Elite Athlete or Injury Connoisseur
It’s safe to say since the initial lockdown back in 2020, we have seen an increase in people in the local areas taking up running. This is a brilliant way to boost your cardiovascular fitness, strengthen your body, improve your immune system and a way to relieve stress.
Injuries are common amongst runners, especially when you don’t take the recovery as seriously as the run itself. Shin splints, tendinopathies, muscle tightness and fatigue can all contribute to pain around the body and limit your day-to-day activities. We are here to make sure that this doesn’t happen again, as well as helping you with any injuries / ache and or pains you may be experiencing.
As therapists we know that even a small 5km run can still bring to light a few niggles around the body.
- Starting to get pain down the front of your shins?
- Lower back beginning to get tight and achy after a run and throughout the week?
- Hamstring tightness making your feel as mobile as a plank of wood?
Good news! There are ways to help reduce these symptoms. Here are our top five tips to improve your running performance:
- Stretch!! We all neglect stretching at the best of times but stretching after a run or on your rest days will aid in the recovery of the muscles and help with overall mobility. You wouldn’t run with a plank attached to your back as you need movement throughout the entire body. Stretching will assist with this and prevent muscle tightness / strains.
- Hydrate. Taking on board plenty of fluids can aid with cramps and hydration, making the muscles more pliable. If you struggle to drink whilst you are running, then try to make sure you drink plenty the morning of or the day before.
- Strength training. Running may improve your cardiovascular system but we also need to protect our joints, tendons and ligaments. A good runner will look to condition the whole body and resistance training is a great way to improve this. You don’t need to start lifting like a body builder, but one or two sessions a week is a good starting point.
- Eat more protein rich foods. Protein helps us stay fuller for longer periods as well as providing us with the energy and nutrients we need to recover from our training.
- Don’t push through an injury / pain. It’s challenging to stay out while an injury heals. You run the danger of missing out on a wonderful endorphin rush as well as delaying your training and racing goals. But if you push through the discomfort, whatever is wrong with you will take longer to get better or inevitable get worse.
Technique Cues:
Let’s not forget a crucial part of the run – your technique! Whether you are marathon training or jogging around your neighbourhood, your posture and running style affects how well you run and recover. If you’re new to running (or need a refresh of the basics), we’ve compiled a list of technique cues to think about when you’re next on your feet:
- Avoid over-striding
- Maintain a tall posture as your run
- Relax your shoulders
- Strengthen your glutes and core
- Don’t bounce or rotate excessively
- Control your breathing
Need some more advice on how to recover effectively? Or are you looking to wring out those aches and pains post-runs give you? We are here to support you on your running journey!
Get in touch with us:
01480775912
