Is the Injury On One Side of the Body or Both?

When you've sustained a running-related injury --not the traumatic event kind (like an ankle sprain), but the kind that just 'appears' for no obvious reason-- is it typically on one side of the body or both sides?

I ask because, if you stop to think about it, probably 9 times out of 10 it's only one side that is injured.

Yet, how do most folks explain their symptoms?

- Bad shoes

- New training variable (hills, speed, distance, terrain...)

- Weakness / not enough strength training

- Tightness / not enough stretching / yoga

- Didn't rest enough / poor recovery

- Forgot to foam roll / meditate / psyche up before running

- Slept weird

- Wore the wrong color socks (might this be it?!)

I'm sure you can think of a few more!

Thing is, we run with both legs. Both feet are wearing the shoes, running the hills, the speed, the distance, yet the injury is only on one side. I think we need another explanation. Do you agree?

In my experience, biomechanics is likely where the answer lies.

Remember, we need access to all joint movements if we wish to enjoy maximally efficient running. If a joint cannot access its normal range of motion, your clever body will still find a way to get you from point A to point B. It will rely more on the joints to which you DO have access.

Could there be a benefit to injury?

As frustrating as injury is, you can thank that annoying injury for alerting you to the fact that there is a problem somewhere. But, don't be fooled into thinking the symptomatic spot is the root problem.

Problems and symptoms are very different. The symptom is where it hurts. You'll have a lot of awareness there, obviously. The 'problem,’ however, is likely to be a movement in which you lack awareness because you are unable to access it. If you've never rotated your pelvis well, how would you know what a 'well rotating pelvis' feels like?

The solution, then, is to first become aware of this inaccessible movement and then to experience it on a regular basis so that it feels natural again. (Hint: I can help you with this!) So, indeed, injury is an invitation to become more aware and improve.

Why would you be missing access to a movement??

We all have unique histories and experiences - some of which have caused us to delete certain movements as safe options.

- Sprains, falls, impacts, surgeries, pregnancy, accidents, broken bones, whiplashes, concussions, (the list is endless) are all "structural" examples of reasons why you may have deleted a movement.

- Powerful emotional experiences and high stress levels can cause us to subconsciously hold tension in our body.

- Learned behaviors like holding a certain posture (much love, all you dance/ballet friends) or following movement rules ("keep your shoulders down and back" or "never allow your knee to push beyond your toes") actually limit our movement potential.

Now that we've ruled out causative factors like what time you went to the bathroom in the middle of the night, forgetting to do your mini-band glute strength routine, and others, I hope this discussion has increased your awareness to the possibilities that exist around one-sided injuries. Each little part of the body must play its role, no more and no less.

In the next post we'll discuss exactly why strength training, which is presented as a common solution to overcome many running injuries, is unlikely to address the *root cause.*

For now, if you're wondering if inefficient biomechanics may be contributing to your current situation, please don't hesitate to contact me!

How, When, and Why To Do Steep Uphill Walking (and Running)

Last Monday was two days after the Rothman 8k, my first race in 5 months, and my legs were still sore. While I'm sure I could have gone for a run, I am coming back from injury and didn't want to take any chances.

While typically I enjoy cycling as my preferred mode of cross training, a quick scan of my in-laws retirement village gym revealed a couple of recumbent bikes and these super motivating pictures:

I really wanted to minimize stress on my body yet get my heart rate up into the aerobic training zone.  Enter the steep uphill treadmill walk.

These sessions are great for runners returning from impact related injury and, since you're walking, are fairly task specific.  PS: If you've got the green light to run and you want to get in a hard session, but you're prone to impact injuries (stress fractures, knee and hip pain), running uphill is fantastic.

Setting the Treadmill

Obviously it depends on what you want to get out of the workout.  Normally, I'm looking to achieve the same cardiovascular benefit to a regular training run.

I had my heart rate in the 140s (equivalent to an easy run for me) with the speed at 4.2mph and the incline at 11.5.

Your settings will most likely be different, but I'd recommend bringing the speed up first - likely between 3.5 and 4.5. Walk briskly yet confidently, let your torso rotate (most people do not do this, but should), and arms swing naturally. My client Jerry calls it the drunken sailor walk :-)

(The more injured you are, the slower and steeper you should go.)

Next, bring that incline up until you feel like you're working hard but at a sustainable effort.  Check your form - still good?  You're not holding on to those handlebars, now, are you?

You should feel like you're leaning into it and that the console is a few inches from your face, and that's ok!

Now, to really dial it in, check your heart rate. It's ok to hold the handlebars at this point if you don't have a HR monitor - just don't grip tightly and lean back.  If it's at the desired level, great. If not, adjust the incline up or down.

Who Should NOT Do This?

Anyone with Achilles' tendon problems, plantar fasciosis, ankle or big toe flexibility issues might want to avoid this type of session unless they speak with a qualified professional first. Seriously, a LOT of people have ankle restrictions, so assess yourself first.

Finally, a quick personal anecdote....

One of the craziest races I've run was the 2005 Mt Washington Auto Road Race in New Hampshire. It's only 7.6 miles and there's only one hill. But it's a 7.5 mile hill and average incline of 11.5%!  Take your half marathon time and that's about how long it will take you to run those 7+ miles.

Once a week I'd hop on the treadmill and crank it up to 11.5% and run progressively farther. I built up to 45 min because that's about all I could take. The sweat I generated was insane, the friggin console was in my face so I couldn't see anything, but I was IN SHAPE.

So give "steep uphilling" a shot if you want to try something different, but effective! You'll find it interesting that you won't even be sore after these sessions because there's very little impact with uphill running.

Have you tried this before? Got any tips you'd like to share?