Good Science vs Bad Science

Deciphering between good science and bad science seems like an impossible task. The general public is extremely vulnerable to accepting bad science when it is presented in a creative way or by big name people. I recently ran across a set of guidelines presented by TEDx.com for the purpose of filtering out the bad science which can be used by each of us in our attempt to incorporate good science into our lives. 

From TED's website:

TED is a nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. It started out (in 1984) as a conference bringing together people from three worlds: Technology, Entertainment, Design. Since then its scope has become ever broader. 

TED has a massive database the presents short lectures by world experts on all sorts of different topics ranging from mechanical birds to faith to cochlear implants (go Karl White!!). The lectures are all around 18 minutes long and are an invaluable public source of information.

While the letter including the guidelines is quite long, you can read the complete thing here. But I am going to pull the guts out of the letter and present it below. I have highlighted the ones that commonly lure people in with neon green.

Marks of Good Science:

• It makes claims that can be tested and verified
• It has been published in a peer reviewed journal (but beware… there are some dodgy journals out there that seem credible, but aren’t.)
• It is based on theories that are discussed and argued for by many experts in the field
• It is backed up by experiments that have generated enough data to convince other experts of its legitimacy
• Its proponents are secure enough to accept areas of doubt and need for further investigation
• It does not fly in the face of the broad existing body of scientific knowledge
• The proposed speaker works for a university and/or has a PhD or other bona fide high level scientific qualification

Topics banned from TEDx stages(meaning that they are rampant with bad science):

• GMO food and anti-GMO foodists
• Food as medicine, especially to treat a specific condition: Autism and ADHD, especially causes of and cures for autism
• "Healing," including reiki, energy fields, alternative health and placebos, crystals, pyramid power
• "Free energy" and perpetual motion machines, alchemy, time travel
• The neuroscience of [fill in the blank] — not saying this will all be non-legitimate, but that it’s a field where a lot of goofballs are right now
• The fusion of science and spirituality. Be especially careful of anyone trying to prove the validity of their religious beliefs and practices by using science

Red Flags 

• Barrages you with piles of unrelated, over-general backup material, attempting to bury you in data they think you won’t have time to read
• Holds a nonstandard degree. For instance, if the physics-related speaker has a degree in engineering, not physics; if the medical researcher does not have an M.D. or Ph.D.; if the affiliated university does not have a solid reputation. This is not snobbery; if a scientist truly wishes to make an advance in their chosen field, they’ll make an effort to engage with other scholars
• Claims to have knowledge no one else has
• Sends information only from websites they created themselves; there is little or no comment on them in mainstream science publications or even on Wikipedia
• Provides data that takes the form of anecdotes, testimonials and/or studies of only one person
• Sells a product, supplement, plan or service related to their proposed talk — this is a BIG RED FLAG

Tips for Looking into a Topic.

Start with some basic web research. Wikipedia is your first stop to gain a basic background. Following primary-source links from Wikipedia, work out from there to university websites, science and health blogs, and databases of papers published in respected journals

The world is full of ideas, both good and bad. Science is the PROCESS by which we "build and organize knowlege". It is the process by which we can work together to improve our universe. Be smart out there when confronted with various ideas. There are a lot of wing-nuts in disguise.

Bastille Crack, Eldorado Canyon CO

I got out of clinic early on account that it was the first day. A quick call to Brody and I was on my way to meet him in Boulder with the intent to climb "One of the most classic climbs in the country", The Bastille Crack.

I took the first pitch, linking pitch one and two. It was super greasy, caused by so many people climbing it that the rock becomes smooth. This made it more unsettling than most other climbs of the same grade, not to mention that I was sweating from the direct sunlight. There is also a picturesque step from a flake into the crack, as shown above. Brody took the next pitch up and over some bulges to a large sloped shelf in a corner where he caught up to some slower German climbers who visiting Colorado as part of 6 month climbing tour of the US.

Starting our 3rd pitch up the corner past the sloped ledge.

I ended up following Brody up the 4th pitch with a headlamp. The descent was an easier down climb to a trail that took us down to the bottom. We were glad to have the headlamp.I love being back in Colorado!

Romping in Nevada's Ruby Range, NorCal Coast and New Shoes

Once again I made the 1,200 mile trek from California to Denver. I will be spending the entire month of September working with the Presbyterian St. Luke Podiatric Residency Program there. To break up the trip I decided to visit an isolated mountain range outside of Elko, NV. I have driven through Elko many times but never realized the beautiful mountain range that lies just over the hill to the south.

I ran up Right Fork of Lamoille Canyon near what I think was Wines Peak. It was a beautiful route that started on a good single track trail, morphed into some cairn (stacked rocks) hopping, and finished with some trail-less scrambling to the top. From the summit I bailed off down an unknown saddle that ended up being a huge rock field and bushwacked it down across back to the trail making it a lolly-pop type course. Despite being Labor Day weekend I only saw three other groups along the way.

Not bad for a summit self portrait. 

