SPEAR Physical Therapy's 16th Street Physical Therapists Laura Muzzatti and Kellen Scantlebury delivered this fun and informative presentation on running and injury-prevention!
Learn why a mid-foot strike is better than a heel-strike, and what exercises you can do to make sure you're fit for running (not just running to be fit)!
More than Just Lines on a Map: Best Practices for U.S Bike Routes
SPEAR Physical Therapy's Running For Life: How to Keep Doing What You Love, Injury-Free!
1. Running for Life:
How to Keep Doing What You Love, Injury Free!
SPEAR Physical Therapy
Kellen Scantlebury DPT, CSCS
Laura Muzzatti DPT
2. Running for Life
• Fauja Singh finished
the Toronto Scotiabank
Marathon in 2011
• He was 100 years old!
3. • Discuss running trends
• Provide framework of normal running
mechanics
• Optimize running form
• Describe signs/symptoms of common injuries
• Discuss common training errors
• Review the top exercises and activities for
runners to reduce injuries
Objectives
4. • 2012 saw more than 15.5 million finishers in
U.S. running events
• Since 2000 the number of U.S. race finishers
has increased by 80%
• The 5K remains the most popular distance
• 2013 ING NYC Marathon was 2nd largest race in
U.S., with 50,266 finishers
Running Trends
9. Running Form
Pay attention to your “Plumb line” (seen above as the line stretching down the runners’
bodies)
• Forward lean of the body- momentum
• Using abdominals as opposed to arching lower back
• Foot landing directly under line
10. Runner on the left: Craig
Alexander, 3-time Ironman
Triathlon world champion;
current course record holder.
This photo is great for looking
at our “plumb line.” If we
drop a vertical line through
Craig’s ear, it drops through
his shoulder, through his hip,
and he is about to land
directly under that line.
This running form correlates
with a shorter step length,
higher cadence (steps/min),
and a mid-foot striking
pattern.
Running Form
The triathlete on the right is what you typically see at the end of an Ironman, and
what is frequently seen in non-professional runners.
His plumb line drops in front of his hip and his right foot is about to land way in
front of the line. He is clearly taking bigger steps than Craig and landing on his
heels.
11. Foot Striking Patterns
Barefoot running and heel strikiing have been a hot topic since the book “Born to Run”
came out in 2011 and the popularity of Vibram minimalist shoes quickly followed. An
aftermath of “minimalist” shoes started, changing the mindset that had been around
for the past 20 years.
(continued on next slide)
12. Foot Striking Patterns
A “rear-foot” or “heel-strike” running pattern results in a rapid, high impact transient
(aka a huge spike in force) that occurs right after the foot hits the ground. These impacts
add up, since you strike the ground almost 1000 times per mile. Wearing a running shoe
makes a heel strike more comfortable, and does reduce the force by about 10%.
However, they do not eliminate the impact transient.
* What also correlates with the spike in force is that any momentum gained is quickly
absorbed as the heel hits the ground. ** You are almost “braking” with every
overstride/heel strike and decelerating your momentum.
13. Foot Striking Patterns
With a forefoot to midfoot striking pattern, the impact transient is absent. By absorbing
shock through the arch as the body continues to transfer weight forward, we see a slow
rise in force from contact until midstance.
• Most important thing to take away from today is learning what your foot and body are
supposed to do may be more important than what footwear you are putting your foot
into. Regardless of which shoe is on your foot, paying attention to your body
mechanics is the most important thing.
14. • Running cadence = steps/minute
• Optimal running cadence is 180 steps/minute
• Taking shorter strides (even by 10%) reduces
injury risk!
• Tip: Run to a song that has the cadence (beat)
you are trying to achieve.
Cadence & Stride Length
20. Q-angle
• Angle from pelvis to
the mid point of the
patella
• 14 degrees normal
for males
• 17 degrees normal
for females
21. Dynamic Q angle
A. Normal Q angle
B. Abnormal Q angle
– puts the runner at
risk for hip and
knee injuries.
22. Common Injuries
Iliotibial Band Syndrome
– Lateral knee or hip
pain
• Tight IT band and
TFL
• Weak Hip
abductors, and
external rotators
• Poor running
mechanics
26. • Establish a Base
• Follow a plan
• Build up Core Strength
• Increase frequency before mileage
• 10-15% increase per week to prevent overload
• Cross training
• Tier your mileage
Training
27. Example Progression
• Week 1- 10 miles
• Week 2- 11.5 miles
• Week 3- 13 miles
• Week 4- 11.5 miles
• Week 5- 13 miles
• Week 6- 15 miles
• Week 7- 17.5 miles
• Week 8- 15 miles
28. • Dynamic warm up prior to activity
• Self STM (soft tissue mobilization or massage)
– Foam Rolling
– The Stick
– Trigger Point Release
• Static stretches afterward
Training 101
29. – Plank
– Side Plank
– Dead-lift
– Clam
– Squat
– Band walks
Top Strength Exercises for Runners
Steady, linear growth of finishers running in races over the past 12 years. Note that the percentage of females has skyrocketed since the 90s from 25% to 56%. These numbers don’t account for the non-racer/recreational runners in the country.
http://www.runningusa.org/statistics
1976 started with 25 000 participants and escalated over the next 35 years until 2013 where we had an all-time high of 541 000 marathon finishers.
