The key to preventing the majority of sports injuries is to ensure your muscles are strong and your joints are mobile. Before and after exercise you're likely to warm up and cool down, which plays a huge role in keeping your body supple and active. However, day-to-day life can leave us tight - even feeling stressed will change the way you hold your body. Six physio have devised a 15 minute workout that specifically focuses on injury reduction - this is just 1% of your day so there's no excuses for leaving it out your routine!
RELEASING THE THORACIC SPINE
Long hours spent sitting behind a desk or looking at your phone can lead to a gradual stiffening of your thoracic spine. If this is the case for you, you are effectively competing with a rod down your back. Increasing the mobility here is therefore vital to ensure your body can move effectively.
GLUTE AND CORE STRENGTH
Your pelvis acts like your fulcrum, joining your upper and lower body. Learning how to control it will help with your efficiency when running and cycling. A common leg injury we see is one that develops from a weak gluteus medius. This muscle is what essentially acts as a brake to stop your leg from rolling inwards when you land, so strength and control here will translate into a stronger and less vulnerable running form. The beauty of the following exercises are that they are functional and translate easily into running.
A FOCUS ON CALVES
Your calves are one of the most neglected muscles in your body, yet they act as both your accelerator and your brake pedal: giving you that extra push when you cycle and slowing you down when running downhill.
Try the following moves with both straight knees and bent knees ensuring that you are exercising both muscles in your calf and that neither gets left behind!
Try to do these exercises 3-4 times a week, but as always, the more work you put in, the bigger the benefit.
You may need to commit around 3% of your day if you’re recovering from an injury.
For more specific guidance, book a screening at sixphysio.com. Don’t forget as a BMF member you get 15% off your treatments (details in your membership area).