5 Tips to Avoid Pain While Running
Warm Up - We have all been there before. Trying to squeeze in a workout and running is a convenient option. Make sure you have adaptable warm ups available to you prior to running. Your warm ups should be dynamic and not include long bouts of static stretching. My recommendation would be to incorporate 10-15 minutes of individualized dynamic mobility drills, repetitive jumping/plyometrics drills, and some run specific drills prior to going our for a run. Seeing a Physical Therapist at Calibrate Physical Therapy can help in creating individualized running warm ups that will not only prepare you to run but also build to mitigate your risk of injury and improve your running economy.
Strength Training - There are too many recreational endurance athletes who don’t incorporate strength training into there workouts. Various muscles throughout your lower body take an incredible amount of repetitive load when running and our body is great at compensating to allow for locomotion leading to overuse injuries over time. Ensuring the right muscle groups have the perquisite strength is critical to avoid injury, but also if done correctly it will improve your Performance. Micro-dosing strength training (20-30 minutes) before runs tends to be a great option for those who are to unwilling to dedicate additional time to a focus strength training session. At Calibrate Physical Therapy we utilize Objective testing such as force plates, isolated strength testing, mobility, and movement assessments to identify asymmetries or imbalances regardless if you are in pain or looking to prevent it.
Running Mileage Load Management - Start where you are comfortable and accustomed too and don’t ramp up to quick. To keep it simple on average it is recommended to increase no more then 10% total volume per week. Calibrate Physical Therapy can help you create a running program. It is also innevitabelt hat as you ramp up running you will have some aches and pains. Having a Physical Therapist in your corner to identify if that ache or pain is something you should push through or rest and how to intervene is the best way to build week after week to achieve you running goals.
Wear The Right Shoes - Some people could get away with wearing almost any shoes to run while others need specific types of should based on there foot posture and lower body alignment. If you are doing regular long distance running I would strongly recommend getting fitted for the right shoes at a local running store. If interested to take a step further ask a Podiatrist or even a Physical Therapist to provide some guidance on if Orthotics.
Run Fast and Slow - One of the greatest secrets for runners who take a Science backed approach to endurance running Performance is to slow down for a majority of there runs and speed up for a few. Understanding and learning about your estimated of individualized training zones is a priority. Most recreational runners spend way to much time in Zone 3-4 (70-90% MaxHR) and not enough time in Zone 2 (60-70% MaxHR). Zone 2 is critical for improving the efficiency of how we create energy while minimizing the cumulative fatigue on our bodies during repetitive bouts of running per week. While doing Sprints far beyond our average running pace allows us to improving running economy, strength/power, and utilize different muscles/energy systems we don’t normally utilize during endurance running.
