By Sarah Sewell
Running is a great way to keep fit, whether you are a seasoned runner with events and medals under your belt, or you are a newbie dusting off those running shoes for a different ‘lockdown’ fitness challenge. I believe running is a great choice for fitness due to low start-up costs plus the fact that you can do it just about anywhere and any-time. Find some suitable clothing and a good pair of running shoes, and you’re good to go. Or are you?…
Of all recreational athletes, runners suffer the highest rate of injury so read on for some top tips to consider for all runners to stay strong and injury free.
If you are completely new to running then there are some fantastic online resources to tap into, such as the NHS live well information. This has a couch to 5k training plan but advice on approaching physical activity if you have not run before.
NHS Live well running tips for beginners
Developing good running habits:
Shoes
Before you start it is important to have a pair of well fitted sports shoes. These needn’t be expensive but should ideally be fitted in a specialist running shop where they can advise on the best shoe for your running goals and which will provide protection to ankle, foot and knee joints.
Strength and stability
Weak muscles will be prone to injury and less resilient to the high-impact forces of running. Before starting a new running regime it is recommended to build fundamental strength.
When we run both feet are never on the ground at the same time so each leg needs to be strong enough to support approximately 2.5-3 times your body weight during the landing phase.
This NHS link shows some basic exercises to start with, including single leg squats, key to running strength and balance.
NHS-live-well-knee-exercises-for-runners
Runnersworld exercises and running style tips for more advanced runners to avoid injury
Movement
Flexibility is vital to a healthy body; allowing your body to move through its full range of motion. Muscle adhesions and muscle tightness may lead to altered biomechanics and changes in running gait so daily stretches are important, for example leg swings, lunges and squats.
Try standing on one leg whilst you brush your teeth to build core strength and stability as well as develop proprioception (nervous system responses).
Get regular massages when you can as this can help with soft tissue hydration and elasticity.
Previous injury
Be mindful of muscle imbalances, weakness or previous injury.
You may have adopted poor postures as a result of sitting for long periods, or have an occupation which has led to an overdevelopment of some muscles, and underdevelopment of others. These adjustments in postural control can increase the potential for injury.
If you have had a previous injury of any sort make sure it is fully healed and rehabilitated (this may take some months) before you begin a phased return to running to avoid a re-injury.
Never exercise through pain – it is your body telling you something isn’t right.
Avoid overloading / overtraining
Avoid overloading / overtraining tissues due to constant repetition of the running action. Increases in mileage should be no more than 10% per week; the body is very clever in adapting to new stress placed through joints and soft tissue but it does need time.
With sufficient time to recover from the physical stress of running your body will adapt in a positive manner making it fitter and stronger.
Recovery and rest
Make sure you include recovery days and include some cross training by including different types of activity such as cycling, walking, yoga or weights. I
f you are starting out then running twice a week with another two sessions of other activity would be a good place to start. If there is inadequate time between training sessions the body does not fully recover and then minor damage to tissues may develop into a niggle and then an injury.
If possible, run on different types of surface (grass, trail paths, pavement) to vary the stress patterns on the body as well as adding interest to your run.
And finally…
- Healthy nutrition is an important factor in post run recovery to ensure muscle glycogen stores are restored ready for your next run. Depletion can inhibit performance. It is also vital to ensure you are well hydrated and replace enough fluids throughout the day, you should be aiming for 1.5litres of water per day, more if you are running or exercising for over 60 minutes at a time.
- Remember that rest is important between runs to give your body a chance to recover fully and to strengthen. Running when energy is depleted can result in injury. This means having a day off between runs and getting good quality sleep.
- Don’t skip the warm up and cool down! A gentle warm for 5 minutes including exercise such as marching on the spot, leg swings, lunges and squats to warm you up, get your heart pumping and get your nervous system primed.
- Seek professional advice. There are many specialist running shops that now offer gait analysis and advice on optimum running posture to avoid injury. If you get hooked on running it’s well worth investing in this assessment as you will develop good running habits and therefore hopefully be less injury prone.
- Some of the common running injuries we see in clinic include Achilles tendinopathy, Hamstring strains, Plantar fasciitis, Iliotibial (IT) band syndrome, shin splints (medial tibial stress syndrome and Patellofemoral (knee) pain syndrome. If you start to experience problems remember that we offer tele-consult appointments with our osteopathic team who can advise on self-treatment and care. Plus, look out for Bernie’s next blog about calf stretches and taping which may be helpful as well.
Happy running! I hope you enjoy it as much as I / we do
Photo by lucas Favre on Unsplash