With spring training well underway, now is the time to think about injury. Nothing crushes a well thought out training plan more than some nagging muscle pull or achy tendon. Luckily as triathletes we have the natural luxury of cross training! This will solve a lot of those overuse type injuries. Once the volume is amped, susceptibility to injury is also increased.

I would like to point out a couple times during the week where injury tends to nail me. A sudden pain can occur during the warm up if patience is not practiced and the workout is rushed. Also be particularly attentive the evening and next morning following that long workout of the week. During these occasions the body is tired and muscles are tense and can easily be tweaked causing injury. Most of my injuries come from other activities done that day and not directly from the workout itself. I remember one time I bent over to wash the lower part of the car and tweaked my back...I dealt with this sore back for months no mater what my activity was!

In addition to a good warm up and gradually increasing the volume and intensity of your training, one of the best ways to prevent these pre and post workout injuries is proper stretching and recovery. Be sure to stretch at night after your workouts; use a foam roller, exercise ball, or bands to aid in getting a deep stretch. Stretching will not only help your muscles stay loose and recover faster, but it will also increase your flexibility and speed. Also quality rest is imperative to muscle recovery; rest is when your muscles heal and rebuild. Didn't sleep quite enough or feeling exhausted going into your workout? Maybe you're better off just keeping the workout lighter to avoid digging yourself into an injury hole.

So be mindful before and after each workout especially when the going gets tough and the cross training alone isn't enough to guard against injury.

TriGuy

Physical Therapy Points to Ponder:Treatment of Stress Fractures In Runners

      Foot pain is a scary thing for runners. It can mean a major setback in training or even a missed starting line.A common foot injury to runners that can be prevented is a stress fracture. Stress fractures are micro-fractures in the bone resulting from repeated impact. A runner's foot strikes the ground approximately 800 times per mile and takes an impact up to 3-4 times their body weight each time. Your body must absorb the impact of each step by dispersing the shock throughout your bones and tissues. When that impact is too great, tiny hair-line fractures begin to form in the bone and increase with each additional run. The most common site of stress fractures in the feet of runners is the 2^nd metatarsal; this is the long bone from your 2^nd toe that runs back on the top of your foot.

      A deep, nagging pain that is localized to a specific spot on your foot may be the sign of a developing stress fracture. The pain will increase with impact and often first appears midway through your training runs. It may progress to the point where even walking is painful. Usually symptoms of a stress fracture show up 2-3 weeks after you make a major change in your training program. Major changes include increased weekly mileage, a change in running surface such as soft trail running to hard pavement or even returning to running after a long layoff. These are all common causes of stress fractures because your body does not have time to adapt to the sudden increased impact. Poor footwear can also lead to stress fractures. Old and worn shoes will not properly absorb or spread the impact.

      A simple check for a stress fracture is to perform a metatarsal compression test. Using a firm hand, squeeze around the ball of your foot compressing the ends of the long bones together. The inducement of pain can be a sign of a stress fracture. Other signs of a stress fracture can include localized swelling around the painful area and in some cases a limp or compensation in your walk due to pain.Imaging such as x-rays will not show a stress fracture until at least 2 weeks after the initial injury.

      The standard treatment for stress fractures is a four letter word for most runners...REST. The only way the bone will heal is to eliminate the impact that is causing the problem. A good option to maintain your fitness during recovery is low impact aerobic cross training such as biking or elliptical machines. Once given time to heal, a GRADUAL return to your running will prevent a reoccurrence of stress fractures (see previous article: "When can I get back to running after an injury"). Remember, you can prevent a stress fracture in the first place by following these simple guidelines - always increase your training load gradually, 10% per week, and wear proper footwear. The impact absorbing qualities of footwear typically only lasts between 300-500 miles.Also, as always make sure you are practicing good bone health with a nutritious, vitamin rich diet.

Sarah Hartley, SPT 

Summer Speed is a new speed training program designed to help athletes build speed throughout the summer. This is a multi-focus program; speed will be the by-product of concentration in the following areas:

• Learning and practicing proper running form
• Increasing leg and fast-twitch muscle strength
• Developing lung capacity
• Building overall physical endurance
• Establishing confidence in your ability which will carry through to race day

Each athlete will receive a training program outlining what we will be doing at group workouts. Athletes will have similar workouts with variations in pace, distance, and repetitions depending on their goals and physical ability. There will also be several clinics focusing on injury prevention, recovery, and racing strategy. Two time trials are built into the 12 week session for athletes to monitor their progress and witness improvement.

The training group will meet in the evenings twice a week for track workouts or trail runs. Track work will be conducted at Bonney Lake High School and Sumner High School. Trail runs and clinics will start from and be hosted at Fleet Feet Sports in Bonney Lake.

Don't forget to add these exciting events to your running calendar!    

                                April Events

• 4th - Dr. Dennis Eldridge, PT, DPT, CSCS, CCI of Performance PT  in store for Q&A. 5:30 - 6:30pm 
• 9th - Tacoma Public Schools' Health and Wellness Fair. 11:30am - 3:00pm, Foss High School   
• 14th - Spring Diva Night - 7:30-9:30pm at Fleet Feet  
• 16th - Daffodil Dash 5k - Sumner Crossfit 
• 18th - Boston Marathon - Race tracker should be up day of race. Follow FFRC as they race the big one! 
• 18th - Pete Erickson, PT of Performance PT in store for Q & A 5:30 - 6:30pm  
• 23rd - Joint Base, Lewis / McChord Airfield Run. Fleet Feet and "That Saucony Guy" will be there
• 29th & 30th - Tacoma City Marathon Packet Pick-up / Heath & Fitness Expo. Hotel Murano, Tacoma 
• 1 May -  Tacoma City Marathon 
• Monday Nights - Saucony Monday Night Runs @ 6:30 pm at Fleet Feet store in Bonney Lake. All paces and abilities are encouraged to join; no one ever runs alone! Bring your punch card to earn a prize.  
• First & Third Mondays Every Month - Physical therapists from Performance Physical Therapy will be at Fleet Feet from 5:30 - 6:30pm to answer your questions on injury, recovery, and healthy training. 

See Fleet Feet's Online Calendar for additional information on these events and more!