The Runners Zone

Nathan Carlson
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Dec 8, 2025 • 37min

Episode 77: Managing knee swelling in runners

Timestamps 2:00 The Runners Zone Spotify Wrapped! 7:30 Knee swelling or knee effusion? 9:00 How to manage post-op knee swelling 11:30 How our management of swelling has changed through our career 15:40 How to assess knee swelling 21:30 The need to look combine patient history, clinical presentation, & swelling measures 26:00 How much swelling is ok to push through? 28:30 Do Chris and Nathan set yearly goals? Research article Inter-rater reliability to assess knee joint effusion Video Examples 3+ knee effusion 2+ knee effusion 1+ knee effusion Want to work with runners and build a thriving business around it? The Runner's Zone is an upbeat, global community of clinicians, coaches, and trainers who love working with endurance athletes. For over 10 years, we've helped passionate professionals fast-track their skills, grow their confidence, and build beautiful, word-of-mouth businesses that runners rave about. Join us if you're ready to level up—and have fun doing it. Use code "rzpod" for 10% off the annual membership. To learn more click HERE.
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Nov 24, 2025 • 52min

Episode 76: Establishing strength standards for distance runners

Thanksgiving Deals Chris's Clinical Essentials Online Course - Learn more HERE Nathan's Online Bone Stress Injury Course - Learn more HERE Nathan's Stress Fracture Protocols - Learn more HERE Timestamps 0:00 Happy Thanksgiving! 3:00 Running a practice around the holidays 11:55 Setting strength standards for distance runners 14:54 Upper body expectations 20:00 Lower body benchmarks 32:00 Loaded carry goals 38:54 Plyometrics 48:00 Do you need tech to assess strength? Want to work with runners and build a thriving business around it? The Runner's Zone is an upbeat, global community of clinicians, coaches, and trainers who love working with endurance athletes. For over 10 years, we've helped passionate professionals fast-track their skills, grow their confidence, and build beautiful, word-of-mouth businesses that runners rave about. Join us if you're ready to level up—and have fun doing it. Use code "rzpod" for 10% off the annual membership. To learn more click HERE.
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Nov 10, 2025 • 43min

Episode 75: Telling runners to work through pain with a bone stress injury

In this episode, Chris and I break down why sometimes we tell runners to work through pain with a bone stress injury. Research from this episode https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33962529/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28343329/ https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/59/2/78 Want to work with runners and build a thriving business around it? The Runner's Zone is an upbeat, global community of clinicians, coaches, and trainers who love working with endurance athletes. For over 10 years, we've helped passionate professionals fast-track their skills, grow their confidence, and build beautiful, word-of-mouth businesses that runners rave about. Join us if you're ready to level up—and have fun doing it. Use code "rzpod" for 10% off the annual membership. To learn more click HERE.
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Oct 20, 2025 • 46min

Episode 74: Common nutrition errors with Meghann Featherstun

In this episode, Nathan sat down with Meghann Featherstun. Meghann is a registered dietitian and owner of Featherstone Nutrition focusing on endurance athletes. In today's episode she discusses her history as an athlete and clinician and covers common mistakes endurance athletes make regarding nutrition. If you work with runners, you'll find the episode valuable. To learn more about Meghann, visit her website HERE. You can also check out her Instagram HERE. Want to work with runners and build a thriving business around it? The Runner's Zone is an upbeat, global community of clinicians, coaches, and trainers who love working with endurance athletes. For over 10 years, we've helped passionate professionals fast-track their skills, grow their confidence, and build beautiful, word-of-mouth businesses that runners rave about. Join us if you're ready to level up—and have fun doing it. Use code "rzpod" for 10% off the annual membership. To learn more click HERE.
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Oct 6, 2025 • 39min

Episode 73: Primary care for runners with Dr. Laurel Short

In this engaging discussion, Dr. Laurel Short, a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner and headache specialist, shares her expertise on primary care for endurance athletes. She highlights common challenges like stress and underfueling, along with proactive screening for nutrition and mental health issues. Dr. Short also dives into the significance of proper lab tests, the complexities of supplements, and the importance of strength training for aging athletes. With her direct experience in triathlons, she blends clinical insights with personal passion!
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Sep 22, 2025 • 42min

Episode 72: Trusting your gut

To learn more about Nathan's new 5-week virtual cohort, click below ​Hybrid: A Clinician's Course to Strength Training for Runners. To learn more about Bones, Tendons, Weights, & Whistles in New York City, click HERE. The Runners Zone Want to work with runners and build a thriving business around it? The Runner's Zone is an upbeat, global community of clinicians, coaches, and trainers who love working with endurance athletes. For over 10 years, we've helped passionate professionals fast-track their skills, grow their confidence, and build beautiful, word-of-mouth businesses that runners rave about. Join us if you're ready to level up—and have fun doing it. Use code "rzpod" for 10% off the annual membership. To learn more click HERE.
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Sep 8, 2025 • 49min

Episode 71: Is gait analysis overrated?

