Rocky Hill or Middletown office to make an appointment.
Jeffrey S. Kahn, DPM
Connecticut Foot Care Centers
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Good News For Adrian Peterson

It's good news for Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson: no tear or Lisfranc injury.
Peterson sustained a mid-foot sprain in the second quarter on Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens when

linebacker Arthur Brown tackled him as he stretched for a first down. Brown caught Peterson before he went out of bounds and appeared to land on the running back's legs. Peterson immediately went on his back and rolled in pain. He was helped off the field and carted off to the locker room. 
X-rays were negative on Peterson's foot and a MRI showed no structural damage or chance of a Lisfranc injury. He is still scheduled to undergo a CT scan and the Vikings plan on sending the results of his tests to a specialist. 
After getting the results Monday evening, the Vikings determined that Peterson would have to spend time in a walking boot and prove that he can run once he is out of the boot. Peterson was confident Monday that he would be able to play on Sunday, but it's unlikely the star will see action.
If past history shows any indication of how long it will take Peterson to get back on the field, it is not looking good for the rest of the season. Dallas Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray missed six weeks last season with a mid-foot sprain and Jacksonville Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew is averaging a career low 3.5 yards per carry this year after a Lisfranc injury in 2012 and spraining his foot again this year. 
ESPN injury analyst Stephania Bell says, "What is often the case is, guys will feel much better [a day or two after a sprain]. They say, 'This isn't so bad. I can walk around on it.' And then they try and run."
Peterson had been leading the NFL in rushing yards before Sunday's game, and now ranks second to Philadelphia's LeSean  McCoy by 84 yards. The reigning NFL MVP has been a quick healer in the past, returning from ACL surgery after just nine months to run 2,097 yards last season. However, with a record of 3-9-1 and being eliminated from the playoffs with their loss on Sunday, the team may not feel the need to rush him back. 
References: ESPN and CBS Sports. 
If you are a football player with a foot or ankle problem, call our Rocky Hill or Middletown office to make an appointment.
Jeffrey S. Kahn, DPM
Connecticut Foot Care Centers
Sports Medicine Podiatrist in CT
Podiatrist in Rocky Hill and Middletown, CT
Visit our website, follow my tweets on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook.