How the Elites Stay Healthy: All-American Steepler Jonathan Pierce on Injury Prevention
Release Date: 03/26/2026
The Strength Running Podcast
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Tom Walters is a board-certified orthopedic physical therapist, former college professor, and author of (a bestseller on Amazon). Besides running his , Tom served as a full-time undergraduate kinesiology professor for eight years, teaching human biomechanics, therapeutic exercise, and pain science. Today, we discuss the science of pain and the injury treatment process: Is all pain bad? Why does some pain feel good? The value of cross-training during injury Why blood flow is so important for healing The timeline it takes to heal from common injuries If you're injury prone, sign up for...
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Duane Scotti is a physical therapist, certified running coach, and host of the Healthy Runner Podcast. Today, we're focusing on IT Band Syndrome. I've personally had ITBS twice - and once so severe that it nearly ended my running career. After seeing 4 PT's, I developed the to build hip and glute strength. You can also get an to the routine. Duane and I discuss: How to know if you have ITBS Common training errors and injury causes What can make this injury worse Can you run through pain? Treatment steps for IT Band Syndrome Thanks Duane for this masterclass on how to approach IT Band...
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Vikash Sharma, DPT is going to help you return to running after your next injury - faster and with less fitness loss possible. He's the owner of , a certified running coach, the creator of , and a Board-Certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist. Our conversation today is about how to come back after your next injury. The "return to run" plan post-injury can be as confusing as planning advanced workouts. Managing load, recovery, strength training, mobility, and more during a period of uncertainty is daunting. Vikash is here to help. We discuss: Specific injuries and their...
info_outlineJonathan Pierce is an ART certified massage therapist, a Stanford All-American in the 3,000m steeplechase, and a former pro runner for Reebok, ASICS, and the Mammoth Track Club. Not only has he competed at the Olympic Trials, he's worked there as a therapist.
He's also the founder of NOVOS Athlete in San Diego, a physical therapy and performance center for athletes.
Jonathan joins us to discuss his experience working with elite athletes and how they approach the process of staying healthy. We also talk about:
- The training and mechanical causes of running injuries
- The role of movement in health and how quality movement is preventative
- How to determine if you have qualilty movement patterns and how to improve
Don't miss our complimentary injury prevention series to learn even more about staying healthy!
Thank you Lever!
Lever is back as a sponsor and they're giving away a FREE Lever system! Enter today at this link (the giveaway runs through the end of March) and for a bonus entry, follow Lever and Jason on Instagram.
Lever attaches to any treadmill and you hook into it like a harness. It effectively makes you lighter, enabling you to run more volume than you normally could with reduced injury risk, or helping you return to running after an injury.
Lever allows you to do more running with less risk. So maybe you want to build more mileage, or run hard workouts but you’re hesitant because of injury concerns. The pro’s have been using Lever for years, letting them get the advantage of more training with fewer injuries.
I had the chance to go for a run using Lever and it was deceptively easy to set up and use. All of a sudden, I was running 7min mile pace with the heart rate of 8:30 pace. You can see it in action on our YouTube channel.
They’re also trusted by physical therapists, where they’re commonly used during injury recovery so you can keep running with less load and impact.
Go to levermovement.com and use code Strength20 (with a capital S) for 20% off any system . Or, enter their giveaway here. Just don’t wait too long - the giveaway only lasts until the end of March.
Thank you LMNT!
A big thanks to LMNT for their support of this episode! They make electrolyte drinks for athletes and low-carb folks with no sugar, artificial ingredients, or colors. They are offering a free gift with your purchase at LMNT. And this does NOT have to be your first purchase. You’ll get a sample pack with every flavor so you can try them all before deciding what you like best.
And DOUBLE big news! Their newest flavor Lemonade Salt is now permanently available (it's now my favorite). They're also offering 12oz cans of sparkling LMNT water that has half the sodium concentration of a packet. Check them out.
LMNT’s products have some of the highest sodium concentrations that you can find. Anybody who runs a lot knows that sodium, as well as other electrolytes like magnesium and potassium, are essential to our performance and how we feel throughout the day.
LMNT is my favorite way to hydrate. I’m now in the habit of giving away boxes of LMNT at group runs around Denver and Boulder and everyone loves this stuff.
Boost your performance and your recovery with LMNT. They’re the exclusive hydration partner to Team USA Weightlifting and quite a few professional baseball, hockey, and basketball teams are on regular subscriptions. So check out LMNT to get a free sampler pack and get your hydration optimized for the upcoming season.