Archive for Health and Fitness
How to Prevent Running Injuries
Posted by: | CommentsSome injuries may cause you to adjust your running regime rather than have to stop altogether. This is more likely if…
- The injury or sensation is new
- The injury or sensation is more of an awareness than a pain
- You are a seasoned runner.
If you have been doing a fair amount of running, just easing back may be all you need to do, and there are several options open to you.
Reducing you running intensity
There are a number of ways you can do this:
- Reduce the number of runs that you do
- Reduce the distance that you run
- Reduce your running pace
- Allow more rest time between runs
- Stick to flat, easy routes
- Reduce the intensity with intervals of slow jogging or recovery walking
- Mix running with alternative types of exercise (cross-train).
Many common running injuries will prevent you from running… maybe not at first, as many runners wrongly ‘carry’ injuries and continue to run, but the longer you carry on running, the worse the injury will become, and the longer your rest from running will have to be in the long run. Continuing to exercise with other types of activity can help keep you fit and motivated, and make you less likely to begin running again too soon.
If you become injured, stop running and let the injury heal. This is the quickest way back to your regular running regime. Get to know a local sports therapist or physiotherapist who can provide you with good advice when you need it. If you know someone who can help before you sustain an injury, you are more likely to seek professional advice when you need it.
Exercises to help injury prevention
To help prevent common running injuries, try doing these strengthening exercises two to three times weekly, maybe after a run or whilst watching television!
Help prevent knee and hip injuries
Prevention of these muscles involves strengthening and stabilizing gluteal muscles.
1. Lie on your side with hips bent forward at 45 degrees, knees bent at approximately 45 degrees and feet stacked one on top of the other.
2. Slowly rotate your top leg backwards, lifting your leg a few inches and rotating your knee up towards the ceiling, whilst keeping the ankles together, then lower back to the starting point and repeat 15-20 times.
3. Keep the rest of your body still and hips facing forwards, not allowing yourself to roll backwards.
4. Change legs and repeat.
Does my condition prevent me from running?
Posted by: | CommentsIf you are already a runner, the last thing you want is for something to get in the way of your runs. If you have a known existing condition and have been running with no problems then you will probably continue to do so, but when something new comes up, it can stop you in your tracks. The good news is that for the vast majority of health conditions, running is beneficial. It improves cardiovascular health and promotes circulation; it helps with weight control and aids blood glucose regulation, and it enhances lung efficiency and respiratory health.
However, running is an intense form of exercise, so if you are new to running but have an existing health condition, it’s worth having a pre-run check-up with your doctor before you begin. Once you have the go ahead to begin running, make use of the guidelines and advice for several common health conditions below.
How to Run with Hay Fever
Posted by: | CommentsHay fever is an allergic reaction to tree, plant or grass pollen, and typically creates symptoms such as sneezing, an itchy, runny nose and itchy eyes. If you can run through your hay fever, there’s no reason not to, and there are several things that might improve both your symptoms and therefore your quality of running throughout summer.
Things to do if you suffer with hay fever
1. Keep the windows closed overnight to avoid too much pollen drifting in to the house.
2. Reducing the amount of house dust around can alleviate symptoms, so change the bed sheets, dust and vacuum regularly.
3. Most pollen is released early morning, so this may not be the best time to run.
4. Check weather reports and avoid running when there is a high pollen count.
5. Stick to road running and stay away from fields, especially if the pollen count is high.
6. Take hay fever medication as required – you may find it useful to take the medication before the hay fever season begins so that as little running as possible is affected by your symptoms.
7. Using a nasal spray just before you go out can help to reduce symptoms during your run.
8. Check with your doctor or chemist which types of medication are best to take in conjunction with running, as some of the decongestants can increase heart rate.
9. Even better, try a naturopathic, homeopathic or herbal remedy to help reduce your hay fever.
10. Jump into the shower as soon as you finish your run -showering pollen off your face and body or just rinsing your face thoroughly can help to reduce the after-effects of a summer run.
Naturopathic treatments for hay fever
If you are a fitness fanatic then the last thing you want to do is load up on hay fever medication. Why not try a naturopathic remedy instead?
1. Fill up on foods with an anti-inflammatory effect – eat onions, fish, linseeds and linseed oil every day.
2. Try a herbal remedy – Bromelain has an effective antiinflammatory effect.
How to Run with Excess Body Weight
Posted by: | CommentsAlthough running is one of the most effective exercises for weight loss, it is also one of the most difficult if you are overweight. As running is a weight bearing exercise, the lighter you are, the easier it is… and the heavier you are, the harder it is. Because it is more difficult to exercise with a high body weight, your heart rate and perceived exertion (how difficult it is) are both elevated.
However, the benefit of weighing more whilst doing weight-bearing exercise is that you will be using up much more energy. Running uses more calories than most other forms of exercise, so even if you have to begin by doing mostly walking with brief interludes of jogging, it is certainly worth doing. As you lose weight you will find it easier to run, and in conjunction with increased fitness levels, you should progress reasonably quickly.
