It may not seem like it, but spring is here, and it is time for everyone to hit the Trails. This is the time of year that we all get tired of sweaty smelly gyms and long for the open road. Running and cycling stores are over run with avid exercisers ready to lace up and make tracks.
However, with the increase in activity comes an increase in the injuries we are seeing in the clinics. Some athletes are just over anxious; they start their program at full throttle like they are 20 years younger and immune to the wear and tear inactivity takes on the body. Others find that their body has to make adjustments when transferring from the treadmill to the road or from the trainer to the bike, which flares up overuse injuries that need attention. Today, we will talk about what those injuries look like and what to do about them.
Strained back: This is the number one most likely injury. Many people have weak back muscles due to prolonged sitting at work or home, and come exercise time, people go too hard or too fast. Lift with your legs, not your back, and gradually strengthen your back muscles with low intensity exercises.
ACL/PCL injuries: More common in athletes, but if you play any sports with jumping or rapid changing in direction; knee injuries like this are definitely a possibility. A tear in the Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) or Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL) can take you off your feet for months, and may even require surgery.
Runner's knee: An irritation of the cartilage underneath your kneecap that makes up about 40% of all running injuries. You can prevent this by strengthening your hip, glute, and quad muscles, as well as shortening your stride.
Achilles Tendinitis: Your tendon tightens and becomes irritated. You can reduce your risk of this by avoiding a dramatic increase in training and building strength in your calve muscles.
Pulled or torn hamstring: This can be prevented by strengthening all muscles in your leg, especially your hamstrings. Hamstring issues are usually caused by weak, overly tight, or imbalanced leg muscles.
So how is the best way to build valuable injury preventing leg strength? That’s easy….
Body weight Squats
Stand with your feet hip distance apart with your toes facing forward. Sit back like you are sitting in a chair behind you without allowing your knees to drift beyond your toes. Sit back until you feel your glutes, quads and hamstrings engage (about a 90 degree angle in your knees) and come back up to standing.
Single leg dead lift
Holding free weights or a barbell in front of your body slightly, bend one knee, hinge forward at the waist and lift the opposite leg behind you. Lower the weights, keeping them very close to the tops of your legs until you reach just below your knees. Engage your hamstring and glute of the leg planted on the ground and come back to standing.
And Single leg Squats
Balancing on one foot place your back leg on a box or bench squat down, bending at the knee and drop your back knee to the floor. Once your front leg is down to about a 90 degree angle in your knee, extend your leg back up to standing. If this is too challenging use a shorter box.
I would recommend 3-4 sets of 12-15 repetitions in the beginning increasing your weights in small increments to keep these exercises challenging.
And finally starting a good core routine is the second best thing you can do to help prevent the usual spring time injuries. A good core routine will include the following exercises.
The Basic Plank- Hold for 30 seconds, relax and repeat. Gradually increase the number of repetitions and the length of time you hold the pose.
The Side Plank- Hold for 30 seconds, relax and repeat. Gradually increase repetitions and time.
The Superman Pose- Lie face down. Raise one arm off the ground and hold for 20-30 seconds. Release and raise the other arm. Then move to your legs; hold one leg at a time off the ground. Then, try holding an alternate leg and arm off the ground at the same time. Then, try both arms up at one time and then both legs at one time. The most advanced version is holding both arms and legs off the ground at one time; hence the name Superman Pose. Hold each of these poses for 20 to 30 seconds, relax, and repeat.
Abdominal Crunches- Lie on your back, knees bent and bring your chest towards your knees. Keep your shoulders back and chin up. Repeat.
Abdominal Crunches with a Twist and/or Bicycle Legs- Do the abdominal crunches as stated above but include a Twist to work the oblique muscles. Keep knees bent, feet on the ground. Bring shoulder to opposite knee for a twisting motion. Another version is the bicycle, which is knees bent, feet off the ground and bring opposite should to knee at the same time, alternating legs to elbows
Good luck this season and may all your goals be exceeded and more.
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