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Home > Dr. Stephen Gangemi "Sock Doc"

Health Concerns for Students

Summer is coming to an end and for most kids that means back to school. Some kids thrive in the traditional school environment but unfortunately, many kids are not cut out for the rigors of the traditional classroom. Long hours sitting in a chair, inactivity, lack of sunlight and natural …

Vivobarefoot Swimrun Primus Trail Shoe Review

After a seven year hiatus, I decided to get back into the world of endurance racing by heading to Switzerland for my first ÖTILLÖ Swimrun race as well as my first ever international race. VivoBarefoot was nice enough to send me a pair of their Primus Trail Vivobarefoot Swimrun shoes …

Plantar Fasciitis: Healing Up Your Heel Pain

In this video I discuss the muscles associated with plantar fasciitis, why people get this type of foot pain, and what you can do with respect to plantar fasciitis natural treatments. See the accompanying plantar fasciitis article here!    Video Transcript Hey, this is Dr. Gangemi, and I’ve got …

Plantar Fasciitis: The Pain You’ve Got That Doesn’t Even Really Exist

It’s just your imagination – this pain that you or your trusted practitioner has diagnosed as “plantar fasciitis” – because it’s impossible to have such a problem where there is just no fascia in the body! Ok, it’s not in your head, and naming an injury doesn’t by any means …

Sock Doc Podcast With Endurance Planet: Meniscus Tears, Hiatal Hernias, and More

Listen to a super-informative Endurance Planet Podcast with Tawnee and me, The Sock Doc, focusing on weight gain with Ironman training, meniscus tears, hiatal hernias, and yes – a lot more! Female health in ironman training. Females who gain weight (especially midsection) when training harder for Ironman – what gives? …

Sock Doc Podcast With Endurance Planet: Ketosis Pros and Cons

Endurance Planet Podcast with Tawnee – Food and Supplements to Ease Anxiety, Ketosis Pros and Cons, and Chronically High Blood Sugar. How to help athletes with excess anxiety and unnecessary stress, mentally speaking, especially females? Are there supplements, certain macro ratios or specific foods would we advise for athletes dealing with anxiety, …

Sock Doc Podcast With Endurance Planet: Is Vitamin D Over-Hyped?

Listen to this super-informative Vitamin D Podcast with Tawnee over at Endurance Planet: Show notes: We discuss the real deal with Vitamin D–yes, it’s super important, but are we over-hyping its importance and the need to supplement these days? It turns into quite the discussion! Before that we catch up …

Vivobarefoot Tracker Shoe Review

I can already see the comments here – “Sock Doc is wearing hiking boots.” “Sock Doc is no longer barefoot in the wilderness.” Yeah, yeah. No, I’m not suddenly wearing hiking boots, but I do finally own a pair of hiking boots, thanks to Vivobarefoot. The Vivobarefoot Tracker is definitely …

Vivobarefoot Primus Shoe Review

Perhaps you’re familiar with my Vivobarefoot Shoe addiction? Keeping true to expand my Vivobarefoot empire and lessen my closet space, I have recently acquired the new Vivobarefoot Primus. The Vivobarefoot Primus is Vivo’s most minimal shoe available – just 3mm separating your foot from the ground and with no insole. It’s …

Wildling Shoes – Kids Minimalist Shoes

Some time ago I was contacted by a guy named Ran Yona. He and his wife Anna and their three kids moved from Israel to Germany in 2013 and realized, for the first time in their lives, that they needed to find some shoes that their kids could wear in …

Stop Mindless Stretching Podcast at Liberated Body

Check out the “Stop Mindless Stretching” podcast at Liberated Body. Brooke and I discuss why I’ve tempered his statement to “stop mindless stretching”, what stretching even is, what flexibility is really a reflection of (hint: it’s not your stretching regimen), why we might feel the need to stretch, and more. …

Stretching as a Warm-Up and Injury Prevention

Stop Mindless Stretching, Part 4: Warm-up, Cool-down, Injury Treatment, and a Bozo Prevention Strategy Stretching should not be the sole activity performed during a warm-up before or cool-down after your movement (or exercise) program. Should it be a part of your routine at all? Most of us have heard to …

Yoga Flexibility, Yoga Stretching, & Mobility

Stop Mindless Stretching, Part 3: Yoga, (not Stretching), Movement, & Mobility Contrary to popular belief, yoga is not Sanskrit for stretching. It actually means to join or unite, and it is a combined spiritual, mental, and physical practice. Assuredly, most yoga poses do focus on flexibility and strength to varying degrees, however, …

