Running Again After Injury

Here are some tips to keep in mind when transitioning back into a running routine after an ankle or foot injury.

1. Take It Slow – First and foremost, you’re going to need to ease into a running routine. If you were running for five miles prior to your injury, set your sights much lower with a mile or two. See how your injury and your body responds, because all body systems are going to need time to get back into the swing of things. If something hurts, cut your run short. Setting these expectations low is a good way to avoid frustration and potential injury as you ease back into a routine.

2. Consider a Treadmill – Most people prefer running in nature, but a treadmill provides some unique benefits. For starters, you know that you’ll always be stepping on a flat surface, which can help keep your ankles stable if you’re getting over an injury like a severe ankle sprain or ligament damage. It also means that if you have to cut your run short, you’re not far away from home. At least for the first few runs, consider jumping on a treadmill.

3. Take Stretching Seriously – Stretching allows your muscles and ligaments time to transition from a resting state to an active state, and that’s very important if your activity levels have been limited recently because of your injuries. If you don’t take time to help your muscles stretch before activity, you’re at an increased risk for strains and sprains. Before your run, give yourself at least five minutes to stretch.

4. Pay Attention To Your Injury – Finally, make sure that you are paying close attention to your injury site and seeing how it responds to activity. If something just doesn’t feel right, shut it down. There’s no need to suffer a significant setback because you were too eager to run again. There are other ways to exercise and stay active that don’t involve as much direct pressure on your feet if you’re still not healthy enough to run. Consider biking, swimming or walking until your injury no longer affects you when running.

For more tips, or if you need help with a foot or ankle injury, reach out to Dr. Silverman’s office today.

The post How To Return To Running After A Foot Injury appeared first on Lance Silverman, MD - Orthopedic Foot & Ankle Surgeon.

One study showed that runners who started running barefoot improved their one mile time by 20 seconds. But runners who transition into the barefoot style are also at risk of injuring themselves as they learn how to effectively use the new style. Another study reported 37 injuries in a test group of 109 people who made the transition to barefoot running.

Barefoot running is not necessarily running in your bare feet. Rather, it’s a style of running that emphasizes striking with the forefoot instead of the heel. This is thought to be a more “natural” way to run.

Some researchers believe that more research still needs to be done on barefoot running before it can be recommended across the board. The effectiveness of the style likely depends largely on the person and could vary based on weight, age, and level of skill.

“An improvement of 20 seconds over a mile—that’s incredible! For competitive runners, a mile race lasts less than 5 minutes. That’s a minimum of 6.8% improvement in speed,” says Foot & Ankle specialist, Dr. Lance Silverman. “These studies are reinforcing the idea that nature has already done the work and found the best way to run. My prediction is that we will continue to see studies about barefoot or minimalist shoe running reporting the same thing: it’s a better, faster, more efficient means of running. But, to make it work successfully you must transition slowly to avoid overuse injuries.”

Related Source:

American College of Sports Medicine

The post Barefoot Running Leads to Better Running Times (& More Injuries) appeared first on Lance Silverman, MD - Orthopedic Foot & Ankle Surgeon.