Many of us have had to turn to new methods of exercising while our gyms and health clubs have been shut down during quarantine. One of the most common forms of exercise right now is running and jogging. These can be great ways to increase your aerobic fitness and get your heart pumping!
Running and jogging are great starting points to improving your cardiovascular fitness, and a great way to enjoy the start of warmer weather with no equipment needed! The biggest concern can be an increased risk of injury, as your body adjusts to this new (and potentially stressful) activity. Jumping right into a new activity, and doing it too often may lead to an unfortunate injury. Here are some tips to help you improve your tolerance to running and better prepare your body for your new hobby!
- Warm-up: A proper warm-up is crucial to any workout, but especially running. Increasing blood flow and body temperature prior to your run can assist in preparing your body for the workout ahead. Foam rolling muscles that are either sore or will be used in your running is a good way to start. From there, a dynamic warm-up consisting of functional movements, such as squats, lunges, skips, high knees, and butt kicks can get aid in blood flow and coordination. Save the static stretches for a cool down after the run!
- Pace yourself: Another important aspect of getting started with a running program is being realistic with where you are at. Pacing your distance and speed is crucial to your early success and will help keep your injury risk low. If you haven’t been running in a while, now is not the time to try to set a new personal record for distance and time on the first run. Pick one aspect, whether pace or distance, and work on slowly building that up. A couch to 5k program sounds great in theory, but if you progress too quickly you are setting yourself up for injury and frustration. A good rule of thumb can be increasing by no more than 10% each week in terms of mileage, although this is not indicative of all individuals.
- Not all or Nothing: You won’t be able to give 100% to every workout all of the time. It is smart to mix in some intervals of walking into your initial running progressions. This will allow you some active recovery mid workout, while you continue working your cardiovascular system at less intensity. This can keep you compliant, as it won’t be as difficult, and you will find you can run better after the walking intervals. Using music or a timer can help, by mixing in a 1-2 min walking pace for every 3-4 minutes of running.
- Shoe wear: Proper shoe wear can be dependent on a lot of factors. These include preferred mileage, pace, foot structure, dynamic movement patterns and plain comfort. While each choice can be individualized, a good place to start is a shoe that provides an adequate amount of cushion, inner arch support, and shock absorption without overdoing it. Orthotics may be appropriate depending on foot structure. Some good brands to start with include Brooks, Saucony, and Asics. If you are not sure where to start, running stores such as Marx Running in Acton, MA can analyze your running form and make customized sneaker suggestions. In short, there are many suitable options, but it wouldn’t be smart to begin your running program with basketball shoes, flats, boat shoes, or hiking shoes.
- Rest and Recovery- Don’t forget that the human body makes its adaptations to training during periods of rest and rebuilding. Try to limit days of consecutive running, and allow your body a chance to recover. This applies to soreness as well, listen to your body! Recovery can include days of no running, lighter days of walking, eating balanced meals, sleeping well, and finding time for fun activities. No recovery discussion would be complete without hydration. Make sure you are hydrating with plenty of water before, during and after your workout. Depending on duration, a sports drink with a good combination of electrolytes and sugar can be a great assist to replenishing everything lost in your sweat!
Now is the perfect time to start a new fitness journey. Running can be a great adjunct to a healthy lifestyle. However, have a plan and follow some of these tips to ensure you are feeling your best, progressing, and reducing injury risk! Random, sporadic starts will only yield random sporadic results.
Have an injury that is holding you back from running? If you have a specific question about this post or would like to speak with a sports physical therapist directly about an injury, comment below, message us here, or give us a call at (978) 263-0007. We would be happy to answer any questions you may have about whether you should go to the doctor, see a PT in the office, or maybe do a video treatment (aka telehealth) so that you can get headed in the right direction.
Achieve Physical Therapy is currently open in Acton, Bedford, and Sudbury MA. We can see you in the office or by video treatment. If you choose to come into the office, we are following all CDC guidelines including the use of face coverings, cleaning, personal hygiene, and staggering patient appointments to limit how many people are in the office.
If you have any questions about this post or would like to speak with a physical therapist about an injury, give us a call at (978) 263-0007 or, use the contact form on our website. We would be happy to answer any questions and discuss possible next steps.
Achieve Physical Therapy is currently open in Acton, Bedford, and Sudbury MA. We can see you in the office or by video treatment. If you choose to come into the office, we are following all CDC guidelines including the use of face coverings, cleaning, personal hygiene, and staggering patient appointments to limit how many people are in the office.
