Today I’m thrilled to welcome my dear friend, Helen Hall back to the podcast. Helen is a movement therapist, a running coach, a pain expert and one of the best coaches in any modality that I have ever come across. She has had a lifelong passion for analysing posture and movement, and her clients include elite athletes, whether they be runners, cyclists or premier league footballers, but also everyday folk who simply want to walk or run pain-free.
She combines objective clarity from the most advanced motion analysis technology in the world, with 46 years of visual experience and study in the field, to seek out the root causes of chronic pain and injury, that often seem resistant to standard treatment protocols.
In order to help more people than those able to visit her in person, Helen first shared her movement philosophy in her wonderful book ‘Even With Your Shoes On’. Since then, Helen has
created a series of online courses for professionals as well as members of the public who want to move better without pain. Her flagship online course is ‘A Troubleshooting Checklist for Walkers and Runners’ and she has a brand new course ‘Stress Incontinence: An Alternative Approach’. Helen is offering 40% off for Feel Better, Live More listeners until the end of April 2025 – go to https://www.helen-hall.co.uk and use the code FBLM40.
Helen first came on my podcast on Episode 216 back in November 2021 and many of you got in touch to say how helpful the tools shared in that episode were.
In this conversation, we continue where we left off:
We talk again about the vital importance of our head position – and how to become aware of how you’re holding your own head, if you’re struggling to know.
We bust the myth that running is bad for your knees.
We discuss walk-run strategies and how they can help all of us reduce injury, recover more quickly and run faster.
We discuss why ‘foot wiping’ - a very simple practice that I do on most days - could help you move with more ease.
We talk about the importance of spending time barefoot.
We discuss minimalist shoes and why we are both big fans.
Since I began working with Helen she’s become a cherished friend, whose wisdom and insights cover much more than walking and running. Her message for this brilliant episode is straightforward and optimistic: think about your head, think about your feet – and don’t assume
that you can no longer move without pain. She is an inspiring lady, this is an inspiring conversation, I hope you enjoy listening.
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Thanks to our
Actionable Insights
1. Prioritize Head Posture for Pain Relief
If experiencing pain in the neck, shoulders, back, hips, knees, calves, or feet, check your head position. A forward head posture can add significant load (up to 18kg for a 30-degree forward tilt), flex your spine, and limit movement potential, contributing to various pains.
2. Re-establish Head Awareness
If you lack awareness of your head’s position, lie on your back with a slippery surface under your head (using cushions for comfort if needed). Touch the crown of your head and gently nod and rotate, allowing your neck spine to follow, to provide sensory input and re-establish your brain’s spatial awareness.
If you have hypersensitive (’ticklish’) or hyposensitive feet, or experience pain, vigorously scrub every millimeter of your soles for 1-2 minutes, twice daily (e.g., while brushing teeth). This practice organizes sensory input to the brain, leading to more balanced foot pressures, improved weight shift, longer strides, and increased movement efficiency throughout the body.
4. Enhance Movement with Peripheral Vision
When moving, utilize a wide, peripheral field of vision (seeing everything without focusing on one point) instead of looking down or having tunnel vision. This relaxes the autonomic nervous system, promotes spinal extension, and improves overall movement fluidity and efficiency, even making movement feel easier and faster.
5. Implement Run-Walk Strategies
Use a run-walk strategy from the start of your activity, not just when tired, to prevent fatigue, reduce injury risk, and improve recovery. Walking intervals allow muscles to recover and heal, maintaining efficiency and enjoyment, and can even lead to faster overall times in endurance events.
Minimize the use of cushioned shoes and tight socks, especially for children, to allow feet to move freely and receive natural sensory input from the ground. Cushioned footwear and restrictive socks can hinder the natural development and function of the foot’s 33 joints and four layers of muscles, potentially leading to compensatory movements and downstream problems.
7. Investigate Root Causes of Knee Pain
Instead of stopping an activity like running due to knee pain, investigate the underlying reasons for the pain. Issues in joints above (hip, pelvis, head) or below (foot, ankle) the knee can be the true cause of the knee being overloaded.
8. Use Poles for Reduced Joint Load
When walking or running, especially for long distances or if you have knee issues, use poles from the start of your activity. Poles can offload up to 75% of body weight from your knees, engage your upper body, improve circulation, and enhance overall movement efficiency.
9. Maintain Posture with Mental Cues
When fatigued during movement, use mental effort to maintain good posture, such as focusing on head position or using a physical cue like pressing hands on the upper chest and dragging the skin down. This can help you move more freely, with less effort, and even faster despite fatigue.