Nevada Stats
Distance: 10.6 miles
Elevation Gain: 3454ft.
Start/Turnaround Elevation: 7053ft/10,239ft
Elapsed Time (including a GI clearing session and a summit self portrait session): 2hrs 50min.

The day before hitting the road I decided to maximize my time with Kimber and accompanied her to a wedding that she was shooting down in Half Moon Bay. While she was being a photographer for 7 hrs I read, studied, listened to podcasts and took a nice 10 mile run along the California Coastal Trail.

I had hoped to possibly stop and do a run in Colorado and Utah as well. Having run in California the day before I left, I could have pulled a run in each state. But the clouds didn't align to my overly zealous plan (as usual). Oh well, maybe on the way back if the snow hasn't fallen yet I can get'er done.

I also finally got a new pair of running kicks, the Altra Superior Trail. So far I have only done the two above runs totaling about 20 miles but have covered paved road, trail, off-trail and pure bushwacking. Overall I don't regret my decision but here are my quick pros and cons.

Pros:

1. Light - numbers aren't that important so I won't give them but they were noticeable light. 
2. Zero Drop (heel being same height as toes) - I am not totally of the zero drop mentality but see benefits in the concept such as stretching the Achilles tendon. A tight Achilles is known as Equinus and is blamed for a whole boat load of pathologies (which I won't cover here). It was a weird transition and running up the steep terrain was working my calves a little harder than normal. 
3. Tread - They seemed to have an aggressive enough tread to work well on all surfaces, except wet smooth rock (but I am not sure if I would expect them to work well there). 
4. Wide Toe Box - They have an extremely wide toe box which allows your foot to flatten out unrestricted. In theory this should strengthen the intrinsic muscles of the foot which is good. This was ok when running straight up or down but on side hills I had a little bit to much movement and got some minor hot spots, but I was running on some abnormally steep side hills. 
5. Removable rock plate - not that I will ever take it out but if I wanted to I could.

Cons:

1. Lame 30 day manufactures warranty! - After purchasing I read reviews stating that the shoes don't last long and then also noticed that they only have a 30 day manufacturers warranty. Totally weak. 
2. Loose upper - Part way through my mountain run I had to cinch up my shoes super tight because they were allowing to much motion in my foot and this made to laces uber long. 
3. Calf Rub - These shoes seemed to rub on my inner calf more than other shoes. Probably due to them being wider. Give and take. 

This shoe isn't really a shoe that has much padding and therefore isn't the best candidate for ultra distance runs, unless that is what you like. I think ideally I would have three shoes in my quiver; a minimal shoe like this, a more padded and supportive shoe for longer runs and an uber aggressive shoe for routes that are off-trail the majority of the time.

Typical or Atypical Flatfoot in Children?

Photo by Kimber Hansen Photography

A common foot concern among parents is whether or not their child has flat feet and if it is an indication that the child will have problems further on down the road. Are there things that they can do as parents that can decrease the chance that their child will be unable to participate in sports and someday, maybe someday, become a collegiate or professional athlete if they want? I know I envision my kids running along side of me on various adventures someday in the future and the thought of my child growing up developing a deformity that  prevents this from happening scares me to death! (I am trying to empathize with you, but seriously I think about this).  Here is the low down on flatfoot deformity in children.



Flatfoot is common in children.

A child's structural support begins as cartilage, which is flexible and soft. This is true also in the foot. The midfoot, or the area above the arch, is one of the last areas of the foot to ossify, or convert to bone. Because of this it isn't uncommon for children to have less structure to their feet when they are young. This is often normal. A child's foot doesn't completely convert to bone until around the age of 7 yrs. That being said there are still times when concern is warranted.

There are times when it is wise to seek a professional's opinion on the matter.

• Pain. If the child is having pain that is preventing them from being a kid then they should be evaluated. .
• Difficulty walking and running. If your child is falling a lot more than others, walks with a limp, favors one leg over the other or is more apprehensive about getting up and running around than normal, the problem could be their feet.  
• Noticeable deformity. If things just don't look right when you compare the shape of your child's feet to other kids then an evaluation is advised. 

I know....these guidelines are so broad and gray. Many conservative parents want to get their child checked just in case. If you are on the fence about seeking medical attention a few more things that could put your child at risk for greater problems include obesity, family history of painful flat feet, history of trauma or sex (males are more at risk). If your child is on the low end of the scale you may consider just monitoring the situation because many times they will resolve on their own. If your child is presenting with one or all of the above symptoms a visit to a podiatrist should be considered to obtain treatment and rule out more serious problems such as Cerebral Palsy, Muscular Dystrophy, Skewfoot and Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis.

Treatment is usually simple.

Often times simply just wearing supportive shoes or getting a kiddie-thotic(supportive insert) can reduce pain and discomfort and get them back into action. If a more serious condition is discovered then surgical intervention may be considered but this is not common.

There is no clinical proof that orthotics worn as a child prevent flatfoot in adults. 

