Running related injuries - training load, shoes and more P1

Link to podcast:

• https://open.spotify.com/episode/3Ltmnt08QzvQ3clDkdjJo1

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In this episode of the Inside Exercise podcast, Professor Rasmus Østergaard Nielsen discusses with Dr. Glenn McConell how running injuries occur and how to prevent them. However, in my opinion as a strength and conditioning coach, we should add some extra information.

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I totally understand the concept of "too much, too soon": too much volume increase, too frequent training, too high intensity, too much running in new shoes, and so on.

For me, "not enough, not often enough, and not soon enough" are what mostly matter. We talk about mobility, flexibility, and running-specific strength and conditioning. When runners discover our sport as beginners, they are already overwhelmed with information about gear, races, and training. Adding more learning can be difficult to manage, but since education is the first line of defense, it should be prioritized.

Science is evolving, and training methodologies and execution are being elevated to new levels. However, there is one thing I still cannot recommend enough—something that was emphasized and strictly monitored in my school nearly 15 years ago at NTC Ireland: technique. No compromise on technique and concentration ever. You either do it or you don’t. There is no intermediate state. Just start reading the Pilates book by Rael Isacowitz: "No mindless repetitions."

So yes, runners should learn some basics of physiology and anatomy, along with fundamentals of strength and conditioning. This includes the laws of torque, posture, and breathing. They should apply that knowledge to their morning Pilates, mobility sessions, stretching routines, muscular development, and running drills.

For me, practicing with lifelong, brutal regularity is far more effective than constantly worrying about the 10% increase rule or the 80/20 rule.

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Runners generally don't know how to warm up. Runners want to run. Runners don't like to strength train. They don’t do it because it takes time. But no, it actually gives you time—it gives you pleasurable time in your older years too. Do you know how many runners I've known for over 1.5 decades who don’t run anymore? Do you know what percentage of them complain about pain here, pain there?

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Do you know how little it actually takes to avoid issues? Basically, 10 minutes in the morning. It can be foam rolling plus yoga, foam rolling plus Pilates, or 5 minutes of mobility and 5 minutes of Foundation Training (FT). If you have no hip, back, or other issues, you can even do 10 minutes of low-impact running drills, like deadlift walking, hip raises, leg raises, dwarf walking, and some slow-motion squats and lunges. You can try balance board drills and hula-hooping.

Before a track session, you can simply learn a 5-minute activation routine, either from a book or from a video. You can use "Ready to Run" by Kelly Starrett or "Chi Running" by Danny Dreyer. Use the old videos from the Science of Triathlon series, which are worth their weight in gold, featuring Joe Friel and Wes Hobson.

After your workout, do an easy cooldown, finishing with a wind-down walk. Then you can go on the foam roller again, do some very light leg swings—light ones!—and get into a deep squat. Spend 3 to 4 minutes, and you're done. In the evening, before bed, take 5 to 15 minutes. If you’ve learned a little about physiotherapy, you’d know that to make tissue changes, you need at least 90 seconds of something—like 90 seconds of pressure on a muscle knot or 90 seconds of pose holding. I like to choose 5 exercises, 5 movements each day, and do a 2-minute pose hold for each. It’s easy. It’s gentle, and the tightness builds up over time, not right from the beginning. For example: pigeon pose, seated stretch, supine hamstring stretch, and lower calf stretch—that’s 12 minutes. Or it can be the couch stretch. I might do a 10-minute shinbox routine. It could be a 5-minute Russian low back stretch or a Pilates neck stretch.

Running is a non-contact sport, but the more you run, the more niggles you will have. Treat them from the root.
The thing is, that if you got into these routines life long, after a couple of years, you'll be completely non sensitive to sudden volume and intensity swings. You'll be ready for anything anytime.

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Next Chapter Is about Running Technique  

 

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