Fascial Fitness & Flexibility

Stop Mindless Stretching, Part 2: Flexibility, Fascia, and Your Nervous System Flexibility might be the ability of a joint to bend through its full range of motion, but in actuality, it’s the reflection of your nervous system and not simply the more you can stretch, and stretch and stretch some …

Stretching for Flexibility, or Not

Stop Mindless Stretching, Part 1: Stretching for Flexibility, or Not It has been almost five years since I first posted my somewhat controversial “Stop Stretching!” article on the Sock Doc website (or Soc Doc as many continue to write). My views regarding stretching haven’t changed much but my knowledge and …

Male Estrogen Dominance

In this video I discuss the epidemic of male estrogen dominance. Many men who are converting testosterone into estrogen and losing their masculine characteristics. Many men are also consuming products that act like and increase estrogen in their body leading to male estrogen dominance. Learn how to increase your testosterone …

Vivobarefoot Drake Shoe Review

Fueling my addiction to VIVOBAREFOOT footwear, I now write about the VIVOBAREFOOT Drake – a moccasin inspired mid-top shoe. The Drake, like most Vivobarefoot shoes, keeps minimalism alive and well with their ultra-thin 3mm City Sole.  You can feel the ground as you’re supposed to and sensitize those mechanoreceptors throughout …

Athletic Diet and Nutrition

In this video I discuss how your fitness diet should be personalized to suit your lifestyle and your aerobic vs. anaerobic training levels. Learn about the role of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins as they relate to your training intensity. What you eat significantly affects your health and performance. While there …

Vivobarefoot Aqua II Shoe Review

The Aqua was one of Vivobarefoot’s original shoes way back in 2003. It’s back again here in autumn 2015 as the Aqua II, and unlike most sequels in life, this shoe is pretty damn awesome. The Vivobarefoot Aqua fits perfectly and its comfort is unsurpassed. If you’ve read my other …

Soft Star Ballerine Flat Shoe Review

Soft Star continues to supply Sock Doc and Family with some awesome footwear and this time they sent my wife a pair of their Soft Star Ballerine Flats.  So she writes: “They’re a really soft and comfortable minimalist shoe. I don’t find many shoes to be very comfortable anymore since …

VIVOBAREFOOT Porto : Kick-Ass Minimalist Boot

The VIVOBAREFOOT Porto is Vivo’s premium desert boot made from exquisite Portuguese leather. This boot is super comfortable – it’s roomy yet snug so you can wear it all night long without having to worry about your foot being compressed like most other boots out there. No, they’re not a …

Running Pronation & Overpronation

Learn what running pronation and overpronation mean and how it impacts how you move. Overpronation is a symptom of another problem and is often associated with various injuries. Shoes and orthotics will not truly correct your overpronation. In this video, I explain how overpronation is a symptom indicating that the …

Soft Star Youth Swift Shoe Review

The awesome people at Soft Star, (well they call themselves elves), sent my seven year old boy Paxton, (AKA: P-Fox, Pax, Ninja Fox, Best Bud, ‘The Boy’), a sweet pair of their newly designed Soft Star Youth Swift shoes. Out of the box like most kids he wouldn’t wear them …

Gluten Allergies

Is gluten really all that bad?  Learn why gluten may be causing your health problems and why it’s often undiagnosed or incorrectly diagnosed. In this video I discuss wheat production processes called deamidation and hybridization, and how these affect many of the final wheat products commonly consumed today. These modified …

Overtraining in Athletes

Learn the causes of overtraining as well as the warning signs that are often present before you become injured or sick. In this video I discuss a variety of symptoms of overtraining syndrome. Look for symptoms of overtraining like joint aches, squinting, poor sleep, or dizziness when standing (orthostatic hypertension). …

Real Food Reel Podcast

Another Australian podcast this time with Steph at the Real Food Reel. We discuss endurance training, carbs, fats, healthy eating, and a whole lot more.

Asthma in Athletes

Asthma in athletes is a growing concern. Learn the reasons why athletes have trouble breathing, and what can be done about the problem. Though asthma is a lung symptom it is often not an actual lung cause. Asthma can be a symptom of a variety of causes such as under-functioning …

VIVOBAREFOOT Motus: Super Sweet All-Around Shoe

The VIVOBAREFOOT Motus is Vivo’s newest “all around” shoe. They designed it to be versatile, and that it is. Wear it while running on the roads or on the tennis court. Wear it while doing some parkour or some urban free running. Or just wear them while traveling and hiking. …

No Stretching for Runners and all Athletes!

