Returning to running post injury
Avoid these big mistakes to prevent injury when returning to running:
The biggest mistakes I see as a physical therapist and running coach from athletes returning to running after an extended break that often times result in injury:
Too much mileage too soon
Running too fast too soon
Too much ascending/ descending
Assuming your old running shoes are still appropriate for your current level of fitness or flexibility
Forgetting to add back in strength and flexibility work
The first 3 may seem like common sense, but are the most common culprits of injury I see in the clinic. As far as running shoes go, remember our flexibility, support needs, and the integrity of the shoe itself change over time so a new shoe may be needed. Strength and flexibility are one important aspect of proper running mechanics and should always be a part of your run training. Consistency with running and strength/ flexibility work help prevent injury.
Tips on how to go from sitting all day at a desk job to a structurally sound athlete:
The American Heart Association has reported that sedentary jobs have increased 83% since 1950 and physically active jobs now make up less than 20% of the U.S. workforce. So with many of us sitting at a desk 40+ hours a week, how do we go from sitting all day to a structurally sound athlete?
6 tips:
Proper ergonomic desk set up is crucial to prevent pain with prolonged sitting. Your feet should be flat on the floor. Your knees and hips should be at approximately 90 degrees with your knees being equal or slightly lower than your hips. Your elbows should be at approximately 90 degrees and your keyboard should be at a distance where forearms are mostly horizontal and wrists are straight. Your monitor should be approximately arms length away and the center of your screen should be at approximately shoulder height.
Set a timer on your phone or watch to go off every 30-60 minutes. Take a 3-5 minute break to do some seated or standing stretches or postural strengthening exercises. My favorite seated stretches are a hamstrings stretch, trunk forward flexion stretch, cross leg hip rotator stretch, and trunk rotation stretch. A standing hip flexor lunge stretch, gastrocnemius and soleus stretches, trunk sidebending and a doorway pectoralis stretch are my favorite standing. Scapular squeezes are an easy and quick exercise to do while seated to strengthen rhomboids and to help improve posture. Chin tucks help strengthen your deep neck flexors to aid in improving head position with sitting or standing and help to decrease neck pain and headaches.
They may seem like silly trends but using an exercise ball to sit on at your desk, a walking pad or treadmill desk, and a sit to stand desk all have benefits to improve strength, posture, and to prevent injury and pain. Using an exercise ball as a chair will help improve trunk stabilizer muscle strength as well as increase circulation and improve postural awareness. A few quick and easy exercises to improve trunk strength and mobility while sitting on the exercise ball include alternating arm and leg lifts, same side arm and leg lifts, hip circles, and knee extensions. Suggested duration of sitting on the exercise ball at work is in 10 minute increments. Sit to stand desks also aid in improving posture and strengthening postural muscles as well as increasing circulation, improving muscular endurance and decreasing muscle tightness that incurs from sitting.
Keep a water bottle at your desk and hydrate frequently. Consequently, you will have to take more frequent restroom breaks and trips to the “water cooler” to refill your bottle. This forces you to take a break from sitting and to get some steps in. Don’t forget to add your electrolytes!
Consistency is the key to any training plan and injury prevention. Make it a point to schedule your workouts on your calendar like you would a work meeting or appointment. Make sure you keep that “appointment to yourself” like you would when you don’t want to get fired from work 😛
If you have flexibility in your schedule and are able to eat lunch at your desk at any time, I’d suggest using your designated lunch break as an opportunity to go for a walk, fit in your training run, do some strength training or stretching.
Lindsay LaForce, PT, DPT, UESCA Certified Run Coach
Coach Lindsay is taking running clients right now. Learn more about her and our endurance coaching here.
