by Matt Zammit, PhysioEdge Physiotherapist
If you’re a runner, whether you do it for fun, or are an amateur or professional runner, it is likely that at some point, you have suffered an injury or experienced some sort of running-related pain.
Why is it that something so natural such as running causes so many people such a high level of discomfort, and why is it that running pain is becoming more and more prevalent in today’s population?
One of the logical reasons to this conundrum, is likely to be our change in lifestyle. We no longer have to hunt and chase after animals to eat, or travel miles to survive harsh environmental conditions. Many of us have ditched our natural movement patterns and active lifestyle for a more sedentary lifestyle (because we can!). Whether you spend all your time sat at a desk, in the car or on a sofa at home, it is likely you are subjecting yourself to abnormal biomechanics, which is slowly making running a not-so-natural movement.
Being creatures of habit or bodies naturally adapt to the positions we spend the most time in as well as the movements we perform throughout the day. Therefore, if you are spending a lot of time sitting at work or whilst travelling it is likely that without the appropriate preparation you will suffer some discomfort, pain or an injury due to the fact that your body has not been prepared adequately to do so! So how do we avoid pain?
Preparation is key! Incorporate a daily routine of stretches and mobility and strengthening exercises functional to running and to combat the effects of sitting down (very often with poor posture!). If you are experiencing pain whilst running or would like to improve your performance may also undergo a running analysis and yes, there is now a market for people to learn how to run properly again! This extremely prevalent new practice is helping athletes all around the world, combat the effects of our sedentary lifestyle, help improve their technique as well as performances all round, helping you ensure your body is prepared for that gorgeous run you’ve been thinking about after a long day at work! 😉