Injury Prevention

What to do when you’re injured

Injury Reporting Form

This form allows us to know who is struggling with injury currently, and indicates how we can support them in returning to running as soon as possible. We don’t want anyone to disappear and feel forgotten in the club when injury strikes. This form is a confidential way to ensure that, if recovery isn’t straightforward, we know and can help increase your inclusion and support within the club.

Injury Prevention and Support

It goes without saying, even when you’re not injured, you should be aware of injury as a risk. Most likely, you ARE injured when you’re reading this, as we are students and so probably don’t have the time to anticipate injury too much. However, after reading this, probably while injured, you can understand future ways to avoid being in this position.

Injury Prevention Phase 1: Identifying personal risk factors

I found these research articles really informative (the bits that I understood anyway):

Injuries in Runners; A Systematic Review on Risk Factors and Sex Differences - PMC

(van der Worp, M. P., ten Haaf, D. S., van Cingel, R., de Wijer, A., Nijhuis-van der Sanden, M. W., & Staal, J. B. (2015). “Injuries in runners; a systematic review on risk factors and sex differences.” PloS one, 10(2), e0114937. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0114937)

Incidence and determinants of lower extremity running injuries in long distance runners: a systematic review | British Journal of Sports Medicine

(van Gent RN, Siem D, van Middelkoop M, et alIncidence and determinants of lower extremity running injuries in long distance runners: a systematic reviewBritish Journal of Sports Medicine 2007;41:469-480)

Upshot of the articles:

Risk factors we can control!

Overuse injuries
PREVENTABLE “biomechanical deficiencies”
Some complicated physics about running form which I didn’t understand xx.
Previous injury tendencies and lack of preventative stretches.

Thoughts:

is preventable by (stating the obvious but) adapting your training intensity/volume to fit your body and what works for you. If that means a bit of cross training to match previous mileage with less impact, then message someone from the club and arrange some aqua-jogging, biking or whatever floats your injury-preventative boat.
is one which I don’t know a lot about, but when you buy your next pair of running shoes, get your gait analysed (most running shops offer this free) and make sure that you choose a pair of shoes which is suited to your running style and keeps you supported. This might be an investment in some cases, but one which will ensure that you are, in the long term, running in a way which is healthy for you.
attending drills (monday evenings at Iffley) is one way to really improve your running form. Definitely something we can all work on!
see next section:

Phase 2: applying these RFs to our training:

Preventative stretches for the most common injuries:

(sources: https://www.healthline.com/health/running-injuries#injury-stats and video links sent courtesy of Matt/coach/cowboy Seddon).

I’ve tried to add videos explaining in decent depth what causes/what muscles etc are involved in which injuries, so that you can use your common sense about what training you can still manage and which types of training should be paused until it’s better. The only specialised equipment used in them is a band and some weights (but a filled up water bottle/tin of beans etc will probably work too).

4 - shin splints

Even when you feel a small flirtation with shin splints, a bit of targeted band stuff and stretching can be so useful. (The first one got me through 3 5ks in 3 weeks!):

run off road more/cross train to limit impact
band exercises in this video, ice, wall sits with heels raised to stretch muscles around the strain.

Shin Splints Strengthening Exercises & Stretches - Ask Doctor Jo

What Are Shin Splints?(there’s anatomy dissection in this one just to warn you!)

5 - hamstrings

This one is a lot about getting used to doing more flexibility stretches, something which those of us who came to Portugal (BAR CHARLIE WHO WAS AMAZING) were rubbish at.

Hamstring Strain Stretches & Exercises - Ask Doctor Jo

15 Minute Hamstring Flexibility Routine (FOLLOW ALONG)

6 - plantar fasciitis

Plantar Fasciitis Stretches & Exercises - Ask Doctor Jo

Two Minutes of Anatomy: Plantar Fascia

7 - stress fractures

(if you suspect this, stop running asap! This is a serious injury and you don’t want to extend time out by chancing it).

Stress Fractures, Explained by Ohio State Sports Medicine

Tibial Stress Fractures: Cause, Treatment, Comparisons

8 - sprained ankle

If you take appropriate time out and listen to your body on this, you can still be running PBs within a month of resuming training (see Beatrice Munro, local legend thief and all round running weapon who had this exact injury over Easter 2021).

Wrapping a Sprained Ankle - Ask Doctor Jo

Ankle Strengthening Exercises & Stretches - Ask Doctor Jo

5 Exercises to Rehab a Sprained Ankle