HANDOUT: Injury Prevention

You can’t finish the race if you can’t start the race. To complete the proper training for an endurance event, you need two things. You need the dedication to put in he time and effort to train. And you need to stay healthy. Below are some general thoughts on how to make sure you stay healthy. Attached are several articles on injury prevention

How to stay healthy.
Most running injuries are not of a sudden impact type (the wrenching of a knee on the volleyball court.) Rather they are of the overuse type. Running is a repetitive motion and with that repetition comes increased risk of overdoing certain stresses.

These types of injuries are most common in newer runners. You have found something new that you enjoy and you want to get out there and do it as much as you can. That zeal can lead you down the trail to injuries.
Important factors in staying healthy include (those marked with a * have been or will be covered in a separate handout):

• Good Footwear *
• Proper Stretching *
• Following a Reasonable Training Program – The general rule of thumb is that you do not want to increase your weekly mileage by more that 10%-20% in any given week. Your training program has been designed to keep you in the safe zone.
• Staying Hydrated *
• Eating Right *
• Treating Injuries Quickly – Most people know when they have a small injury. By quickly attending to the injury, you can recover with minimal lost time. However, most major injuries occur when the runner ignores the small hurt and continues to train through the injury. In these situations, you do greater damage and have a much longer recovery time.

Am I Sore or Hurt?
One of the hardest thing for new runners to learn is the difference between being sore from training and being hurt. There is no hard and fast rule on this subject. If in doubt, seek the appropriate medical advice.

The best indicator is your level of pain. Never ignore pain as it is the body’s best indicator of the situation. If you are stiff or tender, do not be afraid of taking a day of rest. If the stiffness does not go away after several days of rest or after running a few minutes, you may have a more serious situation. That is when you need to seek assistance.

The bottom line: LISTEN TO YOUR BODY. As you become more experienced, you will learn the difference between being sore from training and being hurt. If you have a question, don’t be afraid to ask your coaches. We may not know, but we may be of assistance.

Use of Ice.
The most common treatment of minor injuries is the use of ice. When hurt and using ice, you will want to ice the injured area three to four times a day, 10 to 15 minutes at a time. For a lot of injuries, an ice massage is effective. Take a small paper cup and fill it 2/3 with water. Then put it in the freezer. Once frozen, tear the paper down to expose some ice while leaving some of the cup to hold. Then use the ice to massage the effected area.

Anti inflammatories.
Since most injuries are overuse injuries, there is usually inflammation involved. In these cases the use of over the counter anti inflammatory agents can help. Ibuprofen (Advil and the like) or Aleve are helpful in these situations.

Run hard, be strong, think big!…Percy Cerutty