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Running.
A seemingly “easy” sport because it doesn’t require any equipment.
Just you and your mind.
BUT if it’s SO easy, then why are there so many injuries associated with it?? Whether you’re a novice or an elite runner, there will come a time (if you haven’t experienced it yet) that you experience new aches, pains, and injuries. This post will address some of the most common reasons WHY injuries occur and WHAT to do about them.
Let’s start with the hips; from a mobility perspective. Hip flexor tightness is one of the most common things we see. Your hip flexor (iliopsoas) does exactly what it sounds like, it flexes your hip or brings your thigh toward your stomach. If you were to run an 8 minute mile, you’re taking an average of 1,500 steps. That’s a lot of times that you’re asking your hip flexor to work, especially when you multiply that 1 mile by 2..3..even 4 miles or more.
This brings me to stability. Let me first say that running is technically a one-legged sport (both feet are never on the ground at the same time). One leg has to support the entire load of your body and much of that single leg stability comes from your glutes – gluteus medius in particular. Similarly, because running is a uniplanar motion (meaning you commonly go in one direction… forward), you’re rarely training your glutes the way they need to be trained. Your glutes wrap around to the sides of your hips, so they need lateral movement to strengthen them.
Why does this matter? Your glutes control the amount of rotation of your thigh, which then (since everything in the body is connected) contributes to the amount of inward collapse happening, not only at your knee (which can lead to knee pain), but also in the arch of your foot (a movement known as pronation) and is what commonly leads to foot and ankle pain. So if you’re not doing supplemental lateral movements and glute strengthening, then you won’t be able to control your knee or arch, counteract the pull of your hip flexors, or actively support your body the way you need to while running.
How to fix this:
- Start with this KB psoas release1
Follow that up with:
- Banded side step/squat combo
- deadlift
- Single leg deadlift
Now let’s talk about the ankle and big toe. Hypomobility or joint stiffness can commonly develop in athletes. Because of the repetitive propulsion that is required from your feet and ankles, your calves and achilles tendons are likely to become tight. Over time, this tightness will affect the mobility of your ankle joint and limit your ability to bring your ankle in the opposite direction, the “toes to nose” direction known as dorsiflexion.
With insufficient ankle mobility, the muscles surrounding your joint become overworked and can lead to overuse or “tendonitis” type injuries because they’re trying to move a joint that’s unable to be moved. Additionally, with months of running without supplemental mobility work, activities that require this “toes to nose” motion (which can also be thought of as decreasing the angle between your shin and foot), such as any kind of squatting or even going up and down stairs may be more difficult. limited ankle mobility is one of the leading causes of knee pain during these activities.
how to fix this:
- Ankle Dorsiflexion mobilizations
- Great toe extension mobilizations
While mobility and strength are important elements that you should consider, there are other components that have just as big of an impact on your ability to stay pain free. These components are your choice of footwear (depending on your arch and your specific needs) and your running technique. Stay tuned for Part 2 that addresses these concepts!
Thanks for reading!
aerial b.
