With everybody’s 2018 fitness regimes well underway, I’m starting to see quiet a few patients who have sustained running injuries from doing too much too soon. So I’ve put together 10 top tips for Warrington runners to help manage running injuries.
This advice is based upon Tom Goom’s running blog over at www.running-physio.com. If you’re a Warrington runner and haven’t been to his site before, make sure you check it out!
Train smart and include rest – learning when to rest is a key part of running, especially when training for an event. Sometimes it’s harder to rest than to run but it’s essential for your body to repair.
Find the cause of your injury – if your symptoms are not settling then book into see me at Daniel Massey Physiotherapy. I’d be more than happy to help you resolve your running injury.
Settle the symptoms –Use the acronym “POLICE”, with the P standing for protect and the more recently established “OL” standing for optimal loading. The last 3 letters stand for “ice”, “compression” and “elevation”.
Strengthen – the most effective way of strengthening is to identify specific weaknesses and work on them. Common areas are the calf, glutes and quads.
Stabilise – control and stability of movement is very important for runners. If you have poor control then you are likely to have excessive movement during the impact part of running. This can place a lot of stress on certain structures like the ITB or Achilles tendon.
Stretch – runners often complain of muscle tightness or joint stiffness. We tend to use generic stretches but it’s best to identity specific tight areas and work on those.
Modify – in many situations you may be able to run pain free by modifying your running. Dan can work with you to find ways of modifying your running to make sure you can keep on track.
Plan a gradual return to running – so many people expect a rapid return to where they left off as soon as symptoms have settled. Unfortunately the body needs time to adapt to running again and any long break from running requires a gradual return.
Footwear – having appropriate footwear is an important part of your running. Old, worn out shoes will offer little support and it’s recommended you change your running shoes after approx. 350-500 miles.
Ask for help – runners often seem reluctant to ask for help from their GP or Physio. If you are struggling to settle your running injury then contact Dan at info@danielmasseyphysio.co.uk.
Kind Regards
Dan
Specialist Physiotherapist
