Injury Prevention & Recovery

 

Introduction

Listed below are several researched ways that have proved effective both at facilitating a faster rehab for injury and  recovery in general

Stretching

Stretching is one of the most important exercises to do to keep injuries away. Flexible muscles allow for a healthy range of motion of the joints which allow the body to function optimally. Important areas to stretch are: Hip Flexors, Glutes, Quadriceps, Hamstrings and Calves.

 

When to Stretch	Type	Duration/Repetitions	Purpose
Pre-Workout	Dynamic Stretching	10 repetitions of forward and sideward leg swings	Warmup the legs without losing muscle tension
Post-Workout	Static Stretching	At least 10 seconds	Get muscles back in alignment
All Day	Static Stretching	3 Sets of 30seconds	Improve overall flexibility

 

Foam Rolling

Foam Rolling, a form of Self-Myofascial Release, is an important tool in preventing injuries. Using the foam roller releases knots (trigger points) in the muscles. This not only improves muscle flexibility and mobility, but also enhances blood flow into the area to speed up recovery.

 

One could use a conventional Foam Roller, a Muscle Roller Stick, or a Massage Ball. Foam Rollers are better used for bigger muscles and general areas. The Muscle Roller Stick or Massage Ball are more suited for targeting specific points of tightness.

Massage guns are also a really good alternative to foam rollers. Depending on the massage head you use, it is not only great for warmup and blood circulation, but is very effective for releasing tight muscles. I personally find it better than a foam roller as it is easier to adjust the pressure on my muscles and is more precise at finding muscle knots.

Sleep

Many runners underestimate the importance of rest. Sleeping allows your body to absorb the training and adapt to the hard training done. A lack of rest can result in insufficient recovery which may lead to stagnating performances and a higher injury risk. 

Its important for runners to get 7-8 hours of sleep minimum. On days of hard workouts, try adding in an additional hour of sleep in the afternoon or night.

 

Strengthening exercises

Strength Training is important in the sense that it balances out any muscular weaknesses present in the body. Muscular imbalances can cause other weaker surrounding muscles to work harder, and this may strain the weaker muscles as a result. Also, strength training makes one’s muscles more resilient to fatigue.

Some common strength exercises include: Planks, Squats, Lunges, Deadlifts, Pullups and Pushups.

 I find 'Single Leg Romanian Deadlifts' very effective in building both strength and stability in my legs.

Ice

Icing one’s legs can help with reducing excessive inflammation in the area and aids in providing nutrient rich blood when the ice pack is removed. Ice can be used for sore muscles, sprains and strains, facilitating a faster recovery to allow the athlete to get back to training faster.

(Disclaimer: Advice given in this post does not constitute medical advise. It is best to consult your doctor on your condition to best suit your needs)