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Just a walking on the street or beach in your flip-flops can expose you to a wide range of germs (including fecal matter!). Plus, pounding the pavement in this poorly-padded footwear leaves you more susceptible to stress fractures, meaning no matter how cute and portable these babies are, they are no substitute for your normal walking or running shoes. Check out AOL Health's article on flip-flop dangers to find out what precautions you can and should take to safeguard your feet.

Spring is in the air, and the sidewalks are finally bustling again. Walking and running are perfect activities, but sometimes along with the good, comes the bad. Fitness expert Fitz, of Fitzness.com, explains where shin pain comes from, how to avoid it and how to get rid of it. These simple steps will keep you training productively and out of recovery.

For more innovative training videos, visit Fitzness.com.

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It's a well-known fact that older women need calcium and vitamin D to fight bone loss. But it's also important that younger, active women get calcium and vitamin D to prevent stress fractures.

A recent study looked at more than 5,000 female U.S. Navy recruits and found that those who didn't take additional calcium and vitamin D were 25% more likely to suffer a stress fracture.

The authors of the study recommend that women take calcium and vitamin D supplements before starting any new exercise regime. But you can also opt to get your calcium and vitamin D naturally. Dairy products such as low-fat milk, yogurt, and cheese are good sources of calcium, but there are other nutrition sources as well. Your best source of vitamin D is the sun; fish and vitamin D fortified foods (milk, orange juice, and cereals are often fortified with vitamin D) are also sources.

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