Top Female Runner “Kara Goucher” praises Active Release Treatments
There is a great article about Kara Goucher (Runners World - May 2009) discussing what makes her excel! She is an amazing runner, and had the opportunity to watch her run last year at the Olympic Time Trials in Eugene, Oregon. I liked the article because it hit home on a few areas that runners tend to neglect.
It’s easy to get stuck running the same route, at the same intensity and speed, week after week. This is a top culprit of overuse injuries, and the easiest ways to reduce them are to change things up. Here are a few things that Kara Goucher adds to her training program:
- Mile Repeats
- Long Runs
- Plyometrics
- Strength Training
Variety breaks up the monotony of doing the same thing over and over, reduces overuse injuries, and keeps runners motivated and energized to stick with it and not burnout or breakdown.
Goucher also mentioned how Active Release Treatments are part of her “Entourage” that helps her continue to run injury and pain free. When we train, muscles have a tendency to become short and tight, adhesions can accumulate and impede normal movement patterns causing pain and discomfort.
ART/Myofascial Release Treatments are designed to release tight muscles, for more info please go to www.coleellis.com.
In addition, here are a few ideas that will help with variety and reduce overuse injuries…
1. Trail running: find a few trails nearby and run them at least once a week. Check out trail runner magazine, they are dedicated to off-road running and inspire people of all ages and abilities to achieve a healthier lifestyle in the outdoors and on the trails!
“Trails are easier on the body, not just because dirt is softer than pavement, but on uneven terrain every step is different, requiring you to use stabilizing muscles in the lower legs and hips,” explains Denver, Colorado-based trail-running coach Adam Feerst. “In a flat road marathon you repeat the same muscle movement and stress the same ligaments over and over.” So You Want to Be a Trail Runner -July 2007
2. Hill sprints - 20-30 seconds, 6-8 repeats. Warm-up for 5-10 minutes then start the workout, cool down and you are done. Short, simple and to the point.
3. Have a coach write a personalized program. Jim Vance is a triathlon coach in San Diego; he just designed a 4 month training program to get me ready for an Xterra - late August. My swim time has improved dramatically, especially after the swim analysis and my workouts continue to progress each week. Go to www.jimvanceracing.com for more information.
4. Read a book for ideas. Personally, I just finished “Born to Run,” I give it 2 thumbs up! If you are a runner, have ever had a desire to run, or need motivation then this book is for you. Even if you don’t run, it’s still a great read.
5. Cross train (lift weights, cross-fit, swim, mountain bike) on your non-running days.
6. Incorporate rest days into schedule, if you are going to train hard, make sure and give your body an appropriate amount of time to heal and recover.
Hope this helps, have a great week…
Best,
Cole
Stop the Assault & Remove the Hammer - best strategies to fix low back pain
Flexion is the number 1 cause of disc injuries...
“If you were to hit your thumb lightly, but repeatedly, with a hammer, it would eventually become very painful, and soon, the slightest touch would cause pain.” - Stuart McGill, Low Back Disorders: Evidence-Based Prevention and Rehabilitation
The number one cause of low back pain is repeated or sustained flexion. If you add in a rotational component, it’s even worse!
Today, it is agreed across professions that flexion is the number one mechanical cause of disc injuries, whether it’s repeated as in bending over to pick up boxes, gardening in the yard, or sustained (sitting in flexion at work) or even if the lumbar spine is over-utilized in sports without adequate stability.
Simply put - flexion is that slouched posture you are probably in right now while reading this sentence. There is nothing inherently wrong with flexion, it’s just that we tend to do a lot of it.
If you have low back pain and it’s a constant problem in your life, then you might want to reconsider traditional core exercises that focus on abdominal flexion movements, such as sit-ups and knees-to-chest, these “often recommended” exercises can actually make the situation worse, especially if the disc is already irritated. Not long ago, sit-ups and flexion exercises were the gold standard treatments prescribed for low back pain sufferers. Today, current research has changed this line of thought.
Boost Performance with Interval Training
It’s a common misconception that spending countless hours every week working out is the best way to get in shape, lose weight and improve health. For example, running, cycling, and swimming 3-4 days a week at the same low intensity, and duration. Often, most of these workouts are relatively slower than an interval pace.
