Webchat with physio Sarah Connors

Hello

Next Thursday (Feb 14) at 1pm, ASICS Pro Team Physiotherapist Sarah Connors will be joining us for a Q&A on injury prevention ahead of the high mileage weeks coming up in Spring mararthon training.

Join us here next week, or post your questions for Sarah in advance below.

For those who join us regularly for our webchats, note this one is on a Thursday rather than the usual Friday!

Ironic that we get to talk about aches and pains on Valentines Day.

As I have stepped up my training , I have started to get an ache in my lower back on the left handside. During my longruns I start getting aches and numbness down the top of my leg and as the run gets longer the front.

The numbness has stopped me doing any tempo work but I have managed to keep plodding out on long runs but need to stretch at regular intervals. Is this a sciatic problem + should i get some physio prior to Brighton Marathon.

I've decided to have regular sports massages while training for my first marathon to try and keep the aches and pains at bay and avoid injury. So far I've had one (after 4 weeks of training) and have another one booked for the end of Week 8 (half way through my training plan). How often do you recommend booking them as the mileage increases towards the race?

Hi Sarah,

I've always suffered from joggers/jumpers knee, but since I've lost weight I no longer require a patella strap during exercise, over the last couple of weeks I've notice my left calf at the top towards the outside tightens up around 9 miles into a run and the pain seems to radiate to the knee.

I currently do lots of foam rolling calf and outside of thigh and this helps and I recently started a body balance class to help with stretching and core, is there anything else I could be doing to help resolve the issue?

Hi Sarah,  I had a pulled calf mid-last year early on in my training for NYC marathon.  I used KT tape on it after a lot of rest, and was able to get back to running in time for the race (that never happened). I'm now training for a spring marathon, and although no pain, I have noticed that sometimes the top of my foot is quite achy on that leg, and sometimes I do get some twinges in my calf towards the back of my knee whilst I am running.  I think the calf is still relatively weak compared to the other.

Would you recommend I continue to use the KT tape?  Any other advice?

Hi Sarah,

I have really tight hamstrings, so much that I can just about reach my shins on a good day. I do pilates 3 times a week to help with stretching and flexibility and also work on strengthening my glute muscles so that my hamstrings don't always kick in, I also try to foam roller at least once a week. However there has been no improvement. I sometimes really struggle with lower back pain and have been advised by many professionals that it is all linked with my tight hamstrings and I need to stretch them, which I am constantly trying to do! I have also tried sports massage, osteopaths etc I am just not sure what to do next.

Any advice with specific exercises would be great. Thanks

Hey Sarah, 

I have been researching an issue that has been fairly persitent over the past few years. I'm 19 years old and I occasionally suffer with knee pain. I also find that my soleus muscles ache more than any other muscle after running and can sometimes cramp during a run. Could this be related to the patellofemoral pain syndrome (runner's knee) symptoms that I am getting? I used to get the pain whilst cycling and going upstairs too.

It probably doesn't help that in the summer I had a partial dislocation of the same knee when standing up from the sofa. I have also suffered with a partial tear of a quadricep muscle on the same leg which has created a permanent lump and a likely weakness.

Please can you give me any advice? I have seen doctors and physios regarding the injuries mentioned but the problem is back and I don't want it to get any worse!

Thanks, 
Lewis. 

How would you minimise the risk of injury (I'm thinking of my achillies in particular) from running on cambered lanes (apart from running in the middle of the lane which isn't always practical).

Thanks,

Kate.

Hi Sara. please, please  answer this one if possible ...

Lisa123 wrote (see)

Hi Sarah,

I have really tight hamstrings, so much that I can just about reach my shins on a good day. I do pilates 3 times a week to help with stretching and flexibility and also work on strengthening my glute muscles so that my hamstrings don't always kick in, I also try to foam roller at least once a week. However there has been no improvement. I sometimes really struggle with lower back pain and have been advised by many professionals that it is all linked with my tight hamstrings and I need to stretch them, which I am constantly trying to do! I have also tried sports massage, osteopaths etc I am just not sure what to do next.

Any advice with specific exercises would be great. Thanks

I've had problems with tight hamstrings before I started running and it lead to some achilles issues. Since taking up running I've had a few injuries, and tight hamstrings are usually involved. The last 6 months I've had pain at the pes anserine and put a lot of time into stretching the hamstrings and gracilis to no avail. I follow my physio' stretching / strengthening rehab routines, go to pilates where the teacher sees my hamstrings as a personal challenge, rollering, static and dynamic stretching, and have just started trying some Active Isolated Stretching. I just can't seem to lengthen out those hamstrings, especially the right leg. Please help the Tight Hamstrings Contingent!

Hello Sarah,

When I start running at the moment I am getting a pain in the inside at the joint. Have been told one side of my hamstring or quad may be stronger and pulling it over. What is te best way to solve this?

Cheers

Hi Sarah , having recently upped my mileage as part of VLM preparation I have started to get sore calves and quads . Although I know I need to ease off I am not sure how much as I dont want to lose touch too much with mileage build up. I am  a seasoned cross country club runner and soreness started after a long run following race the day before.

Hi Sarah,

I'm more than half way through my training for a half marathon and have had to stop running for a week due to shin splints.  I am due to start running again and am a bit apprehensive as I feel I have some catching up to and need to step it up but I need to take it a bit easy as well. I plan on replacing one of my four weekly runs with a different type of cardio with less impact but what else can I do to gain strength in my legs that I have lost over the week of not running?

Many thanks,

Diana

Hi Sarah

I have been suffering from bad hip pain if I run for more than 30 mins and it takes several weeks to go away.  It feels very localised and the pain is especially bad when getting up out of a chair/out of a car.  Please please please can you give me some advice?

Thanks!

I suffer from cramping in my calf muscles which seems to happen most often the week before my period.  Is there a link?  I've spoken to my GP and she said she can't think of any reason why it should happen.  If I try to run through it I get pins & needles and then numbness in my feet.  No amount of stretching will loosen those muscles once they cramp up! In fact I have hurt myself trying to stretch them out.

Fortunately when it does happen I can't get much more than a mile down the road so I don't have too far to limp home.  Once I've sat down for 5-10 minutes the cramping eases and I feel fine again.  Any ideas how to stop this happening, or how to relieve it when it does?

During last years VLM my hamstrings became very painful over the last 6 miles, this had never happened before. I'm just wondering what I should do if it happens again this year, last year I carried on through gritted teeth, but should I have stretched, stopped & rested or something else? The thought of it happening again fills me with dread.

Hi Sarah,

I have been injury free for a long time, and here it comes, I did a hill session and ever since I have a stain in my calf and ankle, I can still run, but it needs ice after each run,  have you any treatments or excercises you can recomend or should I be taking some rest before I make it any worse?

Thanks,

Reef

Hi Sarah,

Would really appreciate your help - I have picked up a fairly bad case of ITB and would like your advice on getting back on the road as soon as possible. I know stretching is part of the answer but how much time should I take off (if any!).

Many thanks!