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© Cool Sports 1997
Updated August 22

If you monitor the CR forum long enough you'll start to wonder if there's any pain-free runners out there. Alot of the same problem areas are noted over and over again; calves, hamstrings, shin splints, & achilles tendons. A majority of the injuries I see in my practice are directly related to overuse & over-training. And, I would bet the majority of the forum health complaints are as well. Overuse & over-training injuries are typically caused by doing too much, too soon. There are, however, some other factors that come into play;

What are some of the factors associated with overuse injuries?

• Impact Force: How hard (or soft) do your feet hit the ground.
• Surface Hardness: Do you run only on pavement?
• Change of Surface: Your mechanics will be different from hard to soft surfaces, even minimal changes can have dramatic effects on your gait and biomechanics.
• Downhill Running: Watch-out shin splints, here we come!
• Lack of Flexibility: A big culprit in many injuries.
• Muscle weaknesses & imbalances.
• Overstriding: Reaching too far during your stride.
• Poor Posture: A coaching session may help. Or, have a friend videotape a portion of your next run, you may be surprised at what you see.
• Over Distance: Going too fast, too far, too often, without enough recovery time.
• Hereditary Factors: Some things you can still blame on your parents.
• Anatomical Factors: Leg length differences, biomechanics.
• Shoes: Improper fit, poor cushioning, wrong type for the surface or event.
• Side of Road Running: The roads here in New England, aside from being pothole strewn minefields, are tapered to allow for water & snow run-off. Your body & gait absorb this incline.

Warning Signs of Over-Training...

• Mild leg soreness that doesn't go away.
• Lowered general resistance to simple colds, flu's, etc.
• Washed-out feeling, lowered energy, lethargic.
• &quotHangover" from previous run (does not include the pub run induced kind!).
• Drop in Ability: Are your miles going down and your times going up? Try resting or a different, moderate exercise for a few days. Use different muscle groups.
• Insomnia.
• Unexplained pain in muscles, joints & tendons.
• Insatiable thirst.
• Inability to relax.
• Fast pulse upon awakening in the morning.
• Unexplained headaches.

What You Can do to Prevent Over-Training Injuries...
Any one of these signs alone is usually not anything to worry about however, if you can relate to 3 or more you might want to think about tapering off and letting your body catch up. Cross-training, such as biking or swimming, is an ideal way to help your body rest the sore, tired muscles that take the brunt of your running. Because you'll use different muscle groups you can still have a fairly aggressive workout.

Take time now to receive training or coaching to correct technical flaws of your gait. Diet & nutrition are also extremely important. They are integral to not only fueling the fires before you run, but also during the recovery phase as well. Examine this part of your lifestyle carefully. Vitamins, minerals & supplements are good if you know what you are taking and why. I've recieved conflicting information by several of the health food stores I've visited - it seems to depend on what product lines they stock and whether or not they're involved in a multi-level marketed product or not. You may need the services of a registered dietician, nutritionist or naturopathic physician to guide you thru the mountain of info available.

Bodywork - sportsmassage, etc - is very helpfull, I've seen (and experienced) dramatic results in just a few sessions. The many benefits of massage are cumulative. That is, over time, consistent bodywork will enable your body to respond faster (& healthier) to the stresses, strains, and pains caused by work, exercise, and family issues. Yoga & other forms of flexibility training can also help. They will increase your flexibility of the major muscle groups but some movements will help muscles of the rib cage and internal organs which in turn may help breathing patterns.

When Should You See a Doc?

• For any traumatic joint injury; sprains, suspected breaks, etc.
• For any injury accompanied by severe pain; whether or not there are any outward signs such as bleeding or swelling.
• Any pain in a joint or bone that persists for more than 2 weeks.
• Any injury that is not making measurable progress within 3 weeks.
• Any injury that appears to get infected.
• Any injury that you think should be checked; trust your intuition.

Norm St.Onge, a massage & muscle therapist, is MA & NH licensed and internationally certified . He is the owner of ProTouch; Professional Massage & Muscle Therapy in Townsend, MA. and is a member of the American Massage Therapy Association, Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals organization, and the Nashoba Valley Chamber of Commerce. Email: protouch@tiac.net
ProTouch Massage/Muscle Therapy self-care products (note: off-site link)

© Cool Running 1997