019 Running injuries and prevention
Running injuries and prevention.
No one wants an injury, but running as a sport can sometimes cause unwanted ailments. While some types of injury are hard to predict, others are more common and there are practical methods you can employ to reduce your risk of suffering.
Making sure you warm up before running plays an important role in reducing the risk of injuries occurring. Warming up helps your muscles become more flexible and supple, reducing tightness and limbering them up ready for the exercise that lies ahead. If you skip the warm up, your muscles will remain tight and injuries are more likely to occur. Likewise, after your run, taking time to cool down also reduces your injury risk.
Remember when warming up think of it as a three staged process. One, warm the system, basically get moving, at least five minutes of gentle movement should suffice, but always remember the shorter the run the longer the warm up, you want to go in with the engine running from the outset. Two, mobility and dynamic stretching, be sure to mobilise all of the joints within the lower limbs and make sure that you dynamically (stretching with movement) stretch out those legs, but be don’t forget to hit any tight areas of the upper body as well. Three, activation, here we are looking at getting the muscles firing, think quadriceps, hamstrings and paying extra attention to the glutes, some simple bodyweight resistance exercises should do the trick (squats, lunges, lying hip thrusts etc). For further help with how to perform the perfect running warm up be sure to get in touch at info@apexathletic.co.uk
It’s equally important to make sure that you recover after each session before going back out again. Going from no running to training every day will ultimately wear your body out – even more experienced runners don’t necessarily train every day – so pace yourself and ease into a sensible running routine. If you do a long or hard run on one session, make the next one shorter and easier, so your body has time to recover. If you’re feeling under par, tired or unwell, don’t push yourself to run.
Common injuries.
Running injuries typically impact the feet, ankles, back, hips, knees and shins and include conditions such as muscle sprains and strains, Achilles tendonitis, back pain, sciatica, muscle soreness and stress fractures.
It’s not surprising that the feet commonly suffer from injuries, since they take a pounding when you run. One cause of sprained ankles is tripping or misplacing your feet. It’s easily done, but do try to keep an eye out for cracks or bumps in the pavement or road, and take care if you’re in areas where there might be exposed tree roots. Wearing inappropriate footwear can also play a part in causing foot injuries, as can failing to replace running trainers that are worn out.
Other minor foot complaints include blisters, bunions, ingrowing toenails and fungal infections, and they can all make running uncomfortable. You can help prevent blisters by putting petroleum jelly or a heavy moisturising cream on your feet before running, as this acts as a barrier. Ingrowing toenails can be prevented by cutting nails straight across, and the risk of fungal infections can be reduced by keeping your feet dry as possible.
Shin splints are a term used to describe the experience of pain shooting up and down the front of the lower leg. The exact cause isn’t known, but its believed to be related to suddenly increasing the amount and level of running you do. It can be very painful, but keeping to a balanced running schedule may prevent this condition occurring.
If you do suffer from any injuries, its advisable to get them checked by a doctor, rather than trying to self diagnose. Your injuries may be minor but when you’re starting out and aren’t familiar with the strains and pains caused by running, expert advice is valuable. If your injury is more serious, delaying diagnosis and treatment could slow down recovery
Exercise to strengthen the knee.
The knees take a bit of a battering when running and knee pain and injuries are common. You can strengthen your knee muscles, and subsequently reduce the risk of injuries, by performing regular leg exercises such as the quadriceps reset. Please find instructions on how to perform the quadriceps reset below.
. Sit upright on a chair with your back straight, your hands beside you and your feet resting flat on the floor.
. Slowly lift your right leg straight out in front of you, then hold in a contracted position for ten seconds.
. Repeat this exercise three times on each leg, at least four times per week.
(Disclaimer – If you’ve had an injury, follow the advice of your medical practitioner about how long you should wait before going out running again. However keen you are to get back out, it’s not worth the risk of exacerbating the injury)
Enjoy.
Refer a friend - Introduce a friend to Apex Athletic and as a thank you for your recommendation you will receive one 1:1 personal training session. Terms and conditions apply.
Apex Athletic - Unit 7
Esland Place - Love Lane
Cirencester - GL7 1YG
Comments