I am not saying that wearing orthotics as a child won't prevent flatfoot, because it might, but it also might cause other deformities(probably not, but possible). There just isn't conclusive evidence currently that shows much benefit to a child unnecessarily wearing orthotics or supportive shoes. My best advice is to just let kids be kids. I personally plan on letting my kids spend the majority of their time barefoot and if they have pain then I will consider intervening. While I am not totally on the naturalist bandwagon (because there are a lot of illogical things that happen under the "Natural" banner), I do see some wisdom in allowing feet to function the way they evolved to (this statement is in no way endorsing barefoot running off the couch BTW). Also, remember the risk factors that I pointed out earlier. If your child is at increased risk then more frequent use of supportive shoe gear and possibly orthotics can be considered.

Maybe I would put my kid in these....baby climbing shoes!!!

Matthes Crest: Alternate Perspective

I was pleasantly surprised to see that Sebastion, a German guy from Berkley that we met climbing on Matthes Crest a few weeks ago, sent me some shots that he got of me and Binh. We had agreed to swap shots. It is always cool to see yourself from a distance, especially on an awesome spine like this. Enjoy!

Morning with The Devil

Photo credit Wikipedia

My Utah buddies would scoff at this mountain, but Mount Diablo is the high point of the Bay Area, coming in at 3,864ft. The mountain is a challenge for hikers, road bikers, mountain bikers and runners to name a few. For 10 bucks there is a paved road all the way to the top for those wanting to drive and just going for the views. I met up with Richard Byler, a fellow podiatry student, to run it.

We started running around 7:55am at the Summit Trail TH outside of the pay gate. The sky was a bit overcast but after a few miles we were in the sun. It was a beautiful morning and a great run. The majority of the route was trail but we ended up putting down few miles of road. This is it for Bay Area elevation training.

Power walkin' above the clouds.

Summit.

Run statistics:
C2C time: 2:27 (7min rest on summit).
Elevation gain: 3446 ft
Distance: 13.0 miles

Matthes Crest

I have been living in Oakland for 3 yrs and just now made only my second climbing trip to Yosemite. Not something that I am proud of saying. Anyways, I pulled a single day trip with Binh Ta, fellow podiatry student, up to the Tuolumne Meadows area in Yosemite to climb a crazy cool long knife edge ridge called Matthes Crest. The ridge goes at 5.7 but the majority of it is 4th class. The views of the feature and the surrounding landscape was fantastic!

We left the Bay Area around 8:30pm and slept on the ground just outside of the park. We hit the trail for the approx 5 mile hike in around 7:30am and were at the base of the climb by 10:30.

Hiking in we pass Cathedral Peak, seen in the background.

The climb was PACKED! As I approached the South end, where we were going to start, I could hear and see many parties already up on the ridge and at the base of the first section there were at least 5 different parties either waiting or working their way up the face. We even had the privilege of celebrating one guy's birthday by eating some of his birthday cake that one of his friends hauled up for him. Everyone was just happy to be where they were.

Some of the parties as the base of the south ridge start. We by passed some of them by starting to the left, out of view. The birthday boy is in blue.  

I lead the first pitch. We took a variation of the normal start to by pass the crowds. It was a wandering crack up a semi-vertical face. We almost made it to the ridge but had to set up belay behind a group in front of us.

Top of pitch one. One of the only two pitches that should really be considered climbing. 

Binh took the second pitch that brought us to the ridge line. Once on the ridge the options were to simul climb or free solo. Simul climbing is where two people are tied together on a shorter rope and the leader places pieces occasionally while the follower cleans up the pieces as they both climb at the same time. We felt that the best option was to go free because the majority of the ridge was 4th class or low 5th class climbing. The ridge was beautiful! We passed many parties made it to the northern notch where the majority of people bail. There was a bunch of people there and we decided to continue up the North Summit. I led a pitch up the north summit above the notch and while climbing I hear "ROCK" as something buzzes past my head. It didn't sound like a rock and I instantly knew that is was the GoPro of a guy who I met on the first pitch. The guy dropped his glasses on the first pitch and we talked about how lucky he was that it wasn't his boss's GoPro. Bad day for that guy. I watched it blow out of it's case as it bounced down the mountain.

Binh Ta. New Balance climbing shoes in action. 

We soloed past all of them.

We hoped to get off Matthes early enough that we could climb another route on the way out. We probably could have if we would have bailed at the notch when we had the chance but we didn't!  It was a bit of a cluster getting down off of the North Summit because of all of the people. We signed the summit registry, AKA a small box with a notebook in it.We teamed up with another party to do the rappel because we only brought one rope and made the hike out.

The climb was great! I could have gone without the crowds and added another climb in on the way out but in a way it was nice to chat with random climbers from all over the world. We met climbers from California, Brazil and Italy.

The shadow above is the north notch where we descended. 

We were home by about 10:30pm. It really is awesome that from where am I living now I can pull a day trip to Yosemite. We will see what other trips I can pull before I end up moving in about a year.

As you probably noticed, I got a lesson in Lightroom from Kimber on the basics of photo editing and she gave my blog a bit of a face lift. Enjoy.