There are really too many injuries that
can be incurred in running to discuss them all but we can mention a few.
First it is important to return to our
foundation with the reiteration of a couple of key points. 1. There is no
running injury that is caused by only one part of ourselves. The entire person,
the organization of the movement through the entire personality and the entire
kinetic chain is involved. 2. The value of learning cannot be overemphasized,
and small changes can have big results.
A
few specific examples:
Frequent sprained ankles: cause = a
habitual unstable foot placement.
Many people say that ankle sprains are
caused by weak ankles. But that is focusing on the part as the problem. The PT
approach to the problem is to strengthen the ankle and that can be very
helpful. But that does nothing to directly teach how to move better. I used to
suffer frequent sprained ankles when I was walking a mail route every day,
years ago. Then I worked with someone to improve my running and as a side
result I never suffered sprained ankles while carrying mail again. In fact I
did not have any problem while hiking 100 miles through rocky country and high
elevations. The change required me to
alter my entire movement pattern differently around my walking and running.
This raises another key point. If we improve our movement, we may to be able to
avoid down time and heal as we run. Running then becomes a healing activity
instead of an inuring activity. You have to apply awareness to this process.
Other foot problems: Neuromas , stress fractures, bunions, plantar
fasciitis
The really prominent cause of Neuromas
is shoes that are too tight or restrict the movement of the bones of the foot.
Most running injuries are caused by the organization of a gait that places too
much stress in one area. One of the main principles of safe, healthy running is
to spread the stress of the movement evenly throughout the body, with the
largest more centrally located parts, i.e. the core, doing the most work.
Although shoes contribute to the problem in neuromas, because they alter our movement
and our ability to move, the real problem is again the way we move. A change in
shoes may be helpful here, but we still have to be able to de-emphasize the
parts that are being unfairly overworked.
Too often we run with the feet. The job
of the feet is to make initial contact with the ground and allow us to have a
base of support as we move off the ground.
We most definitely cannot get away with propelling ourselves with the
feet. The foot makes a gentle contact with the ground as we advance the other
leg and then it is lifted from the ground as we repeat the cycle.
As for the other foot problems listed,
you guessed it, the foot or even one specific point on the foot is being
overworked. Too much force applied in
too small and area in the case of stress fractures, contradictory muscle
contractions, holding tension in the
foot, and poor whole body coordination around the action of the foot in the case of plantar fasciitis .
IT band syndrome, shin splints, and
runners knee problems are more examples of weak overall alignment, over use of
peripheral instead on proximal muscles, and too much stress in only one area of
a joint.
We can improve any of these problems by
a general improvement in running ability, our overall form. Each of these
injuries is a chance to learn to improve.
Once you have learned how to improve a specific problem you will not
only run better, but you will know how you did it. Running injuries can be
discouraging, if you do not know what to do.
If you apply these ideas carefully, you will
find your way through running injuries and with less downtime. The body wants
to heal, and as we learn, we can use simple changes to improve and feel better
as we run. If you use careful awareness, study to improve form and self usage,
and consistent, very incremental training, you will find the enjoyment and
performance you are looking for.
We want to keep learning. We are
supposed to pay attention. But pay attention to what?
Here is a brief example.
Stand with all your weight on both
heels. Notice what you feel standing this way. Now walk around this way. Notice
what this does in the knees, the hips, the sacrum and the back.
Now stand with your weight all in the
ball of your feet. What do you notice in standing and then in walking this way.
Please slow down a lot and take your time. If you do this quickly you miss most
of the information that you have gotten from this experiment.
Take plenty of time. Allow yourself to
feel carefully and repeat this idea with all your weight on the outsides of
your feet and then on the insides of your feet. The more time you allow the
more you might observe. Notice also your general sense of ease, your breathing,
your head carriage. Play with extreme and then less extreme versions of these
positions. Also try turning your feet in and then out. Combine some of these things.
Can you see how your entire self is involved in any change you make?
I
intend to give you all the information that I can over time. But If you feel you need more help, you can
always get started.
There are things that I cannot see with my own running
and I
like to work with a form coach myself at times.
Wishing you more ease , health , power and clarity –till next time ,
take care – Scott
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