Do you want to incorporate strength training into your routine? 
The use of specific exercises to gain strength and decrease weakness can greatly support your running endeavors and help avoid injuries. Add these four exercises into your training program at least twice per week, and after a month of consistency, see if you feel stronger, faster, and more durable.
Do you find one side of your body to fatigue more quickly than the other? Stay focused on this strength training routine, and see if you are able to even out the imbalances.
One of the most challenging parts of getting fit is staying healthy and injury free. Dr. Ashley Perrott is an Ironman finisher, busy mom, and family medicine physician at Novant Health Salem Family Medicine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. (See photo, left, of Ashley with her parents and brother Brett Miller, our Director of Business Development, at the start of Ironman Florida, which the whole family completed together!) Dr. Perrott is answering some of the most-common questions our users have on staying on track.
One of the most challenging parts of getting fit is staying healthy and injury free. Dr. Ashley Perrott is an Ironman finisher, busy mom, and family medicine physician at Novant Health Salem Family Medicine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. (See photo, left, of Ashley with her parents and brother Brett Miller, our Director of Business Development, at the start of Ironman Florida, which the whole family completed together!) Dr. Perrott is answering some of the most-common questions our users have on staying on track.
Joint pains are more concerning than muscle pains in general. Muscle soreness can be expected for 1-2 days after a more intense workout or more intense week of training. This soreness should improve daily. Recovery with rest or light workouts after an intense workout can help muscle soreness and stiffness. Muscle injury lasts longer than this, and may prevent the ability to complete a light workout or even regular activity. Rest will generally help this pain and soreness. Any pain that gets worse with activity should prompt the athlete to reduce speed/intensity to avoid injury. Muscle pain or weakness that persists despite rest is a reason to see your MD.
Joint or bone pain, swelling, or redness may represent more significant injury. Certainly a specific episode of injury (rolling ankle, falling, tripping) that causes deformity should prompt an evaluation at the MD in some fashion. Joint pain is worse with pressure on that joint even at rest. Patients may complain of pain with standing, sitting, or laying down. Instability is another concerning sign/symptom. if a joint “gives out” or “catches” with activity it’s something that we would like to see.
In general an increase of more than 10% mileage or intensity per week can be associated with more injury.
Have a question about staying healthy and injury free? Contact Us.
In this edition of Ask the Practitioner, we again connect with Mark Fadil, Clinic Director at the Sports Medicine Institute (SMI) of Palo Alto. SMI is one of Northern California's leading orthopedic and deep tissue massage resources, assisting both world class and recreational athletes since 1996.
RC: Tight and/or sore calves are one of the most common ailments for new and experienced runners alike. What exactly is happening when one feels like his or her calves are tight and they have become sore to run on?
MF: Sore/tight calves are a very common problem with runners. Generally someone may experience sore calves when running for the first time, coming back from time off, during a period of increased speed work or during a period of increased mileage. In each one of these circumstances the calf muscles are adapting to the stress from the increase in activity.
RC: When treating runners with sore calves, what are the most commonly reported practices that have potentially led to the problem?
MF: There is normally some sort of change that precedes sore/tight calves. In addition to the changes I already mentioned it can come from a change in running shoes (usually a shoe with a lower heel such as a racing flat will put more stress on the calf), a change in running surface or increased hill running.
RC: What techniques do you and your staff employ to address this problem and what can runners to do maintain the work at home?
MF: I usually focus on three things: massage, stretching and functional strengthening. Massage can be done by a professional therapist or at home using a foam roller or "the stick." This can be done on a daily basis for 5 - 10 minutes. Stretching should focus on both the upper calf (gastrocnemius) using a straight knee calf stretch and the lower calf (soleus and Achilles) using a bent knee calf stretch. I recommend stretching after massage as well as an additional 2-3 times a day. Each stretch should be held for at least 30 seconds. Functional strengthening is one of the most important pieces in preventing sore/tight calves from occuring in the first place. A great way to incorporate functional strengthening is doing heel drops off the edge of a stair. These should initially be done on a daily basis and eventually shifted to two to three times per week for maintenance.
Rikke Johansen, D.C., is the founder of Health Logic and has 18 years of experience in practice as a doctor of chiropractic medicine.
Dr. Johansen is a Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician (CCSP), a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), and has completed the educational requirements to qualify her as a Diplomate of the American Chiropractic Board of Sports Physicians (DACBSP) and as a Diplomate of the American Chiropractic Board of Radiologists (DACBR). She is also a USA Triathlon Level I certified triathlon coach and a USA Cycling Level II certified cycling coach.
rc: What are the types of physical complaints Graston technique is effective in addressing?
