Injury prevention

The main cause of injury is training load - doing too much when the body isn’t ready. Training wants to be designed to build up gradually. Unfortunately, because everyone is different, we can’t always predict how you’ll react to a given training plan, so it’s also up to you to monitor how you’re feeling.

Soreness is something every endurance athlete experiences. Soreness is manageable and can ease once you’re warmed up. However, once the pain causes you to move differently or compensate for it, you’ve likely crossed into injury territory.

You’ll know it’s an injury when every use of the affected leg results in pain - you start favouring one side or hesitate with every step.

Book an appointment with a sports physiotherapist as soon as possible. Word of mouth is often the best way to find someone reputable, but check out reviews online as well to help find a good physio.

To help with your recovery, you will want to find out:

• What the injury is
• What treatment involves
• What supplementary exercises you can do
• What cross-training (an alternative cardiovascular activity) is recommended
• Their estimated timeframe for returning to full training

If you’re following a Full Potential plan, get in touch with us - we can adjust your plan based on the physio’s advice.

Avoid using Google to self-diagnose. It’s easy to fall down a rabbit hole and convince yourself of ailments you don’t have. Professional support is key.

We know that smart training, listening to your body, and living a healthy lifestyle all help reduce injury risk. Adding extra miles because you “feel behind” is a sure way to pick up an injury.

You are the expert on your body. If something doesn’t feel right, speak up. Too often, we see runners pushing through pain, hoping it goes away.

Getting injured can really affect your mindset - not just about running, but life in general.

It’s okay to take a day or two to feel disappointed. Step away from your sport, give yourself space. But then, try to see the injury as an opportunity - to focus on neglected areas of your training, to eat well, and to rest properly.

The injury will pass. If you do your rehab, stay on top of your fitness, and follow the advice you’re given, you’ll be surprised at how little fitness you’ve lost when it’s time to run again.