A large number of running injuries can be prevented with early physio intervention. Often, this involves identifying and addressing any inefficiencies in your running mechanics contributing to injury.
A good physio will also provide advice on load management. It can involve guiding you through strategies to increase running volume and intensity gradually over time to prevent injury.
Pre-hab
Many people think of physiotherapy as only required after an injury. However, a few pre-hab sessions can go a long way to minimising your risk of injuries. Several running injuries can be prevented altogether! For more information about the sports physio for runners Adelaide, click here.
Physios trained in pathomechanics analysis (running gait analysis) can identify subtle issues with your biomechanics, which can lead to injury. They can work with you to correct these movement patterns and implement them into running drills and your training program.
Physios can also design a comprehensive pre-hab program to strengthen the areas most susceptible to injury and speed up your recovery. It may be done over an extended period, with infrequent follow-up visits to track and progress your home program. Ultimately, this will decrease your risk of injury and improve your performance as a runner. For more information or to book a session with one of our running-focused physios, call us today.
Injury management
Running is one of the highest participation sports in Australia, but it can be very high impact and therefore prone to injury. Physiotherapists are trained to assess running biomechanics (the way the body moves when running) and identify poor movement patterns that can lead to damage. They can help you improve your technique through specific running drills and training.
Most runners have a very high pain threshold which can be both a blessing and a curse, especially when it comes to ignoring those little niggles that may develop into serious injuries. Physiotherapists are highly skilled in assessing and identifying these niggles and can provide you with a treatment plan to prevent them from developing into serious injuries.
They can also help you to return to running following injury with a graduated running progression that will safely build your level of fitness. It will include physiotherapy techniques, soft tissue techniques, joint mobilisation/ manipulation, dry needling and exercise prescription.
Post-injury rehabilitation
The rehabilitation of sports injuries is a complex, multi-faceted process. It involves various practitioners, time constraints and competing stakeholder expectations. Successful repair of damages in running sports requires a thorough understanding of the biomechanics of the running injury mechanism and how to cue runners to change their running style to minimise injury risk.
Using slow-motion video analysis, your physiotherapist will look at your running gait and identify any biomechanical issues contributing to injury. They can then offer corrective exercise strategies, running drills and strength training to help reduce your injury risk. The key to a safe return to running is a gradual progression of load and training intensity. It’s also important to include strength training and recovery between running sessions.
Sport-specific conditioning
The best way to get the most out of your running is to ensure you do it correctly. Our physiotherapists are all experienced and trained to assess your running technique and provide you with a comprehensive treatment plan for all your running injuries.
Our physiotherapists will also provide you with sports-specific conditioning exercises to help prepare the body and mind for the unique demands of your sport and reduce the risk of injury. It involves drills and exercises that closely replicate the movements, muscle contractions and load of your sport to improve performance. For more information about the sports physio for runners Adelaide, click here.
It includes a range of general strength exercises such as squats, lunges and overhead squats. As well as running specific activities such as sprint training and top-end speed development. It has been shown to improve running acceleration, top-end speed and endurance. It has also been shown to decrease the number and severity of running injuries. It is especially evident in elite athletes such as AFL & SANFL footballers and international soccer players.