Running

Don’t Run into Trouble

8 Keys to Preventing Running Injuries

The high rate of running injuries makes focusing on prevention key. If you can prevent injuries, you’ll be able to run more consistently, reach a higher weekly mileage, do more challenging workouts – and ultimately, race a lot faster for longer.

Prevention is essentially the ‘mirror image’ of risks or causes of injuries. If you understand those, then you know where to start.

1

Training Errors:

Overloading tissues due to constant repetition of the running action. Watch your mileage, you should aim to increase your weekly mileage by no more than 5-10%. Include recovery days and cross train. Run on different routes and surfaces (including grass) to vary the repetitive nature and load on your body. You should also rotate between 2-3 pairs of different running shoes. Group runs are great for motivation, fun and company but ensure you can run at your pace within the group and don’t get dragged off on long, or hilly, runs if you are not ready

2

Biomechanical Factors:

The way you run, or your running ‘style’ is very relevant. We all know that some people look fantastic while others look dreadful. However, how you look does not relate to how ‘stressful’ or efficient your action is. Style can be difficult or even impossible to change so always consult a coach or a therapist with experience of working with runners.

3

Recovery Time:

Running places stress on the body. If given adequate time to recover these stresses will act as a stimulus causing the body to adapt in a positive manner making it fitter and stronger. However, if there is inadequate time between training sessions the body does not fully recover and minor damage to tissues can consequently develop into an injury.

7

Strength Training:

Weak muscles are more prone to injury and less resilient to the impact forces of running. Focus on fundamental strength exercises. For runners, single leg strength is key. When you’re running, you are never on both feet at the same time. Each leg needs to be strong enough to absorb the ground reaction forces, which are about 2.5-3 times your body weight, during the landing phase.

8

Muscle Imbalance and Weakness:

Mobility – Or the ability to effectively move through a full range of motion – is key to a healthy body. Running causes scar tissue and muscle adhesions to form, which reduce your mobility and negatively impact your stride.

A large proportion of non-traumatic running injuries stem from muscle tightness leading to restricted biomechanics and alterations in running gait. Dynamic stretches daily, even if you don’t run that day, are great for general strength, flexibility and stability. These include leg swings, lunges and squats. Even when brushing your teeth balance on one leg to improve core strength and stability. Use a foam roller regularly, and get regular massages if you can.

Prioritise those especially tight “trigger points” to stay loose and supple. Keep moving during the day, stretch at your desk, and keep a tennis or golf ball in your draw and roll out the soles of your feet whilst working.

4

Inadequate Nutrition:

Hard training causes depletion of muscles glycogen stores.

Muscle glycogen is an essential fuel during strenuous exercise, the depletion of it causes fatigue and inhibits performance. If glycogen stores are not effectively replaced, you will start the next run in a semi-depleted state, causing potential fatigue and therefore increased injury risk. The same may also be true of dehydration and fluid replacement after exercise.

5

Muscle Imbalance and Weakness:

This overlaps with posture and anatomical factors (like being ‘flat footed’ or having knock knees). We adopt stressful postures daily, particularly when sitting, where imbalances in muscles can develop.

Static positions held for long periods, or jobs that may lead to an overdevelopment of some muscles, and under development of others, create inbalances between abnormally tight and shortened muscles, or weak and long ones.

This will alter movement patterns and postural control which can increase the potential for injury. A physical or manual therapist can be a great help in this situation.

6

Prior Injury:

One of the strongest risk factors for injury is a previous injury in the past 12 months. Ideally therefore you want to prevent the first injury! If not, then ensure your injury is fully treated, healed and rehabilitated before you start a progressive return to running to avoid a re-injury. Even if you don’t feel pain from the injury, you may need to continue your rehabilitation treatment for some time after the injury has ‘healed.

The Big Six Sports Injuries

Running

The high rate of running injuries makes focusing on prevention key. If you can prevent injuries, you’ll be able to run more consistently, reach a higher weekly mileage, do more challenging workouts – and ultimately, race a lot faster for longer.

Skiing

There’s no doubt about it, snow sports are fun. Whether you’re hurtling down the side of a mountain at 40 mph, or exploring backcountry terrain; snow sports always involve excitement, adventure and exhilaration.

Golf

Basic cardiovascular fitness is essential. Regular walking, running or cross-training on a stair machine, elliptical trainer, swimming, and cycling are all ways to improve general fitness.

Tennis

The sun is shining, the strawberries are ripening and the tennis season is upon us! The tournaments held at the Queen’s Club and The All England Club in London are just around the corner, inspiring many of you to get back out on the court.

Cycling

There are two main types of cycling injury, those caused by falling off (which we don’t discuss below) and the issues caused by overtraining, biomechanical stresses, often due to muscle imbalances, and incorrect bike set-up.

Swimming

Swimming is one of the most popular sports in the world. We swim in the sea, pools, lakes, streams, rivers and even ponds. And given that 70% of the Earth’s surface is water, we’re not short of opportunities.

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1

Treatment

When you have an injury, we work with you to work out exactly what’s wrong and based on our extensive expertise and experience, devise a tailor made treatment plan to resolve the problem.

2

RESTORATION

Once we have got you to a stage where you injury is healed, we then give you a rehabilitation programme to restore your strength and enable you to resume your sporting activities.

3

prevention

Are you currently engaging in sport but worried about getting injured in the future? Why not work with us so we can help get your body strong and supple to minimize any disruption to your exercise routine?

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