A new patient from last week prompted this post. He is a 43 year old presenting with persistent calf pain during running. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
He's been a competitive cyclist most of his life. Now, as a father of three young ones he is attempting to make the transition from cycling to running. As his time is limited, he wanted a sport that maximizes his 'bang for buck'. ⠀⠀
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He was frustrated because he generally felt very fit and never had any trouble with injuries as a cyclist.
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On assessment, his calves and hamstrings were weak, hip flexors very tight, and gluteal muscle function poor. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Long story short, his strong lung capacity from cycling allowed him to push his body well past what it was prepared for and into the danger zone of overload and injury. ⠀
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Tim Gabbett - "It's not the load that breaks the individual down. It's the load they are not prepared for."
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A really common scenario & and probably explains why triathletes find themselves injured so often. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
A research study (Rendos et al 2013) confirmed that cyclists develop muscle imbalances (particularly tight hip flexors) that can increase the risk of lower extremity injuries. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Key Points:
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1. Cycling, while beneficial for cardio health can contribute to muscle balances that can set you up for an injury.
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2. The human body is adaptable to change, but needs plenty of TIME to adapt. The fascia, muscles and tendons can take months/years to build capacity, while the cardio system responds much quicker. ⠀
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3. Running is a high load activity & has the potential to cause long-term problems if you take on too much too soon. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
4. An individualized Movement Assessment and corrective program will help maintain your body and keep it moving optimally. ⠀
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The Resilient Runner Workshop takes the latest evidence-based research and practical strategies to optimize your movement foundation so that you not only avoid injury, but enhance your running performance.
Saturday June 2nd. 12pm - 3pm.
2 spots left. More details via this link
