Hot answers tagged injury-prevention
9
It depends what you're doing right now. If you're not running that much right now, then yes, starting to run 3.2 miles, 2x per day will increase your risk of injury, specifically overuse injuries (like stress fractures, iliotibial band syndrome, achilles tendonitis, for example).
However, it is possible to build up to that amount of load safely. There's a ...
9
I've asked this implicitly of two qualified personal trainers. (One of the two usually trains Olympic athletes, so I trust his judgement.) Each time I said that I was interested in weight training to balance out the extra workout that my quads get (not just in the lower body, but to bring up my upper body strength too). Both of them said it was a reasonable ...
7
For a majority of your life, like many people, you've probably worn shoes, especially when doing anything that involves physical exertion or significant use of the feet. You say you've only been barefoot running for a month. So the most likely scenario is that you've unwittingly overdone it.
From Naturally Engineered - Pain and Swelling in Foot From Running ...
6
Neuromuscular Activation and Dynamic Stretching
Here is an excellent video on a dynamic stretching routine for running. It demonstrates 9 dynamic stretches. I've been using this routine several times a week for months now. It is a great way to get warmed up before hitting the road/treadmill/trails. It includes:
Walking Deadlifts (Drinking Bird)
Knee ...
6
In my opinion, the dumbbell bent over row is a superior exercise for the following reasons:
Your body is better supported--making this more desirable if you have chronic back problems
It builds your grip much better than the barbell variation
It keeps the shoulders, elbows, etc. in a more natural position.
Now, in order to perform the dumbbell row ...
5
The answer to "what should a beginner do to physically prepare for X activity" doesn't change very much whether you're training for chainsaw-wielding, tennis, or martial arts: first get strong while doing your chosen activity, then add power and slightly sport-specific tasks, and add conditioning if your sport doesn't do enough to tire you out. If you're ...
5
Yes, you should stretch before running, but not the sit down and reach kind of stretching. That is called static stretching, and is best done on fully warmed up muscles, at the end of workouts. What you want to do is dynamic stretching, which is the walk and run slowly recommendation. Dynamic stretching is doing motions that mimic what you will be doing in ...
4
I have been a runner for about 25 years and do not stretch before running. I use two types of warmup routines based on the type of running.
If the run is a distance run I simply begin at a slow jogging pace and speed up as I begin to feel "warm" (sweat and breathing rate are good cues).
When I do a sprint workout I begin with a slow lap rotating the ...
4
"Proper running form" is much more comprehensive than just the foot strike. Running with a fore/mid/heel strike are all valid IF you're not suffering as a result and the rest of your mechanics are sound. Focusing on foot strike alone will not yield a more efficient run. It is my opinion (after several years of running and trial and error) that getting your ...
4
Some people believe that concentric ab work is unnecessary. Abs, by Mark Rippetoe outlines the common reasoning and alternatives to concentic ab work. Here's some summary and excerpts.
The primary role of the abs is isometric stabilization.
"Since the basic nature of correct ab function is isometric, the exercises in which the abs perform this function ...
3
From your posted schedule and your history mentioned in another comment I would think that running 1 long run per week at your current distance would be sufficient to keep you in shape to complete up to a half marathon with relatively low risk of injury (based on your stated history). Don't plan on being competitive, though.
With only 1 slow long run a week ...
3
I have had the exact same problem for the last year or so, but I have gotten around the problem by tying my shoes in a slight different manner (see below).
From the various expects I consulted when I encounted the problem, I understand, that it usually is one of two problems for my age-group (47): a stress fracture in the foot or a inflammation of the ...
3
Here's a reasonably good set of beginning advice: webmd. I'd say there likely aren't any exercises which will be specifically good for the third lumbar vertebra, but building up strength in that area should generally help.
Especially given that you're underweight, building strength/increasing muscle mass is likely to be helpful. I'd recommend crunches, ...
3
According to a recent study, stretching of any kind before running does not aid in the prevention of injury.
The study found that stretching before running neither prevents nor
causes injury. In fact, the most significant risk factors for injury
included the following:
history of chronic injury or injury in the past four months;
higher body ...
3
Sounds like you're having dry heaves. I generally receive these when I:
Run much harder than I'm used to either distance-wise and speed-wise.
Have an empty stomach. I'm pushing myself so hard that I would actually vomit but since there's nothing in the digestive system, nothing comes out.
This happened a lot to myself and other Marines during training. ...
