Unfortunate current events have resulted in new complications, such as maintaining physical and mental fitness without access to our usual resources. With many gyms, yoga, Pilates, and spin studios shut down, tons of people are uncertain of the best way to stay in shape. Thankfully a lot of the fitness facilities mentioned above provide online training and classes, which serves a huge benefit during this time. Another option is to initiate new forms of effective exercise, such as running.
Running and Safety
Running is both a time-efficient and low-cost way to get cardiovascular exercise that also allows you to maintain social distancing practices. If you had previously run for exercise or sport, you should continue to strengthen appropriately to maintain proper running mechanics. For first-timers who believe now could be a good time to pick up running, I want you to proceed cautiously with this decision.
Running can be a fantastic form of cardiovascular exercise if done correctly, as our bodies are mechanically designed to run. However, 21st-century sedentary patterns can alter this design, placing stress on weak tissues. Before going out for a 30-minute run and potentially causing all different types of tendinitis, among other problems, consider your baseline cardiovascular and strength levels and take the following helpful tidbits to heart.
Ten Tips for a Healthy Run
1 | Don’t be afraid to take breaks! Running form won’t fall apart as fast if you allow your muscles time to rebound. The moment you lose good running form and get sloppy is when injuries occur.
2 | Be sure to listen to your body. If you’re experiencing pain in any joints or soft tissue, don’t push through it! The saying, “No pain, no gain” does NOT apply to running!
3 | Strengthen your glutes, hip flexors, and lower abdominals. These are very important groups of muscles that help you maintain good proximal hip and lumbar stability during the gait pattern. (1,4) The following exercises can be used to prevent injury:
4 | Try to maintain a cadence (number of steps per minute) of at least 170-180 bpm to decrease the amount of time during the stance phase. The stance phase is the phase of running when your foot makes contact with the ground and is where the most repetitive stress injuries occur. (2,4)
5 | Keep a slight forward lean from your ankles. This allows your momentum to move forward and not up/down, which can place many compressive forces through the spine. I see a lot of very upright runners, which can come from compensation of lower back muscles and weakness through lower abdominals and glutes. (4)
6 | Activate your glutes and lower abdominals before you go for a run to carry over better form. (1.3)
7 | Try to avoid excessive heel striking. If you know that you are a heel striker, try to aim for the midfoot when you strike your foot down. However, you’ll need to make sure you progress slowly towards this change so as not to strain your calf muscles. (2,4)
8 | Maintain good hip flexor mobility. A widespread issue with individuals that sit for long periods throughout the day is a limitation in the hip flexors. This shortness can pull on the pelvis and cause muscle imbalances, especially during running. (3)
9 | If you are new to running, it’s best to make sure you are wearing good supportive running shoes to eliminate stress through the kinetic chain.
10 | Walking and biking can also be excellent forms of cardiovascular exercise. Take advantage of your gyms’ virtual classes/training to mix it up even further.
Getting out of the home to run or walk can be great upkeep for cardiovascular fitness and mental health during this time. Be sure to maintain a safe distance from others when doing so and be smart about jumping into any dramatic new modes of exercise. If you are experiencing any pain or want guidance on your running form, the physical therapists at SetPT are here to help. Feel free to reach out for a telehealth or private in-person session if needed!
Sources:
- Baker RL, Souza RB, Rauh MJ, Fredericson M, Rosenthal MD Differences in Knee and Hip Adduction and Hip Muscle Activation in Runners With and Without Iliotibial Band Syndrome PM R. 2018 Oct;10(10):1032-1039.
- Napier C, MacLean CL, Maurer J, Taunton JE, Hunt MA. Kinematic Correlates of Kinetic Outcomes Associated With Running-Related Injury. J Appl Biomech. 2019 Apr 1;35(2):123-130.
- Tam N, Tucker R, Santos-Concejero J, Prins D, Lamberts RP. Running Economy: Neuromuscular and Joint Stiffness Contributions in Trained Runners. Int J Sports Physiol Perform. 2018 May 29:1-22.
- Zimmermann WO, Bakker EWP. Reducing vertical ground reaction forces: The relative importance of three gait retraining cues. Clin Biomech (Bristol, Avon). 2019 Oct;69:16-20
