If you’re health-conscious, physical activities are a good option for you to take. However, too much physical activity can sometimes lead to injuries. Running is no different, especially since you can get injuries specific to running only.
Running loads are a set of running exercises typically designed for your body to handle. However, when you take a running load, and it proves too much for you to handle, it can lead to serious running injuries. To prevent this from happening, it’s essential to understand the factors that can lead to running injuries.
Athletes often place themselves at a level of loading temporarily to adapt themselves. This method is known as overreaching, but the difference is the intentional nature and the short recovery window necessary for these athletes to adapt themselves.
To understand more about the factors that lead to running injuries, read on below.
Load Influencers
As stated before, running load is the amount of running that your body can handle. There are two types of loads: first is the external load, which refers to the physical work completed. The second is the internal load, which is the body’s response to it.
Below are what can influence your load:
- The distance that you run and the time that you take to complete it.
- The actual road you run on. Your running route may be either vertical or even elevated, such as small hills.
- Your running intensity, which is the effort that you put in running. The higher the intensity, the higher risk of getting a running injury.
- Strength and conditioning, which are factors associated with gym training.
- Cross-training, such as cycling and swimming, put a strain on your legs, which is not limited to running only.
- Activities of daily living can induce stress, and when you’re stressed, you tend to get tired, leading to injury while you run.
Factors That Influence the Capacity to Handle Loads
Of course, you can’t go on running exercises if you don’t think that you’re up for the challenge. Below are some of what can influence you to handle loads.
- Injury History: If you have suffered an injury in the past, it can affect how you run. Not only that, but if you overwork yourself, you may have that same injury again. There’s also an increased risk of getting a new injury.
- Training History: If a person has trained for quite some time, chances are they have already adapted quite well, and the risk of getting an injury is reduced. Aside from that, their bodies have also been trained long enough to have the right amount of strength and endurance to perform well during running.
- Proper Sleep: It has been said for the longest time that people who get ample amounts of sleep tend to have good performance when it comes to exercise, especially running.
- Right nutrition: Proper diet should also be observed by runners. Their running performance is affected by what they eat.
Conclusion
Running injuries can happen, but they can easily be avoided. By taking the right amount of running loads, not only do you have better chances of getting fit, but you’re also preventing running injuries from happening to yourself. From everything gathered, it can be said that eating the right food and getting enough sleep is the key to avoiding running injuries.
Running is a great exercise, but injuries happen often. And when you suffer running injuries, you will need a physiotherapist to help you get back on your feet. If you’re looking for affordable physiotherapy in Bondi, Invigor Health is for you!
We do various assessments as long as you’re in treatment, with additional exercises to help you get back on your feet. Contact us today for a consultation!