3
Remember the standard advice for all things running: we are an experiment of one and you need to find what works best for you.
You haven't said what distance you're warming up for or if you're talking about racing or merely training.
Stretching
Yes, the research on this is discouraging or, at best, mixed. However, a great many health professionals will ...
2
I've used compression socks in the past and personally found them very pleasant. One of the claimed advantages is that it restricts the swaying of your calf muscle which should help reduce the strain on your shins.
But as Plankalkül indicates there isn't any literature to support its effect on preventing injuries, but I found two blog posts (albeit rather ...
2
I hope that your knee issues have gotten better. However, there are a few things that can cause knee pains on a bike.
Seat height - Having a seat that is way too high or low can place odd stresses on the knees, and if it is too high, can also cause hip issues because you have to "rock" back and forth on the seat to stay on the pedals. A good bike fit can ...
2
The website "Biomechanics of Foot Strikes
&
Applications to Running Barefoot or in Minimal Footwear" (yes, it's a long title) has links to research on how people ran before the modern running shoe and barefoot running. This is from their FAQ:
What about surface hardness? Our ancestors didn’t run on pavement.
A common perception is that running ...
2
It depends on what kind of running you are doing. If you are doing a low intensity distance run, no need to do any stretching or warmup.
If you are doing a more intense aerobic run you should start with a low intensity warmup run (1/2 mile should be sufficient but ultimately it'll be dictated by your fitness level and the workout you are warning up for).
...
2
Check with your Doctor
Clearance for exercise - First, congratulations on starting to exercise. Based on your height and weight your BMI, which is a body mass index used to screen for obesity, is 39.3 which suggests that you are in the obese category, Class II. In this case it is wise that you consult with your doctor and get clearance before beginning an ...
2
Disclaimer: when you are experiencing recurring pain that lasts for weeks during your workouts, then you should definitely consider getting a doctor or physical therapist to check it out. The rest of my answer is going to assume that you got the "all-clear" from your doctor and that this is in fact nothing more than a muscular imbalance in your wrists.
To ...
2
1) It's safe, but you need to be a bit more careful about form/technique. You can pretend that there is an imaginary bar that keeps the dumb-bells at a constant distance apart as you do the exercise.
2a) Bent-over Row with dumb-bell
Keeping good form is a little more difficult.
You activate the secondary stabilizing muscle groups more (which is good).
As ...
2
I think if there were one exercise you would want to do to relieve lumbar discomfort it would be the reverse hyper-extension. This exercise gently stretches the lower lumbar. There aren't many other ways for the spine to stretch under decompression.
I've heard a lot testimonials of people who have saved their backs (recovered from broken backs, bulging ...
2
I wouldn't cut any of your workouts, as I wouldn't consider your current training sufficient for a 10k or a half marathon. Barely sufficient for a 5k.
The key to running well and safely without injury is keeping up the volume sufficiently for the events you are training for. What I would personally do is find 15-20 minutes every single day to get out the ...
2
General Strategies for Tendonitis
The real general advice is something you probably already know. Listen to your body, and if something hurts, quit doing it. If it hurts when you're not active, take a few days off. And if it continues to hurt after a week or more of rest, go see a doctor and physical therapist.
Advice for gym climbing
It sounds like ...
1
I did exercise on carpet before, and never had problems with skin-burns, but using an exercise mat should help with your problems.
I bought a mat myself a few months ago - mostly because of sweating, as the floor in my room is some sort of PVC. It is easier on the hands now, and the strange feeling when touching the floor with wet skin disappears, too.
1
I had an annoying pain in my foot that was sticking around and wouldn't go away for a long time, not directly caused by running long distances but certainly exacerbated by it.
Of all the stuff I tried, the only thing that helped was lifting weights. I'm not sure if it was the squats, the deadlifts or a combination of them that did it, but shortly after I ...
1
I'm not sure if you are referring to how to avoid having more dislocations after the initial one, or if you mean how to strengthen the shoulders to decrease the risk of shoulder dislocations.
If it's the first case, as a person who has experienced multiple shoulder dislocations, here's my most important advice: see a physio! There is no way to replace a ...
1
I'm not familiar with Fit in Six, but based on what I've read about Wii Fit, there is a risk of injury, both overuse and accident based. With the balance board it re-calibrates before every activity, which means if you were shifting around during the intermission, it has suddenly mis-calibrated your weight distribution. An adult might have the discipline to ...
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