Ready to Run by Dr. Kelly Starrett and TJ Murphy, (18) ATTACKING COMMON RUNNING INJURIES, Notes

Post date: Jan 28, 2018 2:42:51 PM

Ready to Run

(18) ATTACKING COMMON RUNNING INJURIES. Running injuries are physics and biology in action. See them as messages about what’s missing in the body’s mechanics and range of motion. Hidden in these messages is the potential to run, faster, longer and better.

The mobility template is a two stage plan, but both stages can be enacted simultaneously:

• 1. First Stage - Improve movement patterns. When chronic pain rears its ugly head, study mechanics and positions to determine the root causes of the problem. Realize that pain in the arch of the foot can be an expression of imbalance and weakness in the glutes and low back. Go through the position standards: neutral feet, a good squat, hip flexion, hip extension and the mobility of the feet and ankles. Position and mechanics come first.

  2. Second Stage - Treat the symptoms. Work on the problem area but also above and below the problem (upstream and downstream). With knee pain, for example, spend time each day working below on the calves and above on hamstrings, quads and glutes. The idea is to give the problem breathing room or create slack. To feed slack into the system, use voodoo band compression for any hotspot inflammation and work on the sticky sliding surfaces on any hotspot.

• • Common Chronic Running Injuries

    1. Plantar Fasciitis - A catchall phrase for any chronic injury on the bottom of the foot. It could be from a nerve ending getting caught or from an inflamed bursa sac. Bottom line: it hurts every time the foot plants.

       1. The first order of business is to analyze mechanics. Heel strikers everywhere are courting chronic arch pain on a daily basis. It can also be a manifestation of weak hips and poor midline stability. Also pay attention to the dorsi and plantar flexion of the foot. Any short range of motion feeds into arch pain. Make ankle range of motion a priority.

       2. To alleviate the immediate issue, select exercises that treat the toes, the big toe in particular (downstream) as well as the heel cords and calf muscles. This feeds slack into the system.

       3. Use Voodoo Floss to speed up the healing process. Wrap up the arch and spend a few minutes flexing and pointing the foot. Use a ball on the arch. Look for any ropy hotspots that are shortening the system. Roll deeply into these places, to get some suppleness back into the arch of the foot. Build it into the day but start it before getting out of bed and putting weight on the foot. Mobilizing throughout the day is constantly adhering to the ‘warming up’ standard.

    2. Iliotibial (IT) Band Syndrome - A catch all name for injuries related to the IT Band. It usually refers to a hotspot on the outside of the knee. The IT Band basically attaches to the the glutes, the hamstrings and the quads. Study running mechanics. Look for movement faults. IT band syndrome is usually the result of weak hips and a valgus knee problem, where the joint is collapsing inward and the foot swings around for the wretched heel strike. The IT band cannot be ‘stretched out’ (it can suspend a volkswagen). Instead, feed slack back into the system by working up and down stream of the problem.

• • • 1. Really dig into the high hip area, the side in particular. Slack can also be created by mobilizing the hamstrings and quads.

      2. Use Voodoo floss compression on any inflamed spots. Place a ball in the crook of the knee and flex the leg (flexion gapping). Be aware of the neuromuscular bundle behind the knee. If there is any weird nervy pain, back off and find a different spot.

• • 3. Runner’s Knee - Causes pain on the inside of the knee with each foot fall. Runner’s knee is often an expression of poor mechanics. The foot isn’t neutral, the knee collapses inward and the connective tissues and cartilage within the joint are messed with.

• • • 1. Fix positions and support it by looking for missing range of motion (hip flexion and extension.)

      2. Perform Voodoo floss band compression around the knee, moving the joint through its full range of motion.

      3. Mobilize upstream and downstream (calves, shins, hamstrings, quads and glutes) to create slack.

• • 4. #4 Shin Splints.

• • • 1. Examine positions and mechanics and work on fixing them.

      2. Wrap Voodoo band floss around the problem area and spend some time pointing and flexing the foot.

      3. Pepper mobility work with lower leg and hip mobilizations.

      4. Use a lacrosse ball on the shin and slowly work the anterior compartment up and down between the ankle and knee.

      5. Finally, create slack up and downstream by working on the heel cord, the bottom of the feet, the big toe and the upper leg.