08/02/2023
USE THE “FOUR S” PRINCIPLE TO PREVENT RUNNING INJURIES🏃🏻♂️
1. SPEED
Speed kills. Well, not necessarily when it comes to running. If you are training for a marathon and you happen to rapidly increase your pace during your runs, then yes, you are likely to increase your risk of injury. However, quite often runners lack variable speed in their training. Doing runs with a slightly increased pace, sprinting, or repeats will often help to avoid injuries by increasing strength in leg musculature.
2. SURFACE
I can’t tell you how many times a runner has come to the office with an injury because they run 70-80 miles per month on the road and then decide they are going to run 5 miles in the trails only to experience either an acute injury from something such as a rolled ankle, or inflammation in a lower extremity joint secondary to an uneven surface. Changing up the surface that you run on will help to activate and engage smaller intrinsic muscles in the legs as well as give you proprioceptive feedback (aka telling your brain where your joints are), thus increasing balance and strength.
3. SNEAKERS
When it comes to running and footwear I have always deferred to the experts and always refer patients to local running stores so they can be properly fitted
4. STRENGTH
I saved the best for last! In my opinion, strength is the most important aspect when it comes to avoiding running injuries. Running is a unilateral sport and at any given point in time either one foot is in contact with the ground, or the body is completely airborne. If there is a deficiency in muscle strength on one side of the body there is potential for injury to that side, or often an overuse type injury on the opposite side. This is where a thorough evaluation comes into play. Looking at a patient from the ground up, including mobility of the ankle, knee, and hip joints, as well as isolating and muscle testing the major muscle groups of the lower extremities is so important. Once these muscle weaknesses or imbalances are identified, a strength program can be developed to help the runner overcome these potentials for injury.
