Say No To Niggles!

We all know how it feels to be injured. It is apart of being a runner; the ability to take the rough with the smooth. When runners are injured they can be the grumpiest and most frustrated people ever. Just ask your partner or friends how you are when you can't run and their response should be enough. Being active gives you a natural high. Hormones released during exercise called endorphins give you that feel good factor. When you don't get your dose it can leave you feeling irritable, short tempered, and lethargic.

The best way to stay injury free is to be proactive and prevent injuries occurring in the first place. Here are some simple steps you can take to keep you running.

Get the right footwear. The shoes you run in are the most important item you own as a runner. Without the right shoes you can experience all sorts of niggles in the knees, hips, calves. In a typical 4 mile run you take on average 6500 steps, with each one absorbing up to 4 x your body weight. Your shoes need to absorb the impact but also allow your foot to contact the ground in a neutral and supported way to prevent overuse injuries. A specialised running store will be able to advise the right type of shoe for your foot strike. They should analyse your foot strike either when you walk, or ideally you'd hop onto a treadmill for a true running gait analysis. If a store doesn't seem to know what they are talking about then you are better to wait and go to a store where you will get a better service and ultimately save money by having the right shoe for you.

Be strong! You can also prevent injury by working on your core muscles. These are the muscles in your lower back, stomach and sides. They support your pelvis and back preventing any movement that could affect the way your legs move below you. Having a strong core prevents unnecessary movement allowing you to have a more efficient running style. Pilates classes are very good for core strength and can be motivating to ensure you stick to your exercise routine. Just 10 mins every other day of a few simple exercises will help you develop and maintain a strong core.

Get rubbed! Regular sports massage on your legs and lower back is a great way to ease out tight areas associated with running and thus prevent these areas pulling or tightening up further. Extreme soreness can ultimately lead to unwanted injury. Sports massage is designed to relax the muscles so they perform optimally. If you have had an injury sports massage can break down the scar tissue and prevent the injury reoccurring. Visiting other therapists such as a physiotherapist or an osteopath is great if you have a specific weakness for injury. Ensure your sports massage therapist is SMA qualified.

Eat to run. You get out of your body what you put in. If your body is not getting all the right nutrients you are more susceptible to injury. Your body needs protein carbohydrates and vitamins to repair and build newer stronger bones, ligament, tendons and muscles. Hydration is also vital to injury prevention. Dehydration can lead to tight muscles, cramps, and soreness. Being hydrated and fuelled up helps you to recover better from exercise and feel full of energy for your next run.

Change your route. Running on difference surfaces helps prevent injuries. Pounding the roads all the time can be very hard on your muscles and joints and alternative routes on soft trails can offer some light relief for your legs. If you can mix some road running in with some off road running you may find you ache less after a hard workout. Do be cautious when running off road. Watch your footing and make sure you run on a good solid path. Don't try running across ploughed fields as you may find you twist or sprain something. Be sensible.

Train smart. Progress your training gradually. You can build on intensity and volume but don't try and build on both at the same time. As a rule of thumb increase your volume by 10% each week but not for more than 3-4 weeks at time. When you decided to increase the intensity of some runs, don't build on volume too. So, avoid trying to run longer and faster on the same run! Too much too soon may leave your body breaking down faster than you can build it up eventually leads to injury.

Do something different. Cross training is a great way of adding volume with out the added pressure on your joints. Swimming, cycling and the elliptical trainer are great forms of cardiovascular fitness training and will compliment your running well. If you have a niggle switching to some form of cross training for a week or two may nip an injury in the bud, give it time to heal whilst keeping you sane!

Get R&R. Recovery and rest are just as important in your schedule as running. When you rest your body has time to strengthen muscles tendons and ligaments, it allows any inflammation to settle. Resting actually makes your body stronger when it is part of a well structured training program.

I'm injured now what? The first 24-48 hours is a good time to RICE: Rest, Ice, Compress and Elevate. I have spoken to so many people with long term injuries. When I ask them what the physiotherapist said they say oh, I haven't been to see one! A quick diagnosisis essential to treat the injury appropriately and start back running when theinjury is healed. Find a good sports physio who you trust. A good therapist will be able to give you exercises to prevent the injury reoccurring and advise you when and how to progressively build into your running again. If you start back before you have given the injury enough time it is likely you'll end up back at square one again. Most muscular repairs take 3-21 days depending of the severity. The worse the injury the more progressive you need to be when you start back running again.

No one likes to be injured and by using some common sense and investing in injury prevention you are more likely to keep on running!