Ajax Running Tips
Running is one of the most popular ways for people to stay in shape. But many runners experience nagging injuries and pains that could be avoided by following some basic rules. Here are some tips to help get you started to pain free running.
Correct Posture
Our first tip is a foundational one, it's about your posture. Both chiropractors and physiotherapists can give you a textbook full of tips and information of posture, it determines how you skeletal structure rests while you're in motion. Thoracic Kyphosis happens with many long distance runners, It’s the rounding of your middle back and anterior rotation of your shoulders. You will notice this with many runners, it's the classic hunched over back. Have you ever seen Mr. Burns from The Simpsons? This is exactly what it looks like. That's an effective example to show the effects of bad posture.
Thoracic kyphosis can also make it difficult to breathe properly. Running is all about your aerobic fitness and capacity, you definitely don't want to make this even harder. When you have rounding in the mid back, it can cause issues right down the kinetic chain, causing issues with your low back as well.
Custom Orthotics
Some runners love custom orthotics, other absolutely hate them. Whichever side you're on, science proves that they definitely do help prevent injuries and correct gait.
The folks that argue against custom orthotics say that you must commit to them forever, but this isn't the case. As well, custom orthotics are not something you should introduce the week before a big marathon, but 2-3 months out. If you're already deep in race season, we would recommend that you wait to introduce your feet to custom orthotics until the off season.
Rest Is Key
The third tip that we'd like to focus on is that your body needs lots of rest. This is absolutely foundational, not just to running, but to health and fitness in general. So many injuries could have been prevented if more people followed proper recovery methods. One of the things that many people seem to not take seriously is the need for a good sleep. When your body enters a state of sleep the microtrauma in the muscles heals, and properly trained and your muscles grow as they repair. You MUST have sleep to heal.
Have you ever tried napping after your work out? Even for 30 minutes. Time is becoming more and more scarce as many people go through an hour or two on social media without even realizing it. Some effective ways to rest your body aside from sleep can be cryotherapy, ice baths, or just a simple ice pack. Just using some ice to bring down the inflammation in your body can be effective in resting and healing. Make sure you have some downtime between running and work out sessions so that your body can operate at 100%.
If you have any questions or comments or if you'd like to see if chiropractic treatment is right for you, contact the clinic at 905-239-9090 or visit our website at somersetfamilychiropractic.com to learn more about Ajax chiropractor.
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