Learn why stretching can actually cause more harm than good. There’s no reason to static stretch especially if you’re concerned about performance or trying to heal up or prevent an injury. Stop stretching! Stretching for flexibility is a common practice for runners, athletes, and fitness enthusiasts at all levels, but …

That Paleo Show: Aussie Podcast

Listen to my podcast with Aussie chiropractor Dr. Brett Hill about all things functional fitness. From triathlons to natural movement to barefoot running and a bunch of dietary (Paleo) talk, we discuss a more natural approach to health and well-being. Tune in for an awesome insight into how we are …

Natural Movement

Learn why natural movement each and every day can significantly improve your health and fitness. Natural movement is how our bodies are intended to move. Prevent and heal injuries faster too by moving your body through functional movements. Movnat/Natural Movement is an active movement workout and a physical education system …

Common Running Injuries

Learn about some common running injuries as well as how and why they occur. Often an injury is a symptom of another problem rather than a cause. In this short video I touch on how to prevent common running injuries. I briefly discusses some causes of running injuries, running recovery, …

Athlete Motivation Part I: It’s In Both of Your Brains

There are a couple standout ways to become a better athlete yet even more ways in which you can hinder fitness progress and overall performance. Simply put – it’s easier to screw things up. With respect to improving, (making improvements or seeing improvements), proper training and recovery are at the …

Motivation Part II: Healing and Optimizing Your Two Brains

You may not be fat but hopefully your brain is around 60% fat. Most of this is arachidonic (AA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA) fatty acids. AA fats are my favorite fats and I discuss more on why you want to eat pasture meats, wild fatty fish, butter, and egg yolks here. …

Why the Minimalist Footwear Trend Won’t Last

If you haven’t heard, the minimalist footwear industry has taken a turn for the worse. Shoe sales aren’t booming like they used to and companies are starting to add more material to their shoes to try to stay with the current market trend. After all, that’s what it’s about – …

Motivation Part III: Why Your Motivation Stinks, Literally

Often long distance athletes deplete themselves more than any other athletes. I’ve been in this situation more than once during my twenty IronMan races. After some events I just didn’t feel like doing much – didn’t want to train or even get household chores done. Once I got moving I’d …

Become a Better Athlete: Sex and Athletic Performance

What’s that – you’re too tired? Got a headache? Just not in the mood? Would you say the same thing for a workout and bail on that activity too? Just as a proper diet, restful sleep, and adequate exercise are necessary for optimal health and athletic performance, so is sexual …

Are You On Drugs?

Doping in athletes and PED in sports is once again prevalent in the news. Not simply because of the recent London Games, but the downfall of Lance Armstrong, who, as I write this, has stepped down as chairman of the Livestrong Foundation and dropped by Nike, RadioShack, and Anheuser-Busch. ESPN …

Let Your Kid Thrive Outside

I wrote this article for the June/July 2015 edition of Paleo Magazine. Grab one at Whole Foods or other locations or a digital copy here. The typical kid in today’s world isn’t outside much, and when indoors they’re not moving as much as they should, if at all. As a …

Tissue and Joint Repair – Enough to Make You “GAG”

Tissue and joint repair is an important topic among many people, especially athletes. Supplements such as glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM, and other products are often taken when there is joint pain or degeneration, in hopes that a cure can be found in a bottle. Sometimes these substances work and sometimes they …

A Paleo Diet for Athletes for Superior Performance

Paleo diets for athletes have become increasingly popular over the recent years. For athletes, a Paleo diet can provide optimal use of the fatty acid metabolic pathways. As your body becomes more and more accustomed to a reduced carbohydrate intake, intra-muscular triglycerides stores will increase along with increased efficiency of …

Vegan Athletes

So you wanna be a vegan athlete – what the hell is wrong with you? Settle down vegans, I’m only kidding, (well partially), I know how easy it is to rile you guys up. It may be the protein deficiency and blood sugar instability that sets you all off so …

Breaking Muscle – Barefoot Basics: How to Regain Your Footing

Most humans have essentially lost their ability to support themselves without secondary support, either because of poorly developed biomechanics or underlying health problems. Walking or running barefoot is an ideal way to improve your proprioception (sense of position) and kinesthetic sense (the feedback your nervous system receives from your feet). …

Everything in Moderation?

