#182 - Envision Running with Eggs: Health Tips for Running
Running tip number 9 is for runners who are just getting started. Coach Tadris Parker has personally tested this recommendation and a hundred other health tips commonly shared in the running and fitness world. Listen to the audio clip below to hear his take on this one piece of health advice: “Envision running with eggs.” Learn all about this at Keep Calm and Run To The Best You!
“Don’t clench your fists in a white-knuckle grip. Instead, run with a cupped hand, thumbs resting on the fingers, as if you were protecting an egg in each palm.” —Runner’s World editors
Tip 9. Envision running with eggs (running)
Considering the price of eggs these days, we do not recommend taking this tip literally! However, to protect yourself from hand and wrist pain AND improve your overall running experience, pretend to hold an egg in each hand. This tip is useful for runners at all levels. Beginners struggle with how to position their arms and hands, and experienced runners develop bad habits over time. We can all benefit from this simple strategy. We might even call its eggs over-easy!
Protect your hands - avoid carpal tunnel syndrome
Johns Hopkins published updated stats on carpal tunnel syndrome. As expected, the painful hand condition is most often caused by typing or other repetitive overuse that is typically work-related. What we didn’t know is that women get carpal tunnel 3 times more often than men do! Although running and other exercise is not a known cause of carpal tunnel, improper form does aggravate the condition and increases pain, ultimately adding to the risk of needing surgery. Do your hands go numb when running long distances? Do you feel pain in your hands or wrists while running, or during your post workout stretches? If so, be especially mindful about unclenching your fists and shaking out your arms to loosen the tension while running, typing, or doing another repetitive activity.
NASA Bone and Joint Specialists of Houston, Texas is another good resource connected to this week’s topic. Their specialists recommend a flat keyboard for typing, because propping it up puts wrists at an awkward angle which leads to carpal tunnel. If you suspect that you’re developing carpal tunnel, there are hand exercises you can do to treat or prevent the condition from worsening.
Symptoms of carpal tunnel:
Weakness when gripping objects
Pain or numbness in one or both hands
"Pins and needles" feeling in fingers
Swollen feeling in the fingers
Burning or tingling, especially the thumb and the index and middle fingers
Pain or numbness that worsens at night, interrupting sleep
Improve speed and stamina - use proper hand positioning
Beyond the hands, it’s important to learn the right way to hold your head and shoulders, and how to land properly on your feet. Just like driving a car with a loose tarp on the roof or low air in the tires will take a toll on your vehicle’s speed and gas mileage, running with bad form hurts your speed and stamina. Train the right way so you’ll feel the difference if you start to slouch down or tighten up.
Check your running form in the reflection of store windows as you pass by, or ask a friend to record you doing a lap around the track. Pay attention to ensure you’re softly cupping your hands, bending arms at the elbow and comfortably swinging them at your sides, and keeping your head up. Hiring a running coach to analyze your posture and form is an excellent way to improve your practice.
You have 4 other options for proper hand positioning, besides the egg holding technique. You could have flat, open hands (karate chop style), thumb over index finger (A-okay style), index finger over thumb, or thumb over all fingers. The key is to keep shoulders loose, arms hinged, and hands soft.
Here is a visual guide to proper form, posted by a self-taught marathon runner over in India. The RunnyDay guide uses illustrations to show the right way and the wrong way to position our bodies for running. Focus on getting your form right, from top to bottom, and always keep your chin up and eyes in front of you. If you’re running outside, remember to follow safety rules and run facing the traffic.
Avoid carrying your phone - relax hands while running
If you’re wondering how to best carry your phone while running, shop online for a running belt or other gear that has a pocket or a clip for securing your phone. Remember that you should envision running with eggs in your hands, so there’s no proper way to hold a cell phone while running. However, if you’re going to carry it in your hand anyway, at least put a protective case around it and pick one with a strap to wear around your fingers or wrist just in case you lose your grip. If you’re not going to protect yourself then you might as well protect your phone! (But seriously, heed our advice and keep those hands loose while you’re running!)
By the way, this is the perfect time for a joke about a chicken who crossed the road… but that was last month’s post. (Click here to see 31 laugh-worthy jokes about running, weight loss, and intermittent fasting)
At Keep Calm and Run To The Best You, we are actively helping people from all walks of life to get healthier and happier in the body they’ve got! We’ve collected advice from professionals, combed through archives, and gathered insights from our group members. Click here to see the rest of our 101 health tips about running, intermittent fasting, and weight loss.
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