Have you just started getting into running, wanting to increase your running distance or minimise your injury risk to keep you running pain-free? The good news is there are some strategies that you can utilise and put in place to maximise your strength and recovery and minimise risk of injury.
- Don’t increase distance or training load too quickly: the vast majority of running injuries are overuse injuries. Too often people increase their running distance or training load far too quickly without allowing adequate time for the body to adapt. Ideally you shouldn’t increase your running distance by greater than 10% per week. If you are new to running don’t increase your distance every week, instead, keep it consistent for 2 to 3 weeks to allow your body to adjust. When you’re comfortable, then you can run more.
- Strength work is important! Strength training and improving muscle strength is key to injury prevention. Adequate muscle strength is essential for adequate shock absorption, protecting our joints and tendons, and reducing risk of overuse injuries. All runners should ensure they are strength training 2-3 times per week, targeting all important muscle groups including the calf, quad, hamstring, glutes and core muscles. Getting an assessment to determine what areas you may be lacking strength and getting an individualised program to meet your goals is very beneficial.
- Ensuring your cadence is fast enough can help reduce injury risk. Cadence refers to the number of steps you take per minute whilst running. A cadence of 170 strides per minute or higher is ideal, but it is important to remember that ‘ideal’ is slightly different for each person. Increasing cadence reduces the ground reaction forces your joints, bones and connective tissues are exposed to, in turn leading to reduced risk of injury. Increased cadence also leads to reduced stride length which can reduce risk of stress fractures.
Prioritise recovery and sleep. After exercise our muscles and tendons take up to 24-48 hours to repair and rebuild. This highlights the importance of rest days to allow this recovery to occur. Continuing to overload the muscles and tendons on a daily basis can lead to overuse injuries. Ensure you have scheduled rest days in between long runs to allow for this recovery to occur. Prioritising sleep is another important factor for minimising injuries and maximising recovery.
Have you just started getting into running, wanting to increase your running distance or minimise your injury risk to keep you running pain-free? The good news is there are some strategies that you can utilise and put in place to maximise your strength and recovery and minimise risk of injury.
- Don’t increase distance or training load too quickly: the vast majority of running injuries are overuse injuries. Too often people increase their running distance or training load far too quickly without allowing adequate time for the body to adapt. Ideally you shouldn’t increase your running distance by greater than 10% per week. If you are new to running don’t increase your distance every week, instead, keep it consistent for 2 to 3 weeks to allow your body to adjust. When you’re comfortable, then you can run more.
- Strength work is important! Strength training and improving muscle strength is key to injury prevention. Adequate muscle strength is essential for adequate shock absorption, protecting our joints and tendons, and reducing risk of overuse injuries. All runners should ensure they are strength training 2-3 times per week, targeting all important muscle groups including the calf, quad, hamstring, glutes and core muscles. Getting an assessment to determine what areas you may be lacking strength and getting an individualised program to meet your goals is very beneficial.
- Ensuring your cadence is fast enough can help reduce injury risk. Cadence refers to the number of steps you take per minute whilst running. A cadence of 170 strides per minute or higher is ideal, but it is important to remember that ‘ideal’ is slightly different for each person. Increasing cadence reduces the ground reaction forces your joints, bones and connective tissues are exposed to, in turn leading to reduced risk of injury. Increased cadence also leads to reduced stride length which can reduce risk of stress fractures.
Prioritise recovery and sleep. After exercise our muscles and tendons take up to 24-48 hours to repair and rebuild. This highlights the importance of rest days to allow this recovery to occur. Continuing to overload the muscles and tendons on a daily basis can lead to overuse injuries. Ensure you have scheduled rest days in between long runs to allow for this recovery to occur. Prioritising sleep is another important factor for minimising injuries and maximising recovery.