Moderate Your Holiday Moderation With the holidays now upon us, Halloween through Easter is a long time to play the moderation card and slack off on diet, exercise, and your (hopefully) healthy lifestyle. It’s actually the time when your diet should be the most healthy and “clean” as cold temperatures, …

Grinding Away: Bruxism

The Night Grind: Bruxism Bruxism – it’s clenching your jaw and grinding your teeth sometimes to the point of actually breaking a tooth. When you’re awake, and conscious, the force your body can produce by grinding your teeth together is around 250 psi (pounds per square inch) in the back …

VIVOBAREFOOT Trail Freak Review: Awesome Trail Shoes

The VIVOBAREFOOT Trail Freak shoes are Vivo’s newest trail shoes and they’re definitely much better than I expected. Well, it’s not that I was expecting them to be bad, just not this awesome. My last pair of Vivo trail shoes was the VIVOBAREFOOT Breatho and they were really nice trail …

The British Trail Running Podcast

Archi and I discuss injury prevention and all round health for the endurance athlete here on Episode 21 of the British Trail Running Podcast.

VIVOBAREFOOT Mata Review: Barefoot Comfort

The Mata is Vivobarefoot’s new casual shoe for Spring 2015. It’s a slip-on shoe that is super comfortable to wear. The Vivobarefoot Mata is a leather all-occasion shoe – walking, working, and just an everyday sorta daily activity shoe. Of course, when you need or want to wear shoes.; hopefully …

Soft Star DASH RunAmoc Shoe Review

Soft Star recently sent me a pair of their Soft Star DASH shoes to try out and review. I’ve had a few patients come in with these shoes and they’ve only said good things about them. After wearing the shoes for just a few minutes I kinda thought “these shoes …

NSAIDs – I Still Say Never

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs – the infamous NSAIDs – touted by many to curtail inflammation, accelerate healing time, and even improve performance. But over the past several years there’s been more and more research supporting why you probably shouldn’t take an NSAID, due to the inherent dangers and the fact that …

Sock Doc Podcast #10 At Trail Runner Nation: Digging Deep Into Grab Bag

Podcast #10 at Trail Runner Nation. In this Sock Doc Podcast we discuss: Weirdest thing you have seen on the trail Importance of rest Mitochondrial Bio-genesis Perfume / Cologne debate Consistency in training Do you have the C & D? Foam Rolling You can also listen to the podcast at …

Truly BAREFOOT

See the attached PDF for my recent article in Paleo Magazine, August/September 2014 edition – “Barefoot“. Check out Paleo Magazine for more great articles.   Humans, with rare exception, should be able to function well while barefoot from birth until death. Although sadly many people are unable to walk, run, …

No, It’s Not Your Hammy

The hamstrings are that group of muscles in the back of your thigh that every athlete is familiar with. Simply put, they are three muscles that provide motion to two joints – the hip and the knee. They’re of great importance if you choose to extend your hips, flex your …

Aging Athletes: Your Excuse Is Getting Old

See the attached PDF for my recent article in Paleo Magazine, June/July 2014 edition – “Your Excuse Is Getting Old“. Check out Paleo Magazine for more great articles.   It’s Your Excuse That Is Getting Old “Your joints ache because you’re old.” “You’re fat because you’re old.” “You don’t sleep …

Stress: “Make You, Break You”

See the attached PDF for my recent article in Paleo Magazine, April/May 2014 edition. Check out Paleo Magazine for more great articles. Stress: “Make You, Break You”   Stress: Make You, Break You Stress is that general term which many use to describe something that poses some threat to their …

Fifteen Reasons to Wear a Maximalist Shoe

You would rather say “maximal” than “minimal” when pointing to anything below your waist. You’re a trend-follower. Now that maximalist shoes are more popular than ever, you’ll follow suit. You’re secretly hoping that your favorite brand comes out with a glitter model since that’s in style now too. The minimalist …

Go Hard and Then Go Home

Training needs to be hard. Sometimes. Although you shouldn’t subscribe to the “No Pain, No Gain” motto, there is a time to push yourself if you want to be a stronger, faster, and more fit athlete. If you’re stuck in a training rut and not improving, then maybe it’s time …

Sugar Coating Your Performance

Welcome to Part V of the Sock Doc Essential Guide to Carbohydrates. Part IV was way back in June in which I discussed the hot topic of ketosis in athletes. Parts I-III discussed the many roles, both positive and negative, of carbohydrates in an athlete’s diet. The gist of the …

VIVOBAREFOOT Gobi Review: Get Around In Style

The Vivobarefoot Gobi marks my first-ever pair of casual boots,  and they’ve definitely exceeded my expectations. The Gobi is super comfortable, lightweight, and is exactly what I look for in a minimalist-type shoe – unrestricted movement and unaltered proprioception.

