It's a creeping dread for many triathletes. You run and run and run and then you slowly, reluctantly accept that you've stopped improving. And you know that if you push yourself any harder you're going to pick up an injury.Or perhaps you're already
aspects of your problem. And it would be wise to continue your stretching, particularly after exercise, to prevent delayed onset muscle soreness adding to the problem.Andrew Caldwell, chartered physiotherapist
for long periods with minimal fatigue. This is essential for the aesthetics youre talking about but more importantly for maintaining the dynamic control of your posture while running. This is vital for injury prevention as well as energy efficiency
. Cure Try preventive taping, or lube problem areas and keep feet dry. Wear socks made of moisture-wicking material, or thin, double-layer socks.
such as the US Pro Criterium Championships. "Pro riders give me lots of practice with road rash," she says. Here's her prescription for fast healing. First responseBefore sizing up skin loss, check for other injuries. "I've had riders come into the medical tent
and, with light to moderate pressure, glide the palms of your hands over your legs, starting with your calves and shins and working up to your quads and hamstrings. Repeat 10 times on each leg, increasing the intensity toward the end, so you
St Bartholomew's Hospital in 1985 and became a GP in 1990. He is now the senior partner in a general practice and is medical columnist for the Sunday Times and NetDoctor.com. He has a keen interest in sports medicine and has run a number of marathons.
One of the great joys of triathlon is that it gives you the perfect excuse to travel all over the world to take part in races. But if you don't make plans and take precautions you can easily fall victim to sickness or injury and all your hard work
running injuries are related to overuse, and knee problems, especially PFPS, dominate overuse injuries. According to a two-year study of more than 2,000 runners completed in 2002 by the University of British Columbia, USA, for example, most running
the equivalent of eight large glasses of water every day, and probably twice that in warm weather. It also means taking in about half a pint of fluid every 15-20 minutes of running. For runs of an hour or more, you also need to replenish spent energy stores
