As many of you may have guessed, I recently have been chatting with groups at Running Room off 4th Ave. One of the key concepts my clients are interested in is how to stay injury free. Stretching is always a hot topic, and I recommend static stretching be completed primarily after, not before activity. Prior to activity dynamic warmup is an excellent addition to your training, there will be more on this in future blogs.
Static stretching involves holding a position for 30 seconds to one minute, not moving out of a position of specific stretch. Comparing left and right will give you an idea of your symmetry (or lack thereof!). Three key static stretches (read: post run/training!) are as follows:
1. Gastrocnemius and soleus (calf)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eKAtD2hlow
These stretches are of particular importance to keep your ankle mobile. The second stretch with knee bent will let you know of any limitations side to side.
2. Quadriceps
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZBKSOtyssM
One additional tip is to try to keep the knee back to get stretch of the rectus femoris. This muscle attaches all the way up into the front of the hip bone. As a result, this is a key muscle for causing pelvic imbalances that can put you "out".
3. Adductors
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Y2YZgYQLqc
Excessive tension in your adductors pulls your knee towards the midline, which is no good for knee and hip mechanics!
Remember to keep learning as much as you can about variety in your warmup, cool down, and how to train effectively. Ensure you listen to your body and know when any pain persists longer than 48 hours after activity that you should be getting that checked out by your friendly neighbourhood physiotherapist.
Monday, 30 December 2013
Chi Running Mechanics For Reduced Injury Risk!
As New Year's resolutions are just around the corner and many people will be breaking out their running shoes once more, I thought it would be a great opportunity to discuss running mechanics.
Many runners consider shoe fitment to the nth degree, but have rarely considered how they move.
A couple years back I was introduced to the concept of Chi Running, and it certainly had a positive impact on my own running tolerance. Looking up in some recent research, Chi Running was noted to significantly reduce ground reaction force at both the hip and the knee*.
So how do I do it? I start my clients off with three basic principles to try:
1. Land on neutral foot. No heel or toe landing here! More surface area means more ability to dissipate the force from your body- whether trail running or running on concrete.
2. In order to make #1 happen, you need to increase your cadence (# of steps per minute) and decrease the length of your stride.
3. Listen to your feet! If you hear your steps pounding here, you have to think that that load is going somewhere negative- decreasing endurance and increasing your risk of injury to your joints! This can be difficult to achieve with ear buds in, so try running without your headphones. My key tip here is to pick a point in front of you on the horizon or 15-20 feet ahead, and pay attention to how much your head is moving. If you find your head is bobbing up and down, try to minimize that. Steps 1 and 2 will assist this.
As a side note, try not to change too many variables at once! Make these tips your own by trying them and seeing what works for you. Certainly every individual has their interpretation of how to make this work for their own body.
For more information, there is lengthy information available on this website:
http://www.chirunning.com
*The study I alluded to is available here:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3022995/
Happy Holidays!
Many runners consider shoe fitment to the nth degree, but have rarely considered how they move.
A couple years back I was introduced to the concept of Chi Running, and it certainly had a positive impact on my own running tolerance. Looking up in some recent research, Chi Running was noted to significantly reduce ground reaction force at both the hip and the knee*.
So how do I do it? I start my clients off with three basic principles to try:
1. Land on neutral foot. No heel or toe landing here! More surface area means more ability to dissipate the force from your body- whether trail running or running on concrete.
2. In order to make #1 happen, you need to increase your cadence (# of steps per minute) and decrease the length of your stride.
3. Listen to your feet! If you hear your steps pounding here, you have to think that that load is going somewhere negative- decreasing endurance and increasing your risk of injury to your joints! This can be difficult to achieve with ear buds in, so try running without your headphones. My key tip here is to pick a point in front of you on the horizon or 15-20 feet ahead, and pay attention to how much your head is moving. If you find your head is bobbing up and down, try to minimize that. Steps 1 and 2 will assist this.
As a side note, try not to change too many variables at once! Make these tips your own by trying them and seeing what works for you. Certainly every individual has their interpretation of how to make this work for their own body.
For more information, there is lengthy information available on this website:
http://www.chirunning.com
*The study I alluded to is available here:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3022995/
Happy Holidays!
Wednesday, 16 October 2013
Runner's gut?
As a physiotherapist, I find myself constantly learning from my clientele. Most recently I have learned of the phenomenon "Runner's gut". This where runners suffer from a range of digestive symptoms of nausea, vomiting, and/or diarrhea.
I came across an interesting article on the matter worth considering if you display abdominal discomfort during or after running:
http://www.washingtonian.com/blogs/wellbeing/fitness/8-tips-for-avoiding-runners-stomach.php
In one client, manual treatment of the mesenteric root proved effective in alleviating these symptoms, quite interesting!
http://www.anatomyexpert.com/structure_detail/4820/1337/
I came across an interesting article on the matter worth considering if you display abdominal discomfort during or after running:
http://www.washingtonian.com/blogs/wellbeing/fitness/8-tips-for-avoiding-runners-stomach.php
In one client, manual treatment of the mesenteric root proved effective in alleviating these symptoms, quite interesting!
http://www.anatomyexpert.com/structure_detail/4820/1337/
Jericho Physiotherapy Hours
To those of you out in Vancouver, I am now available with the amazing team at Jericho Sports and Orthopaedic Physiotherapy Clinic. My hours are Monday 12-6pm and Wednesday 7:30-1pm. Call into the clinic for availability.
http://www.jerichophysio.com/
http://www.jerichophysio.com/
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)