INJURY PREVENTION FOR NOVICE RUNNERS
Reducing your chance of a running related injury
With the world turned on its head for the time being due to Covid-19, many of us are finding new ways to keep fit and entertained, or finding comfort in returning to pastimes that might have dropped down the priority list when life was a little too busy.
With gyms and fitness studios closed for the time being, more and more people are lacing up their running shoes and hitting the pavement or trails.
Running has always been a great form of physical activity with low associated costs and long-term health benefits. In fact, studies have found that runners have a 25 to 40% reduced risk of premature mortality. Meta-analyses have also shown that recreational runners have a lower risk of developing Osteoarthritis compared to sedentary individuals and even competitive runners.
There are some short-term injury risks associated with running, but the benefits far outweigh the risks. And with a little assistance from Cutting Edge Podiatry and some newly gained knowledge, you can reduce these risks or even prevent running related injuries.
You first need to know that injury incidence among runners varies from 11% to 85%, which is somewhere between 2.5 and 38 injuries per 1,000 hours of running. And as you might suspect, novice runners report a high incidence of injuries for every 100 hours of running. Many of these injuries are considered to be Overuse Injuries such as Achilles Tendonitis, Plantar Fasciitis and Stress Fractures. What’s more, anecdotal evidence suggests that training errors are the cause of up to 70% of all running injuries. These can include excessive distances or sudden changes in routine. In fact, several studies have indicated that running more than 64km per week is a key factor in increased injury incidences.
Running volume, duration, intensity and frequency have a complex interaction with each other – running too many times in a week or only running once a week both increase the risk of running related injuries. The best approach to running is 'slowly-slowly'. Take time to build up your distance, speed and number of runs, ensuring you leave plenty of time to rest and recover. You should also consider running on soft surfaces, because hard surfaces such as roads and paths do increase your chance/risk of injury.
Studies suggest that decreased muscle strength in calves, quads and hamstrings are often associated with common running injuries but that targeted strength training at least twice a week can improve running performance, so it’s a good idea to mix up the type of training you’re doing. The debate is still raging around whether stretching helps reduce running related injuries, but we certainly recommend adding it to your routine for a well-rounded exercise regime.
At Cutting Edge Podiatry, we can help get you started on your running journey. Our team specialises in bio-mechanical assessments including comprehensive stance examinations and video gait analysis. We can even assist with selecting the best style of running footwear to suit your body and the type of training you’re undertaking.
Importantly, if you do sustain an injury, don’t try and run through it! Arrange a consultation with us so that your running injury can be properly assessed, diagnosed and treated, because out of all the risk factors, the biggest one is a previous running injury within the last 12 months! This tells us that incomplete recovery time and treatment has a major impact on your future running.
We’re still open for appointments as an essential service during Coronavirus restrictions, with increased health and safety measures in place. We can also conduct assessments via telehealth and other non-contact methods.
To arrange your appointment, give us a call on 02 9875 3065 or book online.