Activ Therapy
  • Activ Therapy
    • About Us >
      • Activ Therapy Story
      • The Activ Therapy Difference
      • Core Values
    • New patients >
      • FAQs
      • Our Guarantee
    • Enquire about cost and availability
    • Tell us about your problem
    • Conditions >
      • Shoulder Pain
      • Back Pain
      • Neck Pain
      • Headache and migraine
      • Knee Pain
      • Ankle Sprain
      • Get fit
      • Plantar Fasciitis
      • Anterior Hip Pain
      • Sleep Hygiene
      • Motor Vehicle Accidents
    • Careers >
      • Seminars and workshops
    • Feeback
  • Services
    • Physiotherapy
    • Chiropractic
    • Massage Therapy
    • Exercise Physiology
    • Hydrotherapy
    • For Employers and Workers
    • Sports Physiotherapy
    • Dry Needling
    • Active Release Techniques
    • Activ 4 Life Exercise Classes
    • Health and Wellness Product Range
    • Physiotherapy and Chiropractic Exercise Library
  • Locations
    • Casula >
      • Casula Team Members
      • Casula Photos
      • Casula Physiotherapy
      • Casula Massage Therapy
    • Chipping Norton >
      • Chipping Norton Team Members
      • Chipping Norton Photos
    • Clemton Park >
      • Clemton Park Team Members
      • Clemton Park Photos
      • Clemton Park Physiotherapy >
        • Earlwood Physiotherapy
        • Roselands Physiotherapy
        • Kingsgrove Physiotherapy
        • Campsie Physiotherapy
      • Clemton Park Chiropractic
      • Clemton Park Massage Therapy
      • Clemton Park Exercise Physiology
      • Clemton Park Boot Camp
      • Clemton Park Yoga
    • Dural >
      • Dural Team Members
      • Dural Photos
    • Eagle Vale >
      • Eagle Vale Team Members
      • Eagle Vale Photos
    • Gladesville >
      • Gladesville Team Members
      • Gladesville Photos
    • Liverpool >
      • Liverpool Team Members
      • Liverpool Photos
      • Liverpool Physiotherapy.
      • Liverpool Chiropractic.
    • Macquarie Fields >
      • Macquarie Fields Team Members
      • Macquarie Fields Photos
    • Moorebank >
      • Moorebank Team Members
      • Moorebank Photos
    • Narellan >
      • Narellan Team Members
      • Narellan Photos
    • Prestons >
      • Prestons Team Members
      • Prestons Photos
    • Sans Souci >
      • Sans Souci Team Members
      • Sans Souci Photos
      • Sans Souci Podiatry
    • Winston Hills >
      • Winston Hills Team Members
      • Winston Hills Photos
  • Book Online
  • NDIS
    • Who we help
    • NDIS Referrals
  • Blog

Why You're Running Yourself Towards Pain

6/9/2017

0 Comments

 
​Everyone runs or walks each day... So we MUST be good at it right?
 
Wrong.
 
Doing something for many repetitions doesn't necessarily mean we are skilled at it ESPECIALLY if we are doing it incorrectly
 
For example, if you're running with poor technique over many kilometres, this will reinforce your movement habits.
 
So you're going to be really good at running with poor technique
 
Let's look at a few common examples of why some runners develop injuries:

#1 Overstriding

When running, the most efficient place to land with each step is straight under your centre of mass (usually right below your hips).
 
Anything further in front of this will actually apply a braking force to your body, using up more energy and transmitting more force through your body
 
This is what runners will call "overstriding"
 
A few thousand steps of overstriding is no big deal for most people... they probably won't even notice. But what if you're running upwards of 20km/week and you're overstriding each and every step? Your body isn't going to be too pleased.
 
Have a look at your running from the side - where does your foot land in relation to your hip?
 
If you have this problem, try and focus on increasing your step rate (cadence) which will make it less likely to overstride
Picture

#2 Excessive knee rotation

​Uncontrolled knee movement on the landing/stance phase of running is a big contributor to running injuries
 
The knee is primarily a hinge joint - it has a small amount of rotation to it, but it's main movement is straight forward and back (like kicking a soccer ball)... it is NOT designed to move side-to-side or to twist inwards or outwards
 
Rather, the hip and foot (surrounding joints) are much better equipped to do this
 
To check out what your hip is doing and if it functions well enough to control your knee, hop on the spot - is the knee motion controlled in line with the ankle, or is it not being controlled well?
 
If you have an unstable knee and add speed/load/fatigue/respiratory demand, can you figure out what happens next?
 
So if you see a runner with knees that move sidewards or twist excessively, then they most likely will run into some problems down the track

#3 Weak feet

​This won't sit well with most podiatrists:
 
I HATE orthotics (when prescribed on their own)
 
Your foot is designed to CONTROL pronation and supination which is what most orthotics tend to block
 
The many muscles in the foot function to absorb shock when running, converting it to elastic energy to propel your body forwards, like springs in a car.
 