Many are unaware that continuing to work out at the same pace every day (or most days of the week) can actually lead to more injuries than performing a variety of exercises at a more elevated intensity once or twice a week. This breaks up the monotony of doing the same routine over and over, and allows other muscles to get involved and reduces overuse injuries.
Fortunately there is a more advanced form of exercise that is showing improved performance and weight loss results, but with decreased injury and less time spent actually working out by performing short, intense intervals, rather than your typical long slow run, bike or swim session.
Improve Mood in 10 Minutes!
Going for a run is like getting a small dose of Prozac that helps “reboot” the brain, because exercise elevates these neurotransmitters. For this reason, exercise will pull you “out of a fog,” keep your brain in balance, and thus change your life for the better (Spark).
Exercise is good for your heart, but what about your brain?
John J. Ratey, author of Spark gives some great insight into how exercise can improve the function of your brain and the best kind of exercise that allow you to reap the most benefits.
The first article How Exercise Revs up Your Brain talks about the positive effects exercising has on the brain, aerobic exercise in particular. The writer mentions several studies that have been performed on a number of different subjects ranging from elderly patients, mice, and even children.
In each study, the subject’s brain activity, namely in the area involved with cognition and learning, was more activated after aerobic exercise. Not only were those areas improved, but actual brain cell growth was found in some cases.
Even more interesting is the fact that several chemicals were released after just 10 minutes of physical activity that helped to improve the mood and overall mental well being of the subject.
Research shows that 20-40 minutes of daily exercise (4-5 sessions a week), running, biking, swimming, lifting weights, using the stair master or treadmill, or walking-will reliably raise serotonin and norepinephrine levels. Exercise also boosts endorphins, which are responsible for decreasing pain and increasing pleasure.
The key is to find something you enjoy - start from there and then move forward - keep it simple and just get moving. Yes, your mood will improve, you will feel better and it can also decrease back and muscle pain.
The lone ranger approach is an option, however joining a group, taking a class and following a program can speed up the learning curve and make the process easier.
If you have any comments regarding the positive mental or physical benefits you feel from exercising please feel free to share.
Best,
Cole Ellis
Injury Prevention and Performance Enhancement
Most injuries are a combination of overuse coupled with bad form over a relative period of time. For example, sitting at a computer for 8 hrs a day in a flexed position, or running with improper mechanics and even the repetition of lifting weights without proper stabilization. Over taxing a certain body part in excess will damage soft tissue structures - muscles become tight, restricted and even weak.
Not good right. I’m a big proponent of soft tissue work (Active Release Techniques), mobility/stability exercises, and joint manipulation when the body breaks down and tissues becomes short and tight. These techniques are able to restore normal soft tissue and joint motion.
To help support these treatments, with proper technique training - 6 principles of injury free running - we can learn to reduce the amount of wear and tear to the body, prevent injuries from re-occurring and even increase performance.
If you play golf, any expert will explain that technique is crucial, well, the same holds true for running. There are certain universal principles that every runner should know…
This article from the “Triathlon Jones” blog has some very helpful hints to improve your running technique and overall form with just a few simple modifications.
He suggests the “Chi Running” and “Pose Method” techniques that each possess three specific alterations that you can easily make to improve your running form. These alterations include
- Leaning slightly forward while running.
- Making sure your entire foot hits the ground at contact - mid-foot strike.
- Increasing the number of times your feet hit the ground during a run.
Each of these tips are said to decrease the amount of pressure on knees and joints, decrease injury, as well as lower your heart rate, which are all common problems associated with runners. He gives some equipment and book suggestions, as well, to help you get started on improving the way you run.
Improving running technique has been a valuable tool when treating running injuries. There are 3 areas that are imperative to address when dealing with overuse/repetitive strain injuries; the first is to restore normal joint and soft-tissue motion, the second is to correct muscular imbalances, and the third is to improve bio-mechanics. To read more about an integrative approach, check out my previous blog, Improve knee Healh.
When these 3 strategies are implemented, we get quick results, happy patients, and long term solutions.
Hope this helps…
Best,
Cole Ellis
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