The Athlete’s Adrenal Glands

Your adrenal glands are small walnut-sized glands that sit on top of each kidney. Though they only weigh three to five grams, they’re responsible for producing hormones to provide your body with sufficient energy, balance blood sugar, fight inflammation, regulate electrolytes, maintain libido, sustain blood pressure, and provide your body …

This Is Why You’re Still Injured

Injuries suck, that’s all there is to it. Oh, but there’s more. Injuries are a big reason as to why an athlete can’t get past a certain performance ceiling. If you’re training improperly as you try to take your fitness to the next level you’re probably going to get injured …

Sock Doc Podcast With PaleoRunner

Check out my most recent podcast with Aaron Olson at PaleoRunner.org. I discuss stretching (well, not stretching), orthotics (umm, not using orthotics), minimalist/barefoot running, injury treatment and prevention, and a bunch of other great info.

Calf Flexibility Sans Stretching: No More Calf Wall Stretches

Oh, you caught me stretching my calves. This wall stretch that a lot of people do, a lot of runners like to do to warm up, is actually a pretty silly stretch. There’s lots of better ways that you can actually create normal flexibility and stability in your lower leg …

Running Injury Treatment & Prevention: The Soleus & Achilles

This Sock Doc Video was made by Altra Zero Drop Footwear as part of their RunTalks series. I discuss how to naturally assess, treat, and prevent common lower leg injuries specifically related to the soleus muscle. Many athletes, especially runners, suffer from shin splints, Achilles tendinitis, plantar fasciitis, and other …

The Ultra Dilemma

In today’s endurance world, covering longer distances has become the new and expected normal. Gone are the days when racing a fast 5K or 10K meant something and we’re even starting to lose the concept that running one marathon is a big deal. Yet much like triathletes feel it’s imperative …

Aerobic Endurance Superiority

Aerobic endurance is something I’ve discussed on the sock-doc site many times. Its importance in both fitness and health is often underestimated either because there are news reports citing studies saying too much will harm your health, or athletes neglect the time and effort to put in the training to …

Get More Fit With Two A Day Workouts

Training twice a day, also known as two a day workouts, can make dramatic improvements in your fitness if done correctly. Unfortunately for many, two-a-day workouts add just another factor in the injury equation as many athletes are not ready for such physical demand. Should you, regardless of your current …

Ketogenic Diet for Athletes

Here in Part IV of the Sock Doc Essential Guide to Carbohydrates I’m going to discuss the hot topic of a ketogenic diet for athletes. Ketosis is a metabolic state where the liver takes fat and proteins and produces molecules called ketone bodies to use for energy. Ketosis allows a …

Train Hard, Race Fast: Carbohydrates for Training and Recovery

Welcome to Part III, (of some unknown number), of the Sock Doc Essential Guide to Carbohydrates where I discuss carbohydrates for training and recovery (and racing too!). I discussed the chemistry behind how your body uses sugar and fat for fuel in Part I. Part II dealt with how to …

Condition Your Body to Burn Fat

Conditioning your body to burn fat involves more than just training properly. Fat metabolism relies on a low stress lifestyle as well as a diet that promotes fat-for-fuel. I won’t go into proper training here – that’s been done over at the Sock Doc Training Principles and other areas on …

A Case For Orthotics?

It’s been well over a year since I’ve discussed orthotics. Orthotics, just like stretching, is an emotional and somewhat controversial topic because so many believe in their effectiveness for injury treatment and prevention. Others, such as myself, feel as though they either create, provoke, or hide a true problem. In …

MovNat Podcast: Move Effectively & Efficiently

In this podcast I discuss many aspects of health, fitness, and natural movement principles with MovNat founder Erwan LeCorre. Learn more about MovNat here! You can also Listen to the podcast in a new window or download (Right click to save), or listen to the podcast at MovNat.com.

The Least of Your Concerns: Arch Height, Weight, and Length

If you’ve ever been injured you may have been advised by your physician or therapist that your condition was in some part due to some physical imbalance or attribute. How important are some of these physical characteristics, such as foot arch height, in regards to the actual injury? Most are …

Educate Yourself to Recover From and Prevent Any Injury

Nobody wants to be injured and if you’re injured you obviously want the injury gone as soon as possible. Properly treating an injury involves more than just looking at the symptom, which is usually where the pain is felt. You have to understand why you’re injured to properly assess, treat, …

Consistency: Smart Training

Consistency is an important concept when it comes to developing health and fitness. Being consistent with proper training, a healthy diet, and overall lifestyle habits will not only provide improved health and fitness but it will help you remain injury-free too. In this post I want to discuss training consistency. …