With all of these running injuries, how do you know even where to begin? I don’t even want to begin until I can figure out what is the underlying cause. Once this injury heals (if it ever does), I hope I will have figured out what needs to happen to prevent running injuries in the future. I know runners get hurt, but I seem to get more than my fair share. And it has to be something I am doing….all day every day…the way I walk, sit, stand, run….something is putting extra stress on my muscles that puts even more stress on the supporting tendons and ligaments that is causing problems.
What I have recently learned that may offer some help is that I have a very weak core and significant tightness in my hips. According to Jay Dicharry in Running Rewired, if these kinds of problems already exist, the body compensates for them and eventually the brain gets rewired to move the body within the limitations that are placed on it. So apparently I have to rewire my movements to correct these existing problems. And it takes a lot of practice and focus.
I am starting with the basics through identifying problem areas via a couple of mobility test from Jay Dicharry’s book.
First is the hip mobility test – Kneel inside a doorway (this is kind of like a doorway) and tuck the tailbone so that the curve in the low back is flat against the door frame.
If you feel nothing or just a gentle stretch in front of the thigh, then there is no need to do anything. But, if you feel a huge pull in front of the thigh which I did, then according to Dicharry, you need to incorporate the kneeling hip flexor stretch. I found a video on youtube that demonstrates this very well. I only needed to do a pelvic tilt and was able to feel intense stretch….very tight muscles!! This is a problem!! But I am working on it.
Next is the Ankle Mobility Test
From Running Rewired:
Stand facing a wall. Place your big toe right at the base of the wall, and bend your ankle until your kneecap touches the wall.
I did pretty good with this mobility test, but I do have some tightening in both the front and back of the ankle so I will do some ankle mobility stretches along with calf smashes (foam rolling). Dicharry explains this here.
Foot Control Test
I could not believe that I could not do this test! Standing on both feet, lift your big toe of one foot off the floor without lifting the 4 other toes. Then slam it down without collapsing the arch. This was hilarious for me because initially I could not raise my big toe. I had to really concentrate on this one. It reminded me of my adorable granddaughter when she was trying to wink. I could see the concentration and how hard she was trying but she just could not wink….eventually she got it 🙂
Here is my proof that I eventually got it too ha!
I could raise my other 4 toes at once, but I struggled a little more with that. It is a work in progress.
What I like about these test is that they give you good information about why you are not able to do a squat for instance or that your gait is off…..it varies but the important thing is to figure out what is wrong and do what is necessary to fix it. Its a start…
My chiropractor has prescribed foot strengthening exercises for me. While standing with your feet in a tripod position contract or shorten the arch of the foot. I have started at 30 seconds per foot for now but eventually the goal is to be able to do this for longer periods of time and also in different positions, like with your eyes closed for example.
This short article demonstrates the tripod positioning of the feet.
My chiropractor also believes the bridge is one of the best exercises for runners. I have done bridges in the past but they didn’t seem to really do anything for me. Well, I didn’t realize that sucking in my stomach is not exactly tightening the core ha ha ha. Makes a difference if you actually do the exercise correctly. So I have added those to my exercise routine as well.
I am still doing exercises that I had mentioned in an earlier post that my PT had prescribed.
- Tippy twist
- calf raises
- banded squats
- banded side steps
- foam rolling
- stretching
And I will continue to add exercises from Running Rewired. I’ll get there, it will just take time. I am hoping to get back to some running in maybe another two weeks (fingers crossed).
So some exciting news, I think my daughter may have the baby tonight. She has been contracting but wasn’t progressing and now her contractions are starting to get closer. She is having a contraction in one of these photos, can you tell which one? 🙂
I am sure my next post will have some baby pictures 🙂 So Exciting!!!
Leave a Reply