Add a physical block (orthotics) and those springs disappear
 
That shock absorption and propulsion disappears and your foot becomes weak and dysfunctional
 
Your super-cushioned, medial-arch supporting, expensive anti-pronation shoes might help you run further for a while, but your foot muscles are still WEAK
 
Just like wearing an ankle brace after a sprain... if you don't rehab it properly, your ankle will still be dysfunctional no matter how many bandages you put around it.
 
So what can you do about it?
 
Strengthen your feet and restore its FUNCTION!
 
If you can't control your foot in a sitting/standing position, can you imagine trying to control your foot when you run and put over 4x your body weight on it through THOUSANDS of reps per run?
 
Lift up all your toes - can you feel your arch lift up as well?
 
Most people DO NOT have a flat foot; rather they have a foot that flattens due to weak intrinsic foot muscles
Picture
​So which of these do you need to work on the most?
 
If you liked this content and would like to find out more, follow us on Facebook @ActivTherapyCasula for the latest updates.

Picture
​About the Author:
Lawrence Khuu is a qualified Physiotherapist and Movement Specialist. His mission is to help motivated clients perform at their highest level through a combined hands-on treatment and exercise rehabilitation approach. He currently treats clients at Activ Therapy Casula.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Welcome the the Activ Therapy Blog.
    Find out about all things physiotherapy and chiropractic, covering health tips, self treatment advice, common conditions and latest updates in health.  Follow us on facebook to keep up to date with the latest.


    Author: Richard Kim

    rRichard has been a physiotherapist since 2003 working in public hospitals, workplace injury and gyms before establishing Activ Therapy.  He currently works with powerlifters, martial arts and crossfit athletes,

    View my profile on LinkedIn

    Categories

    All
    Common Injuries
    General
    Health Tips
    Sports Performance
    Treatment Techniques


    Archives

    May 2022
    January 2022
    October 2021
    October 2020
    September 2020
    July 2020
    November 2019
    October 2019
    July 2019
    December 2018
    December 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016

    Book Online
    Contact Us

    RSS Feed

  • Activ Therapy
    • About Us >
      • Activ Therapy Story
      • The Activ Therapy Difference
      • Core Values
    • New patients >
      • FAQs
      • Our Guarantee
    • Enquire about cost and availability
    • Tell us about your problem
    • Conditions >
      • Shoulder Pain
      • Back Pain
      • Neck Pain
      • Headache and migraine
      • Knee Pain
      • Ankle Sprain
      • Get fit
      • Plantar Fasciitis
      • Anterior Hip Pain
      • Sleep Hygiene
      • Motor Vehicle Accidents
    • Careers >
      • Seminars and workshops
    • Feeback
  • Services
    • Physiotherapy
    • Chiropractic
    • Massage Therapy
    • Exercise Physiology
    • Hydrotherapy
    • For Employers and Workers
    • Sports Physiotherapy
    • Dry Needling
    • Active Release Techniques
    • Activ 4 Life Exercise Classes
    • Health and Wellness Product Range
    • Physiotherapy and Chiropractic Exercise Library
  • Locations
    • Casula >
      • Casula Team Members
      • Casula Photos
      • Casula Physiotherapy
      • Casula Massage Therapy
    • Chipping Norton >
      • Chipping Norton Team Members
      • Chipping Norton Photos
    • Clemton Park >
      • Clemton Park Team Members
      • Clemton Park Photos
      • Clemton Park Physiotherapy >
        • Earlwood Physiotherapy
        • Roselands Physiotherapy
        • Kingsgrove Physiotherapy
        • Campsie Physiotherapy
      • Clemton Park Chiropractic
      • Clemton Park Massage Therapy
      • Clemton Park Exercise Physiology
      • Clemton Park Boot Camp
      • Clemton Park Yoga
    • Dural >
      • Dural Team Members
      • Dural Photos
    • Eagle Vale >
      • Eagle Vale Team Members
      • Eagle Vale Photos
    • Gladesville >
      • Gladesville Team Members
      • Gladesville Photos
    • Liverpool >
      • Liverpool Team Members
      • Liverpool Photos
      • Liverpool Physiotherapy.
      • Liverpool Chiropractic.
    • Macquarie Fields >
      • Macquarie Fields Team Members
      • Macquarie Fields Photos
    • Moorebank >
      • Moorebank Team Members
      • Moorebank Photos
    • Narellan >
      • Narellan Team Members
      • Narellan Photos
    • Prestons >
      • Prestons Team Members
      • Prestons Photos
    • Sans Souci >
      • Sans Souci Team Members
      • Sans Souci Photos
      • Sans Souci Podiatry
    • Winston Hills >
      • Winston Hills Team Members
      • Winston Hills Photos
  • Book Online
  • NDIS
    • Who we help
    • NDIS Referrals
  • Blog