7) Recovery Techniques
There are many simple and effective steps runners can take to help their bodies and minds recover from the impact of running.
a) Stretching - Always stretch your major muscle groups after your run (refer to Part 1 of this blog for a list of stretches). It will relieve stiffness and tension, as well as help increase flexibility and ROM.
b) Rest - Ensure you get 8 hrs of sleep each night, and if you can’t sleep for 8 hrs you can catch up by grabbing a quick power nap later in the day, or sleeping later on the weekends, if possible. Both your brain and muscles need sleep to adequately recover from intense aerobic activity.
c) Massage - In addition to stretching, massage will also relieve muscle tension. You can see a professional massage therapist for this, or DIY at home using a tennis ball or foam roller to get the deeper knots out. If the knots or muscle stress is deep and complex, acupuncture may also assist muscle recovery.
d) Compression - Compression gear, e.g. socks, stimulate blood flow in the area and helps deliver oxygen to the muscles, thus assisting performance and speeding recovery. They have been shown to reduce soreness after longer runs (e.g. 10km to marathons).
e) Icing - Ice may be useful for certain injuries depending on type and severity. Icing reduces blood flow to the area thereby reducing inflammation. Ice for 8 minutes at a time, twice daily, when needed. Follow by rest.
f) Epsom Salts - Bathing with epsom salts will help remove any excessive lactic acid build up from the muscle which occurred during an intense run.
8) Common Running Injuries & Prevention
If you follow the advice outlined above you may help prevent injuries in the first place. Stretching, massage, changing running shoes regularly (~500km), pacing sensibly and maintaining proper form will help prevent injuries from occurring. However, if you do get injured, I recommend seeking the advice of a medical professional (doctor or physical therapist) and take the necessary time off for proper healing.
Below I’ve outlined 5 of the most common running injuries new or overtrained runners tend to encounter.
a) Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome (MTSS) - aka Shin Splints - refers to pain along the front of the lower leg in the shin area. It can be caused by many different agents. The most common is repetitive high impact stress. Try to reduce running on hard surfaces (e.g. pavement) and run more on softer surfaces (e.g. treadmills, dirt trails, sand). Shin splint pain can also be caused by running in worn out shoes. It can also be a sign of poor stretching technique in the lower legs and calves, which can affect not just the muscles but also the fascia (the connective tissue joining the muscles to the bone). Proper stretching is necessary, and sometimes massage and acupuncture may be necessary to help heal the muscles and fascia. Shin pain may also indicate a stress fracture in the leg, which an x-ray will often be required to properly diagnose.
In this picture, I’m receiving electro-acupuncture for relief of shin splint pain that had led to inflammation in my fascia after a particularly intense training season. I found it very helpful and take regular treatment when I do heavy training on hard surfaces.
b) Plantar Fasciitis (PF) - Indicated by pain under the heel of the foot. Typically caused by twisting of the foot (due to over-pronation), a heel strike running form, poor stretching, and stiff/weak muscles in the ankle/foot. Proper stretching and proper form/gait analysis will help with this common running injury.
c) Patella-Femoral Pain Syndrome (PFPS) - aka Runner’s Knee - indicated by anterior knee pain, typically a chronic overuse injury caused by running with muscles that are not evenly trained causing the knee to roll inwards, e.g. some muscles of the thigh are stronger than others. Ensure you pay attention to strength training all parts of the leg equally.
d) IT Band Friction Syndrome (ITB) - is a thickening of the fascia that runs down the outside of the upper leg. Usually caused by training errors, over-pronation, running on a slanted surface or running too hard on weak muscles. Massage with a foam roller can help reduce pain until the training errors are corrected and weakened muscles are strengthened appropriately.
e) Achilles Tendonitis (AT) - Indicated by pain in the tendon that connects the calf muscles to the foot muscles, located just above the heel. The pain is most often inflammation in the tendon due to poor stretching and overuse. Icing, reduction in training until healed and proper stretching will help.
9) Cross Training
Snow-shoeing, cross-country skiing and water running all exercise the same muscles as running. While sports like swimming, cycling and rowing maintain cardiovascular fitness while exercising different muscle groups than those used in running. These are great to do to maintain fitness while healing an injury.
Most team sports also incorporate running into their plays. Sports like ultimate frisbee, soccer, football, basketball and tennis all include some level of running - from jogging to full on sprinting. Depending on how often and intense you play these sports you can include them in your training plans to a small degree. For example, I regularly play ultimate frisbee where I find myself sprinting hard during the games. I count these games as a type of interval training for my weekly running plan. However, these games are a supplement only, and not the foundation of my run training as it lacks the consistent tempo run element of any good running program.
Cross training can be useful for runners to incorporate into their training plans. It adds variation in their cardio training and can prevent boredom and stagnation. Sports cross training can also force you to incorporate alternative running drills like lateral movement and forwards/backwards drills which train both your core and leg muscles in different yet still useful ways.
When newbie runners are ready to tackle longer distances or run more competitively, it will be time to explore other running concepts, such as tempo runs, interval training, VO2 max/threshold running and other training techniques. But for your first season, stick to the basics, as outlined in this blog series and you’ll be ready to nail your first 5km in time for summer. After that, we can look towards the longer distances and more advanced training methods.
I hope you enjoyed the ‘How to Run’ series of blogs. If you have any other questions about running or would like to contact me about setting up a running clinic for you and your friends, please feel free to contact me.
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