Thierry from Suffolk-based Bodycare Sports Injury Clinic shares tips on how to stay injury free
Looking forward to running with others?
Most of us are. After all, it’s been months since people could train with their friends! For so many mums and dads the demands of home schooling and children at home have made regular runs impossible. But for some this has been an opportunity: the chance to be more active and take up running for the first time.
But hopefully it won’t now be long before we can all go out for our first run in ages with a group of friends, run our first race in months, or – perhaps – enjoy a Park Run for the first time. With warmer weather just around the corner, everything will be perfect. Well, at least we can hope it is!
But for a few of us there’s a risk that our pleasure could be cruelly cut short. Because most runners – at one time or another – have suffered some kind of injury. They can happen at any time, at any age, and at any level, to men and women alike. Though for the most part they will only interrupt your training for a little while.
For an experienced runner, an injury may be little more than a nuisance – a minor break in their routine. But for novice runners, typically those with less than three years’ experience, it may stop them running altogether.
The most common injuries in runners
Typically, most of the problems runners will have arise from overuse injuries – and those, in turn, are often down to errors in training. They include:
Runner’s knee (Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome) – when your kneecap doesn’t move as it should, and starts to get irritated.
Plantar fasciitis – pain is usually underneath the foot and tends to be more towards the heel. It is worse when getting out of bed.
Shin splints – there are three different types of shin splint, but the most common form causes pain on the inside of the leg, along the bone.
Iliotibial Pain Syndrome (ITB) – causes pain along the outside of the thigh, which can be felt anywhere from the hip to the knee.
Achilles tendinopathy – pain between your heel and your calf muscles. This is not an injury you can run through: you absolutely must stop running until it is fully healed.
Hamstring Injury – pain at the back of the upper leg, which you can feel along the muscle or where it is attached to your sitting bone.
Why am I so unlucky?
Many of you will say, “I am so unlucky, I’m always injuring myself!” or “Why do I always have this niggling pain when I’m running?” There may be any number of reasons, but the most likely one is that you’re making mistakes in your training. And the most common mistake is not drinking enough. (Sadly, I’m afraid, I do mean drinking water!)
Try to avoid too much alcohol and too many fizzy drinks, and take care to keep your fluid levels up all the time. You’ll run much better and more freely, and any injuries you do receive will heal much faster.
Above all, try to avoid the ‘terrible toos’:
TOO much – if you’re a new runner, haven’t run for a while or are coming back after recovering from an injury, take time to build up your running. Start slowly to give your body time to adapt or return to the higher demands you are making on it. Don’t increase your weekly distance by more than five or ten percent at the outside.
TOO fast – don’t overdo things in your speed training, especially if you’re starting to feel little niggles in muscles and joints.
TOO little rest – if you’ve been injured, always allow enough time before coming back to your running regime. And even if you’re fit and well, take a day or two every week for your body to rest and repair itself.
TOO little – a risk that’s often forgotten! If you only run once a week you’re far more likely to injure yourself than if you run between three and five times a week.
How to avoid hurting yourself
The good news is that all overuse injuries are preventable. Even if you’ve already had an injury, there are ways you can minimise the risk of another one. But it isn’t a quick fix, and you will need to be patient. (Not, I know, a word that runners like to hear…!)
You need to:
Keep your body hydrated.
Keep your muscles as relaxed as possible, and ensure you have a good range of movement by doing regular stretching exercises and massage with a foam roller or massage gun. People have many different ideas about these techniques (and argue whether or not they work!) but just do whatever you feel comfortable with.
Make sure your hips are strong, stable, and active. Pelvic stability is important to runners, so work on your glutes and core muscles.
Keep doing strengthening and balance exercises.
Run on different surfaces.
Take time to recover from an injury before you go back to running. Even when the pain has gone your injury may not be fully healed.
Choose your footwear well. Replace your running shoes on a regular basis and ideally alternate between two or three different pairs.
Be aware that fatigue and stress will increase your risk of injury.
Do not forget your gradual warm up before your run. If you decided to start at a slow pace, 5 minutes warmup will be fine. But if you decide to go for a harder session straight away, I will suggest that you take at least 10-15 minutes to get your muscles, heart rate and breathing ready for action.
Your body is an extraordinarily complex machine, and you need to look after it, but most injuries are preventable. Bear in mind that all through your life, your body has been adapting itself to be as effective as possible with every necessary movement. By taking the time and effort to make it more efficient you will hugely reduce the risk of hurting yourself.
Of course you’re eager to rejoin your running group. And of course you want to get healthier, and happier, and enjoy the company and conversation of like-minded friends. So don’t let your injuries be your main topic of conversation. They’re really not a badge of honour!
If, despite your best efforts, you do hurt yourself and your pain lasts more than two or three days, make sure that you know how to treat and fully repair your injury. If in doubt, get in touch with your sport health therapist, who will always be the best person to advise you. You don’t want to develop a recurrent problem, after all!
And in the meantime I wish you a happy and successful return to your group training sessions. I’m sure they will put a smile on your face!
Thierry Pennec - Bodycare Sports Injury Clinic, Kentford
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