5 Top Tips to reduce your risk of injury whilst training for the GNR

July 8, 2019

1. Don’t neglect your warm up or cool down

The warm up and cool down are often a neglected part of our training, especially when time is limited. It does however, form an important part of injury prevention. A fast walk or slow run for approx. 10 minutes will slowly increase your heart rate, improve circulation and warm up your muscles so they are stretched and ready for the movements ahead.

An effective cool down is equally as important as this will remove waste products from your body, reduce muscle soreness and help bring your cardiovascular system back to resting levels. Aim to spend 10 minutes gradually reducing your speed from running to walking.

2. Build your mileage gradually

There is a well repeated myth that you should increase your mileage by 5-10% per week. You don’t need to be as specific as this, however we do know that when increasing your training distance, your body needs time to adapt. Aim to build up your mileage as your body feels able. If you are new to running, this process will need to be even more gradual.

You should aim to mimic your event in mileage, pace and gradient in the build up to the event.

3. Train your WHOLE body

Runners who only run are more likely to get injured. Vary your training programme with sessions of non-impact cardiovascular exercise, strength training and balance/proprioception training to enable your whole body to be better prepared for what lies ahead.

4. Listen to your body

Most running injuries don’t come from nowhere. They will usually start with aching or soreness first. If rest does not help, seek advice from a Physiotherapist who can assess and treat accordingly. If you are training regularly, invest in a regular sports massage to aid your bodies recovery and improve performance. A good sports therapist or Physiotherapist will be able to tell you what area’s of your body feel tight and aid in improving those areas, in turn reducing your risk of injury.

5. Sleep

Besides making you feel better, sleep is an important part of injury prevention. Your body recovers during sleep and therefore the more you run, the more you need to sleep! Aim to sleep an extra minute per night for every mile per week that you are running. For example, if you are running 30 miles/week, aim to sleep an extra 30mins per night.
Let Physiotherapy Matters help you get the most out of your training. To book in for a Sports Massage, Physiotherapy, Pilates or Run-fit ring 0333 2200 238 or email: info@physiotherapymatters.co.uk

No matter whether your condition was caused by a sport, work accident or otherwise, we welcome the chance to serve you.

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