Prevent Running Injuries!
Calling all Infinite Health Runners!
Hopefully you read our previous post, educating you about our top 5 most common running injuries. If you haven’t, check it out… it’s certainly worth a read!
Today’s post is all about HOW to best prevent running related injuries, as well as one of the best ways to IMPROVE your performance!
If that sounds like you, and you’d like to not only reduce your risk of injury when running, but improve your running times as well then read on below.
One of the best things we can do as runners is a little something called strength training, particularly, progressive resistance training.
But whaaatt, lifting weights for runners??
Yes, absolutely. One of the biggest mistakes we see in the clinic with injured runners is that they haven’t earned the right to run, and run the amount they are doing. What does that mean?
Well, running requires a lot of shock absorption through the feet, ankles, knees, hips, etc. That means a lot of force that your body has to absorb when hitting the ground, then produce to propel yourself back up. A key way to improve your body’s ability to withstand this shock absorption force is to make it more capable and resilient, through the use of progressive resistance training (PRT).
PRT is when we expose your body to a form of resistance (gravity, dumbbells, bands, etc) for a set amount, work on that until the body has adapted to that resistance, then progress/increase the amount of resistance placed on the body yet again. Then repeat. This is to ensure the body continues to become more and more resilient in handling force, which is required when we run!
Click the button below to see an example running strength training program!
Now, not only can we make the body more injury resistant, but if our muscles and tendons are physically stronger then they are able to produce more force…. And more force production can lead to more energy output, which can lead to you powering up that hill quicker, running on the flats quicker, maintaining a top speed for longer, etc. As a result, we can achieve overall quicker running times too!
There is also a particular way of doing this, without putting on a lot of muscle mass too… but that’s enough info for now ;)
Not sure about how to do all this safely and correctly, in a way that’s specific to you, your body and your goals??
Don’t worry, an Exercise Physiologist specialises in this area and can design an exercise program specifically tailored to you!
Click the button below to book in online and get started today:
Our caring and friendly Chatswood, North Sydney and Sydney CBD Physio Team would love to help you out, so reach out to us if you have any questions!
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