I always dread filling out questionnaires that ask about injury history. After 33 years of competing in endurance sports and a health history of RED-S, the injury list is extensive. Tendonitis of the shoulder, hip, achilles, hamstring, knee. Stress fractures of both feet and tibia. The list goes on, but the good news is the frequency of most of those injuries were from 1998 – 2008 when my RED-S was at its worst. I have learned a great deal since my ‘injured all the time’ days. I have also learned a lot after 16 years of coaching. If you are looking to run injury free, here are five useful tips:
Build a Team Around You
When it comes to injury prevention, a good support system of expertise goes a long way. I certainly wouldn’t expect athletes to need all of these experts at the same time, but having a list of professional you trust is helpful when you do need extra support. A few team members that can help you run injury free:
Qualified Running Coach
A qualified running coach can help you set up a periodized training plan that ensures you don’t build up too much cumulative fatigue. A coach can also hold you accountable to taking rest when needed.
Physical Therapist / Physiotherapist
There are physical therapists who include injury prevention as part of their treatment plans. Look for a physical therapist in private practice who specializes in working with endurance athletes. They should be trained in how to do manual therapy to keep your joints moving in a healthy way to support your running. It is also helpful if they have tools such as PiezoWave Therapy, electrical nerve stimulation, ultrasound therapy, Alter-G treadmill, etc.
Registered Sports Dietician
Consulting with a sports dietician can help you set up the right fueling strategies to support your training and lifestyle. Further, if you have gut issues, an autoimmune disorder, or food allergies – a sports dietician can help guide you to healthy and adequate fueling with knowledge in those areas.
Strength & Conditioning Coach
Look for a strength coach that has experience working with endurance athletes. You will want a strength program that compliments your running. This is particularly useful for runners completely new to strength training or ones who struggle with motivation to complete strength sessions.
Massage Therapist
Body work can help relieve muscle pain as well as keep your body moving in a healthy way. Finding a therapist who specializes in working with athletes is essential as they know the typical problem areas to target.
Include Recovery Days & Weeks in Your Training
To run injury-free, you must allow time for your body to adapt to training. Adaptation only occurs with adequate rest. When you are intentional about including recovery days and weeks in your training, this allows your body to adapt to training and stay healthy and injury-free.
Take 1 – 2 rest days or recovery days per week.
Take a recovery week once every 3 – 6 weeks.
Be Willing to Adjust Your Training
I used to be so bad about following a plan to the T. I was stubborn to a fault, and this is where many injuries happened. Pay attention to trends in how sore and tired you are during and after training sessions.
If you feel unusually sore or fatigued for 3 or more workouts in a row, adjust your training.
Include Mobility & Strength Training in your Training Plan
Include 2 – 3 strength training sessions per week. 1 – 2 heavier lifting sessions & 1 bodyweight session such as Pilates.
Include 10 – 20 min of daily mobility work.
Fuel Adequately to Support Your Training
We really cannot skimp on this one. Nutrition provides the fuel we need to complete training sessions and also supports our recovery and regeneration from those training sessions. A few simple and key concepts to consider in sports nutrition:
Performance Plates
What proportion of your plate is vegetables, protein, and carbohydrate? The performance plate concept recommends different proportions of carbohydrate depending on whether it was a rest day, easy & short training day, or high intensity and/or long training day.
Nutrient timing
Athletes should time their nutrient intake spread throughout the day. For example, if all of our protein source is at dinner, we will not benefit as much as if our protein intake was spread throughout breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks.
Take note of how you feel
Keep a training journal and record how your energy levels were during and after training sessions. If you are consistently feeling low on energy, you may need to change your nutrition strategy.