Why do you keep getting injured?
Are you one of the 50% of recreational runners that experience a running-related injury each year?
We personally think that the most frustrating part about getting injured is that after you get injured once, it seems to happen again and again. The trouble is that having a previous injury places you at significant risk of getting injured in the future.
So, if you have been injured before (or you currently are) then you need to find out how to minimise your risk of it happening again!
So, what can you do right now to reduce your injury risk?
1. Sleep
Our bodies need time to rest, repair and recover. Sleeping a minimum of 7 hours is adequate for a sedentary individual but if you are moderately active most days of the week you would benefit from getting closer to 9 hours.
2. Nutrition
Fueling our bodies with appropriate nutrition pre-, during- and post-workout is critical for our recovery. Seek advice from a qualified nutritionist or dietician for specific guidance but in general making sure you are taking in adequate protein, carbohydrates and healthy fats as well as hydrating appropriately is a good place to start. Hydration includes more than just water (we will dive into this in another blog – stay tuned!).
3. Training load
This is more than just kilometers per week. This includes training intensity, elevation, duration, frequency, strength sessions, and any other exercise that you do. Adding in regular de-load weeks can be a great way to manage your load and ensure you don’t overdo it.
4. Stress
Work, family, and financial stresses can take a huge toll on the body and our ability to recover. Times of high personal stress may be an appropriate time to cut back on some training intensity so that you are not placed at a heightened injury risk.
5. See an Exercise Physiologist
We are here to help! We will take the guesswork out and allow you to do what you do best - run!
How can an Exercise Physiologist Help?
Exercise Physiologists are university-qualified health professionals who use exercise to treat chronic and sub-acute injury and disease. We have a thorough understanding of anatomy, physiology, and biomechanics, as well as an ability to treat each person as an individual with their own barriers, health concerns and preferences.
1. Find weaknesses, imbalances, and deficits
Whilst we understand that no one is exactly symmetrical (try brushing your teeth with your non-dominant hand!), we know that having a significant difference in strength between left and right sides can potentially increase your risk of injury.
2. See how well you move - posture, gait analysis, mobility
If you have ever had a running-related injury but you have never had your gait analysed, then this is something that needs to be considered. If you are doing all the right things in terms of strength, training, recovery, and training load but you're still ending up with unnecessary aches and pains, then you should definitely look into having your gait analysed.
3. Consideration of your medical history
We are qualified to work with people who have a variety of health concerns including, but not limited to; diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, osteoporosis. Don’t let these diagnoses stop you from doing what you love. We will work with your specialised health professionals to ensure you can safely enjoy getting back to exercise.
4. Treat the whole person
It is very rare for an injury to be isolated to just one particular muscle, tendon, or ligament without the influence of other structures. As Exercise Physiologists, we look at the whole picture to gain a good understanding of potential contributing factors to your pain so that we can treat the cause, rather than just the symptom.
At North Shore Running, we also have backgrounds in running coaching, strength & conditioning, and biomechanics so we are able to train you to move well both in the gym and on the road or track.
Our 8-Week Injured Runner Program is coming soon, so stay tuned!