GeneralRunning Following An Injury

For some people running is simply a way of staying fit and for others it’s something they enjoy.  Either way, returning to running after sustaining an injury can sometimes be a difficult process.  It can often be long-winded, stressful, and painful if the correct steps aren’t taken to return to running following an injury.  Below is a brief outline of how to prepare yourself to go back to running without any added risk of getting injured again.

• The Golden Rule: If there’s one thing you need to remember it’s that your body needs time to recover from injuries. There are research peptides that shorten recovery time for injuries, but it’s best that you still take a rest. You should treat yourself as a novice runner once you start running again, even if you’re very experienced.  Having a break from running will have had an impact on your body and there are parts of you that will be rusty from not being used.  Start at a slow pace and increase the distance, time, and intensity of the run gradually.  But only do this as your body feels ready.
• Reducing the Impact: Another important aspect of the recovery process is to treat your body with respect and exercise gently to begin with.  When you run, ground forces transferred to your body are quite strong and the vibrations could hinder the healing process if you don’t take it easy.  To try and avoid further injury by wearing a good pair of insoles in your running shoes and take a look at these helpful hints:

Invest in a decent pair of running shoes.  To decrease the stress transferred from the ground to your feet find shoes that are equipped with proper cushioning.  Older shoes tend to lose their cushioning and as a result are less effective as shock absorbers.

Make sure the surface you train on is as soft as possible.  Softer surfaces mean less force is transferred to your body as it absorbs some of that impact.  Forests are particularly soft, with gravel roads being a little harder, until you get to the worst type of surface to run on – cement or concrete (pavements or roads usually).

To reduce the load on your legs, use ski poles or walking sticks when doing hill workouts.

Adjust Your Variables:  When it comes to running three are three main variables you can adjust to improve your running technique:  time, speed, and incline.  However, only ever increase one variable per session, in a gradual manner.  The following pattern gives you an example of a 3 session a week training programme that allows at least a day in between training sessions to allow your body to recover.

• Session 1: Walk briskly for 10 minutes; then jog for 4, then walk for 5. Repeat this three times before resting. As you gain strength, increase the jogging time gradually while reducing the walking time, until eventually you are jogging the whole session.
• Session 2: Walk briskly for 10 minutes to a steep hill. Then, run up the hill for 2 minutes, before very slowly making your way back down.  Repeat this 4 times.  Gradually increase the duration of the climb each week.
• Session 3: Try out the Ellipsoid machine at your local gym. This machine gives your whole body a great workout by recreating the walking/running motion, but without the pounding of feet on the ground you experience with running.  However, indoor workouts can quickly become monotonous so only a short session of around 20-30 minutes is recommended, followed by a 20 minute water run in the pool.

Stretching:  Always remember to stretch before and after any workout.  If you’ve been put of action for a while, so have your muscles, and they are very susceptible to injury.  Taking the time to stretch properly will save you a lot of pain and suffering later on.

Reduce the Risk of Inflammation:  Limit the risk of inflammation damage by using ice or contrast baths on the area that’s affected.  Or, in the event of anti-inflammatory medication being used, make sure this time is effectively used with training sessions.

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