By Natalie Doolan, Sports and Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist at Active Bodies Physiotherapy, Adelaide.
Running can be a very effective, convenient and cost free form of exercise for many people, particularly those with a busy work and home lifestyle.
However it can be very disheartening when you set your goals, buy some new joggers, start to gain back some fitness… only to notice a blister on your toe, a cramp in your lower back, a catching in your knee or even a headache after your session.
Physiotherapists have an eye to detail when it comes to identifying the cause of such problems. The answer often lies in one or more of these common biomechanical issues:
- foot shape, mobility and strength
- ineffective ankle, knee and hip control through range
- lower limb flexibility
- hip and back stiffness related to sedentary work
- incorrect shoe fitting
- poor warm-up and recovery patterns
We see many clients develop problems when they take up running, increase their running distances, or return to running following a period of rest due to injury or illness. Often it is a matter of simply correcting a minor technique dysfunction.
With the correct preparation and advice you can avoid running injuries and enjoy working at your fitness.