Transitional statement:
If we pick one graph I like this one. Can show how much of an impact NYC marathon had on number of runner ***
http://www.runningusa.org/marathon-report-2014?returnTo=annual-reports
Running is a series of single leg hops that result in forward progression
Biomechanical efficiency is the most important key to running, as it allows a runner to get from point A to point B while expending the least amount of energy possible.
3 phases of running in general: Loading phase, propulsive phase, and recovery phase
Cyclical nature of running makes each phase dependent on each other
Plumb line
Forward lean of the body- momentum
Using abdominals as opposed to arching lower back
Foot landing directly under line
Foot striking pattern
Increased Q angle places added stress about the knee joint and hip joint .
Want to work to control the knee and hip in space.
Imperitive we control this at loading response**
Poor dynamic q angle can be caused by poor running mecahnics and muscle imbalances. Puts runner at risk for hip and knee injuries.
Talk about the repetitive nature of running and how even a small inward deviation of the knee can result in cumulative stress at the hip and knee
Why is Q-angle important to me??**
Second most common injury in runner, leading cause of lateral knee pain.
Main reason this happens is because of poor dynamic q angle**
Everybody feel your leg this is where it is. Orient audience to what we are looking at.
Increased hip add and IR. Impingement zone 20-30 decrease of knee flexion friction happening in this zone. Constantly running on same side of road, leg length descrepencies, excessive pronation. All risk factors
Friction from ITB snapping over the lateral leg.
Often display increased hip ad and knee IR during running activities. Poor mechanics
Target the hips to control what is going on at the knee. Neuromuscular re-education
3rd most common running injury and most common injury outside of the knee. Over use injury. Fascai put on constant stretch and often seen in individuals with pronated feet and supinated feet can get this injury because pf so tight any stretch causes pain
Pain over medial heel most common
Pain with first steps in the am and pain with first 5-10 mins of run. Pain get better with activity and come back after rest.
Also called Hairline fracture. Overuse injury.
Ache that happens when running, gets worse and get pain earlier in run that does not go away with rest
Develop gradually. Stress actually is supposed to increase bone strength not cause fracture. Poor calf muscle endruance, poor loading of the LE more loading throiugh the bones and not enough transmitted throiugh the muscles
** If running mechanics are not addressed, returning to running will result in the same breakdown of form and the same overload.
Vibram 5 fingers, new balance minimus, nike free
Nike lunner glide support to mild to moderate over pronator
Severe pronation you may look into getting a maximum support shoes until you can work on getting your foot mechanics to be more normal.
Establish a strong base of running months before you even start training for a marathon. It is crucial.. race in october 16 week training program has you starting in july. Should already be having a few steady runs a week now. 2-3 montsh of gradual building milage will go along way. Endurance race so endure it.
Plans help you look ahead and are great way of making a progression around activities in your life. We are all new yorkers have a hectic schedule have to be home Sunday night to watch game of thrones I understand. Plans are easier to follow and can be set up strategically for proper milage and running frequency increases. Again we know injuries happen because to much running or to big increase in milage so plan for your running season.
Core strenght needed for many aspects of running . Running begins with core. Proximal stability for distal mobility. I am the spear record holder for plank time held for 15mins and 10 seconds. World record is 1 hour 20 mins and five seconds. Helps maintain proper form and allows for more efficieny with running. 3-4 times a week should be concentrating on core.
Increase frequency of running before you increase your miles. Running 5 miles 2-3 times a week. First run that same distance 4-5x a week before you increase millage. Helps body respond faster to training and improve aerobic fitness level. Run more days a week at that same speed increase pace and mileage
Be real with yourself, current fitness injury history, and ultimate season goal. For runners running 10-15 miles a week you can go up 15% max or 30 % max
As you runn more miles a week the percentage that you increase should decrease. IE if you run 26-35 miles a week you should increase 20 percent increase. Run over 56 miles a week no more then 10 percent increase in mielage
Tier runs. Increase for 3 weekn and on the 4th week drop training intensity down to week 2 levels. Body under stress for 3 weeks allow for adaptations in aerobic fitness and ramp down allows for tissue healing and body to recover to decrease chance of overuse injury. Build mileage and reduce injury
Want to preface by saying this is 10 miles total for a week. Beginning runner here.
Up train for 3 consecutive weeks at 15% increase
4th week we detrain drop down to our week 2 milage to allow for active healing, still getting aerobic training in, decrease load on the body, decrease chance for overuse injuries, and breakdown of form.
Olympic atheletes use this method. Can work for you. Speak on Boston Marathon winner
Picture of road runner progression plan
Example of a 8 week tiered traming program for individual that has been and can run 10 miles a week comfrtably
Research trends toward more dynamic activities. Inhibit muscle firing patterns if static stretching done before.
STM is soft tissue mobilization or self massage
Pictures of dynamic warm up
Video??
Running is not resistance training. Many people think that running should come naturally, but we all forget that it is a sport.