Marathon Training – Avoiding Injury
By: Dr. Benjamin G. Domb
Posted Monday, September 20, 2010
Millions of athletes nationwide are gearing up for their upcoming marathon, and though endurance races are widely popular, painful injuries often occur as a result of incorrect form and movement.
As a sports medicine surgeon and the medical director of the Hip Center of Excellence at Adventist Hinsdale Hospital, it’s my responsibility to equip runners with the knowledge to help them prevent injury, strengthen performance skills and avoid marathon injuries that, if untreated, can require surgery.
Training for a marathon can really take a toll on your body, and it’s very important to listen to your body throughout the whole process. Common marathon training injuries include labral tears of the hip, meniscus tears in the knee, achilles tendinitis, and patellar tendinitis. While athletes of all ages and experience levels are susceptible, female athletes are particularly at risk for injuries because their ligaments are generally looser than men’s ligaments.
Here are some of my simple, yet effective tips to help endurance runners avoid pain during training and racing, and to guide runners safely and successfully to the completion of a marathon.
· Incorporate strength training in your training schedule, in addition to running. Lift light weights, and put most of the emphasis on negative reps (the part of the rep where you are releasing or lowering the weight).
· Appropriate shoe wear is essential. Half the battle of avoiding injury is purchasing running shoes that are well-padded and well-fitted. Take into consideration what foot-type you have (high arch, flat foot, or normal arch), and make sure to buy and use the shoes you will run in during the actual event approximately four to six weeks prior to the marathon.
· Remember to stretch to increase flexibility. Try yoga and Pilates to keep your limbs loose and injury-free.
· Mix up your workout routine. Be sure to engage in cross-training and low-impact training such as swimming, cycling or elliptical machines, in addition to your running regimen.
By Dr. Benjamin G. Domb, Sports Medicine Surgeon and Medical Director of the Hip Center of Excellence at Adventist Hinsdale Hospital
Dr. Benjamin Domb is known nationally as a doctor on the cutting edge of hip arthroscopy – a minimally invasive procedure to repair injuries such as a torn labrum or impingement in the hip. Domb, one of the 10 highest volume hip arthroscopy surgeons in the U.S., performs 400 hip surgeries a year. A graduate of Princeton University and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Domb is medical director at the Hip Center of Excellence at Adventist Hinsdale Hospital. Adventist Midwest Health is a network of not-for-profit hospitals and outpatient-based health care facilities in Chicago’s western and southwestern suburbs, including a critical access hospital and skilled care nursing facility in central Wisconsin. Adventist Midwest Health takes a holistic, “whole-person” approach to wellness, providing medical and spiritual support for our patients and their families. For more about Adventist Midwest Health, visit www.keepingyouwell.com.
http://www.amateurendurance.com/injury-topics/marathon-training-avoiding-injury/