Injuries - Understanding Niggles and Solutions

Running and walking are very safe sports, and even safer if we have an understanding of how we can unknowingly injure ourselves.


CAUSE OF INJURY 

Basically, if more force applied to the body than it cannot cope with - injury is the result. 

TRAUMATIC INJURIES

Usually involve a big force in a split second. E.g. foot slips of edge of road curb. These are avoided by having our head up and not being excessively dehydrated or fatigued to the point of struggling to concentrate.

The majority of traumatic injuries happen on trails, tripping on stones and tree roots. We recommend finding a path with these hazards and practicing lifting our feet to develop - eye, brain and feet coordination.

OVERUSE INJURIES

Overuse injuries result from repetitive movement that at some point causes the feet and legs to break down. Injuries to runners and walkers are mostly overuse. 

Running or walking forces

•A runner heel strike impacts is 3 x body weight.  A walker 1.5.
•Runners have a double float phase meaning both feet are airborne. Walkers always have one foot in contact.

Remember we are built to do this. What evolution has not equipped us to do is the same track in the same shoes at the same pace. Or wake up one morning and decide its a good idea to run a marathon in six weeks. 

ADAPTATION AND VARIATION

Giving your body time to adapt to an increase in training volume is the first key.
Creating variation in your training is the second key.

Adapt

We recommend building volume by 5% a week. Take it slow and give your muscles, tendons, ligaments and skelton time to adjust and adapt. Your lungs will adapt faster than your musculoskeletal system.  

A new (novice) runner will get injured if she runs 50 km’s in month 1. While she can run 50 km per week, if she takes 8 months to build up. 

Variation

Variation changes things up and changes the micro forces on tissue.
So change everything up you can;
  1. Route - have a 2 week cycle of routes that are all different. 
  2. Terrain - go bush and hit the trails
  3. Shoe rotation - multiple shoes that are all different models is best.
  4. Pace - mix up pace from easy to faster during your 2 week route cycle.
  5. Cross train - gym, pilates, bike, swim and whatever.

BE AWARE OF DISEASE

Pain is not always a running or walking injury as such.

•Arthritis
•Diabetes
•Obesity
•To name a few…

MANAGING NIGGLES

The best athletes are constantly monitoring and managing themselves.
  1. Taking 1 - 7 days off training.
  2. Swapping workouts to rest a sore part of the body.
  3. Returning to training at 1/2 the volume and rebuilding slowly.
  4. Sometimes taking a full week off and mental relax to best.
  5. Work on stretching and strength of micro muscles.
We are increasingly fans of strengthening micro muscles for runners and walkers.

SEE A DOCTOR

If you have swelling, redness or a very specific site of pain please consult your sports medicine advisor. If you have that feeling that something is really not right please act.

Again, running and walking are incredible safe. With incredible long term benefits.

Craig Taylor
Shoe Science HQ | Podiatrist & Life time runner
“Running changed my life for the better—we want the same for others.”