To learn more about Nathan's new 5-week virtual cohort, click below ​Hybrid: A Clinician's Course to Strength Training for Runners. To learn more about Bones, Tendons, Weights, & Whistles in New York City, click HERE. The Runners Zone Want to work with runners and build a thriving business around it? The Runner's Zone is an upbeat, global community of clinicians, coaches, and trainers who love working with endurance athletes. For over 10 years, we've helped passionate professionals fast-track their skills, grow their confidence, and build beautiful, word-of-mouth businesses that runners rave about. Join us if you're ready to level up—and have fun doing it. Use code "rzpod" for 10% off the annual membership. To learn more click HERE.
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Aug 25, 2025 • 35min

Episode 70: Stop putting tools in your toolbox

Join Chris and Nathan for Bones Tendons Weights & Whistles @ Motion PT in New York City on October 4-5. To learn more click HERE. Episode Timestamps 2:00 "Put more tools in your toolbox" is a bad message 6:00 Red flags in a con ed course or instructor 7:40 You only have so much time for a test 8:00 More is not always better 11:00 The best tests for a "difficult" patient 13:30 PT isn't all about talking to someone 18:00 You can only change so much about your treatment strategy 20:30 Clinical reasoning and the table torsion test 21:00 Gaps in BSI literature and working with actual runners 23:00 The primary clinical tools you need 30:00 Taking away runner's pain is seductive Thanks for tuning into The Runners Zone Podcast. Chris and I would love it if you gave us a review as those really help us continue to produce episodes. The Runners Zone Want to work with runners and build a thriving business around it? The Runner's Zone is an upbeat, global community of clinicians, coaches, and trainers who love working with endurance athletes. For over 10 years, we've helped passionate professionals fast-track their skills, grow their confidence, and build beautiful, word-of-mouth businesses that runners rave about. Join us if you're ready to level up—and have fun doing it. Use code "rzpod" for 10% off the annual membership. To learn more click HERE.
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Aug 11, 2025 • 43min

Episode 69: How to disagree with physicians

Join Chris and Nathan for Bones Tendons Weights & Whistles @ Motion PT in New York City on October 4-5. To learn more click HERE. Episode Timestamps 2:00 When PTs and doctors clash 9:10 How to do well by patients 10:30 Disagreeing on when a patient can run 14:00 Patients need a unified providers 17:30 A challenging navicular BSI 22:00 The need to have imaging that matches a pain presentation 27:00 Doctors, PTs, & researchers have different viewpoints 34:00 Don't overstep your role Thanks for tuning into The Runners Zone Podcast. Chris and I would love it if you gave us a review as those really help us continue to produce episodes. The Runners Zone Want to work with runners and build a thriving business around it? The Runner's Zone is an upbeat, global community of clinicians, coaches, and trainers who love working with endurance athletes. For over 10 years, we've helped passionate professionals fast-track their skills, grow their confidence, and build beautiful, word-of-mouth businesses that runners rave about. Join us if you're ready to level up—and have fun doing it. Use code "rzpod" for 10% off the annual membership. To learn more click HERE.
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Jul 21, 2025 • 38min

Episode 68: How much running will get you hurt?

Thanks for tuning into The Runners Zone Podcast. Want to work with runners and build a thriving business around it? The Runner's Zone is an upbeat, global online community of clinicians, coaches, and trainers who love working with endurance athletes. For over 10 years, we've helped passionate professionals fast-track their skills, grow their confidence, and build beautiful, word-of-mouth businesses that runners rave about. Join us if you're ready to level up—and have fun doing it. Use code "rzpod" for 10% off the annual membership. To learn more click HERE. Episode Timestamps 1:00 PTs should have a nationwide license 6:20 How much running is too much article 10:40 Principles for progressing a runner's training load 19:00 Life loads versus training loads 23:45 Tissue specific training considerations31:00 When training isn't working anymore Studies from this episode - How much running is too much? Bone stress injuries

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