Tuesday 7 July 2009

Managing injuries for a speedy comeback!

RUNNING LIGHT
Most injuries happen for a reason and the first thing to do after getting injured is find the cause, in my case I tried out a technique I'd seen on youtube, the idea was to drive your foot into the ground to increase energy return! Big mistake, all it did was increase impact and lead to my calf pull!
Talking to Barry about my injury he said I should be working towards running as light on my feet as possible, to accomplish this I should concentrate on knee lift!

ACTIVE TEST
Try this;
Run on the spot, concentrate on your feet landing on the floor, now switch to concentrating on lifting your knees, feel the difference! Out on the road I've found just concentrating on lifting my knees a little really makes a hugh different to running lighter and my calf muscle is thanking me for it!
Jack Nirenstein of GRAVITY RUNNING said this;
Uphill running uses a different range of motion for your legs. They lift higher and come down less. The feet do not reach as far forward, which makes the stride shorter. Gravity is still the only force that moves you forward but the feet do not go behind as far for gravity to pull you as fast. The landing is not as hard because it is soft like running up steps and not hard like running down steps. The higher lift and more strides to go forward, make it harder on the muscles. You need to train on hills to get stronger for them.

I also found this bit of advise from elite women's runner Kara Goucher on running uphill; LEGS: "Push your legs off and up, rather than into, the hill," says Goucher. This helps you feel "light," as if you're "springing" up the hill.
Video on using knee lift for improved running
What is good running form
I've followed the advise from my chiropractor and run easy every day, trying to keep below the point where the calf starts hurting, I seem to be making good progress!
Sat 4th Calf quite sore, managed 36 mins of slow running with a few walk breaks.
Sun 5th Run with Jon, sandhill 6, worried that the calf might break down again but once running felt a lot better than yesterday! = 57 mins
Mon 6th
Run with Niz for 21 mins then I set off for a run over the sandhill paths, again an improvement with my calf and finished gradually increasing the the pace at the end without any bad side effects = 42 mins + 21 mins
Tue 7th
Was able to run at an easy aerobic pace before reaching the pain barrier of my calf muscle, inc a few faster sections, another improvement. Sandhill 6 plus run down and back = 1.11
Wed 8th
Good improvement again today, was able to maintain my normal easy aerobic pace with no real pain apart from a slight niggle from time to time. ran with Tess over the big sandhills working on knee lift, felt good! = 1.30

4 comments:

Samurai Running said...

After that African Ghost scare I'm afraid to open any links from your blog Rick.

RICK'S RUNNING said...

Yes Scott I don't blame you, that link scared 'THE CRAPPER OUT OF ME 2'

Ewen said...

Just shows what a girly wuss Scott is.

That's a good point about knee lift - the lack of it is obvious when you watch old marathoners shuffling along. How does that type of running form tie in with Gravity Running?

RICK'S RUNNING said...
This comment has been removed by the author.