If you are more than two stones heavier than you should be, it is worth having a health check-up with your doctor before you begin, as obesity is linked with heart disease and diabetes. However, the risk of heart disease and diabetes is reduced through activities such as regular running, and it is likely that your doctor will recommend regular exercise. Having health parameters which will alter as you become fitter can create useful goals in addition to the goals you will set yourself when you begin running. It is exceptionally motivating to see weight and body fat levels reduce whilst blood pressure, cholesterol and resting blood sugar levels are also dropping.
The other main consideration of extra body weight is the pressure that running may have on your joints. You may initially find that it is just too difficult or uncomfortable to try and jog. If this is the case, simply follow the pre-run program below to help you reduce your body weight and strengthen hip, knee and ankle joints in preparation for your running program.
Pre-run exercise programs
Your pre-run program could also include non-weight bearing exercises such as swimming, cycling or rowing to help prepare your body for running, also enjoying the following benefits:
- Increased cardiovascular fitness
- Reduced body weight
- Stronger joints
- A regular exercise habit.
Weight training will also help, as it increases lean tissue (which elevates metabolic rate, increasing caloric expenditure and maximizing weight loss) and strengthens joints. However, if you can walk, a power-walking program as shown below is a great pre-run program as it offers several other benefits:
- You get into the habit of walking around your running routes
- You can build up the habit of going out for a walk, which you will then progress into a run
- You can inject a few yards of jogging throughout your walk
- You can go hiking and do hill walks to increase intensity
- Walking is weight-bearing exercise, and it specifically helps to strengthen bones and joints in the lower limbs in preparation for running.
How to Run with Heart Disease
Posted by: | CommentsResearch has repeatedly proven that regular exercise helps to prevent and improve heart disease. The only risk factors are doing too much too soon, placing a strain on your heart and circulatory system which it isn’t ready for, or displacing an atheroma (clot or plaque) which may travel to a smaller artery and cause a blockage. Hence, it is essential that you check with your doctor before beginning running. Once you have the go ahead to exercise, a walking program similar to the one outlined above may be an appropriate starting point. Depending upon your current fitness level, you may begin with either pre-run program 1 or 2.
Monitoring your heart rate
You may want to invest in a heart rate monitor – as well as measuring your fitness parameters such as recovery rate, resting pulse, and average and maximum heart rate during exercise, it will also help you to exercise in a safe and effective heart rate training zone and may give you some piece of mind as you can monitor your cardiac activity. If you have elevated blood pressure or high cholesterol levels, you should still check your exercise plans with your doctor before you begin, but regular running or run-walk sessions are likely to reduce your blood pressure and cholesterol levels with no detrimental effects upon your health.
How to Run with Osteoarthritis
Posted by: | CommentsRunning does not cause osteoarthritis – only over-use symptoms or injuries from running increase the risk of this so-called ‘wear and tear’ disease. If you enjoy years of injury-free running, or react quickly and effectively to injuries and allow ample recovery time, you should not suffer osteoarthritis any more than a non-runner. However, although running can help to prevent degenerative joint and bone disease, it isn’t the most ideal activity for those with an existing condition.
Running can help to prevent degenerative bone disease
If done properly, running strengthens bones and joints, and reduces the occurrence of both osteoarthritis and osteoporosis. Doctors have stated that running can offset the onset of degenerative arthritis for up to 12 years – the most benefit has been found in those running between six and 20 miles a week.
Running considerations
Running may still benefit you – and your joints – if done in moderation and with the following considerations taken into account. Each person’s arthritis and joint condition is individual, so check with your doctor first and don’t continue with any type of exercise that causes pain or discomfort.
If you do have osteoarthritis, adhere to the following three key points:
1. Run on softer surfaces such as grass or dirt tracks.
2. Combine running with intervals of power-walking.
3. Make sure your running shoes provide plenty of cushioning to absorb the impact from running.
Supplements to support your joints
Consider taking a supplement such as glucosamine or chondroitin – these nutrients provide the raw materials needed to repair and renew joint cartilage, and many arthritis sufferers experience benefits from taking them.
Different Running Methods – Pose and Chi
Posted by: | CommentsIf your joints are well aligned and you don’t have a tight muscle in your body, or if running feels effortless to you and you have never experienced a running injury, then the chances are that you have good running form. But for the rest of us, good running technique may have to be learnt.
If any of the following apply, this article is for you:
- You have just begun running and are finding it quite difficult
- You think your running may benefit from a particular running method
- You have encountered running injuries
- You want to improve your running performance but have increased your pace, distance and duration as much as you can.
There are two ways to adjust your running form:
1. Focus on correct body alignment, good muscle balance and core stability, making posture and footfall checks throughout each run to ensure good form.
2. Adapt a specific running ‘method’ that may help you to improve your running technique.
Traditionally, a typical running method has been that of a heel-toe footfall, aiming to achieve the following:
- Running more frequently or longer distances to build up running strength
- Increasing pace or speed
- Trying to gain more running power, speed, strength and-or endurance.
Although not specifically a running ‘method’, this type of training is known as power running, and is the way that most runners train and run, based upon the rule of overload:
Run faster, longer or more frequently – create a training effect.
