Scared to Resume Activity Again

I think so many of us are scared when we start running again. We suddenly think - that if we increase my mileage too much too soon, will my knees, hips and even my back start to show signs of pain/discomfort especially if we are overweight or older or returning from an injury.

As someone who does work with a host of runners, including novice and beginners as well as those returning from an injury here is what I would recommend….

1) Pace yourself. Start slow and combine your run with a few minutes of walking. Example run the flats, walk the hills and run downs and repeat. This is also great in helping you focus more on your breathing which will help in keeping your heart rate at a nice even pace.

2) Know your limitations. When you first start back check in with yourself like I know knees can act up after the knee so I need to be mindful that once I get home I do a little self care like stretching, foam rolling and maybe an epsom salt bath

3)Don’t run everyday. Make sure you are getting in proper recovery days to allow your body a chance to heal

4) Look at your nutrition. Understanding the importance of decreasing foods that naturally increase inflammation in our bodies will also help with muscle recovery along with proper hydration.

5) Include some flexibility and mobility exercises into your weekly routine to help decrease the chance of too much soreness or a potential injury from stepping in. So many of us have a foam roller at home, get to know how to use it properly. A foam roller is great at breaking up the soft tissue to help increase our flexibility and mobility. Then look at following a solid stretching routine. I encourage my runners to incorporate yoga into their weekly routines as well.

6) Make sure to train your muscle imbalances. Now if you have seen some of my posts I do mention this as it is an important training tool. Understanding which of our muscles are over engaging vs the weaker ones helps in making our overall run experience an enjoyable one. Adding swimming into the mix is also another powerful training tool as it helps with making the ankles stronger and allows for the glutes/hamstrings/quads to really fire versus our hip flexors.

I am sure I could add a few more to the list but those would be my top 6 for you. If you have any specific questions book a call with me 

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