Last week I had the pleasure of meeting Kathryn who is a local Nottingham physio who has the same passion and desire to help people succeed as rb5 Nottingham does. Many of our personal training clients who over the summer find that being outside is such a beautiful thing , decide to take up running.Now i love running and being in the outside, but this demanding exercise routine does prompt niggles , so Kathryn of Arcadia Physiotherapy is going to talk about injury prevention. Here’s what she had to say about running injuries
We runners are some of the worst for injuries. Despite the average take-up age for male half marathon runners being 39, or perhaps because of it, we are repeatedly told by so-called health professionals that running is the problem, that we should just give it up, try something gentler. Injury? What else did we expect?
Of course, forewarned is forearmed. For some reason, when people take up tennis, or football, or hockey, they go and get lessons, attend regular training. People who want to try running just strap on some dusty ancient trainers and head out the door. There are a plethora of running clubs around Nottingham that can offer support and advice such as rb5 who’s personal training and bootcamp memberships
guide and coach local people of Nottingham to enjoy running.
So without further ado
here are my:
Top Three Injury Management Golden Rules
Stretch
Please please, if nothing else, do this. Your body has worked hard for you so think about giving it a reward. A rewarding dinner is fine, but muscles benefit from a more direct approach too. Stretching not only increases flexibility but encourages circulation in tired muscles and consequently promotes healing of any micro-damage you’ve just sustained on those hill sprints. It’s the singular best way, in my opinion, to keep injury at bay. And remember, hold each stretch for at least 30 seconds, any less and you won’t get the benefit.
Don’t Ignore Yourself – Listen to Your Body
Too many runners come to my physiotherapy practice long after a niggle began and finally developed into an injury that stopped them entirely. I myself have been ambushed by tears watching a youtube video of a child running as I nursed a torn calf on the sofa. Such a beautiful motion, an amazing feeling. How could we ever stop? It’s hard to let go when your body reaps such rewards, but while you are out there clocking up the miles, take a moment to switch off your ipod and listen to what your body is saying. Which leg has a smoother movement? Which arm is leading? Is that ache getting worse or better? Do your feet sound the same as they hit the ground? Meditation in running may seem a little far out to you (or maybe not) but everyone can benefit from tuning in to themselves. Try it (instructions here!), see how you get on. By the time you get home you’ll have a much better idea of how to go forward with your particular niggle.
Get Educated
I’m sure that most runners are pretty up to speed on what calories are, how many is ‘normal’, and how many a 5k run burns off. But have you ever heard of Tensor Fascia Lata or Gluteus Medius? If so that’s great, because they are both hip muscles and extremely relevant to runners. They play a key role in the common affliction of Runner’s knee and many other leg problems. Don’t get me wrong, foam rollers are a godsend, but it’s far better to understand exactly why you are using them, especially as they hurt so much! Learning some basic anatomy, and the principles of training and you will be well on your way not just to managing but preventing injury.
For a full assessment of your injury , please get in touch via mail@arcadia-therapy.com or book online at www.arcadia-therapy.com/book .