This is fine as long as the following principles are taken into consideration:
- Over-training does not occur
- Recovery is adequate
- Quality of running is placed above quantity.
There are alternative ways of achieving your running goals whilst potentially making running easier and improving your technique at the same time. However, re-learning your running style is very difficult, and some coaches believe it can be impossible.
Running to Suit You – Sprints and Speed Training
Posted by: | CommentsSpeed training is also useful when you have less time available, as this is a higher intensity session. Generally speaking, whenever the intensity of a run increases, the duration reduces, and vice versa. You can do sprints or speed training on your local field or park, at a running track, or maybe at the local leisure centre if the weather is bad.
Running at speed requires additional power from the leg muscles, and can enhance your overall running (through increased power) as well as hill running and sprinting. It increases fitness levels, trains the anaerobic energy systems that you use whenever you need to inject more speed or power into your run, and can also improve your running technique. If you are a regular runner, you may have noticed that your running technique is better when you run faster.
There are several ways to incorporate speed training into your running:
- Speed repetitions
- Fartlek training
- Interval training.
Speed repetitions
A simple way to do a speed repetition session is to set up a distance between two points and time your sprint between these points. The sprint distance could be a 400 m track or a 50 m sprint between two posts, or you may base your speed training on a specific goal or event. A training partner or someone to act as ‘coach’ is useful during these sessions to act as motivator and timekeeper, and a running partner can also provide some competition.
It’s always important to warm up before running, but it’s essential before speed work as you are more likely to pull a muscle, ligament or tendon when running at speed. After warming up, simply time your sprint and do some recovery jogging in between sprints to keep your body warmed up and add to the overall training effect of the session. Try to better your sprint time with each effort – you will be surprised how many seconds you can knock off between your first and last sprint in a single session. You can plan your speed session to suit the time you have available. For example, a half hour session might look like this:
1. Warm up for ten minutes including jog around field-track- sports hall.
2. Allow 20 seconds per sprint plus one minute recovery time = 80 seconds.
3. 15 sprints plus recovery should take 20 minutes.
4. If you use a heart rate monitor, you should be working at approximately 85-95 per cent of your maximum heart rate during your sprints.
Depending upon your running goals, you might want to include a speed session in your running program once weekly, once fortnightly, or just every so often for a change. If you don’t do speed work often, expect to experience some muscle soreness for a couple of days, particularly in the hip flexors, inner thighs, bottom muscles and calf muscles.
The bleep test – not for the faint-hearted!
This is a great way to test overall fitness, speed and endurance. You can purchase a bleep test CD or take part in a bleep test at your local gym or sports centre. You have to run over a predetermined distance (usually 15 or 20 metres) in an increasingly shorter time, reaching your marker before the ‘bleep’ sounds. The running speed usually begins at 8.5 km per hr (5.28 mph), which increases by 0.5 km per hr (0.3 mph) each minute. There are 23 levels, and you measure your fitness based upon which level you get to. You can convert your bleep test result into a V02 max (fitness) score on www.topendsports.com. V02 is a measure of the amount of oxygen you can take in and utilize in one minute; the fitter you are the higher your V02 score.
Some testers allow two ‘fails’ to reach the marker before you have to stop at that level. The bleep test is often used as part of the fitness test for entry into the fire service, police or military services, so if you have taken up running to get fit for a new job such as any of these, planning a regular bleep test into your running program is a good idea. Do check the exact protocol of the bleep test you are to be tested on, as different distances are used – for example, in the US, 22 yards is sometimes used.
Incorporating speed work into your normal runs
Speed training doesn’t have to be done in isolation from your normal runs, and running longer distances at an increased pace to normal has been found to increase fitness levels more than shorter, faster sprints. This type of running is also very effective for weight loss, as runners tend to use up more calories than they usually would by doing additional work during the faster intervals. Interval and fartlek training are very similar, although interval training is generally more structured.
Top Nutrition Tips for Running
Posted by: | Comments1. Keep a food diary and exercise log
You will soon make links between eating certain foods and how they affect your energy levels and running, but if you don’t write down what you ate and how the run went, you will easily forget. We all have slightly different digestion times and react differently to foods – one person may get a great energy boost from a plate of pasta an hour before a run, the next person may feel bloated. Learn what suits you and use it to your advantage!
2. Plan your day
If you plan runs into your week, this will enable you to plan your i pre- and post-run meals as well. Plan to eat meals containing carbohydrate foods such as bread, cereals or rice throughout the hours preceding your run, and leave yourself enough time for digestion before you pull on your running shoes!
3. Make your meals match your runs
Always adapt your diet to suit the duration and intensity of your runs, particularly concentrating on fluid and carbohydrate intake.
4. Practice makes perfect
Always try out and evaluate dietary changes during training -not on race day.
Carbohydrate loading
‘Carb loading’ was originally developed to enable greater stores of glycogen to be stored for long duration events (over 90 minutes). It is used prior to endurance events such as half marathons or longer distance runs where maximal glycogen storage and more energy are required. This is unlikely to be of much use for your usual runs if you are new to running, but may be useful if you get into endurance running.