of the foot of the injured leg, keeping most of your weight on your heel.4 Bend your knee slightly (10-20 degrees), making sure to keep the other foot off the ground.5 Move the hip on the problem side forward about 10-15cm, keeping the heel in contact

of training, but working on it can help to not only improve your performance, but also prevent injuries and speed up the recovery process. What is flexibility?In short, flexibility refers to the range of motion (ROM) available in a joint or group of joints

the area for 10-15 minutes at least twice a day (and preferably several times) for the first three days. Never apply heat to a new injury. Firmly compress the area using a bandage or compression material. If you're using a bandage, make sure it isn't so

It's a familiar story: you return to training after injury aiming to be faster and stronger than before. Then reality kicks in as your decreased fitness becomes apparent. You begin to wonder if you'll ever be able to repeat your pre-injury

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

burns about 100 per cent more calories than usual when it's trying to repair an injury. "It's important that you feed your body what it needs to mend," says Dr Liz Applegate, author of Nutrition Basics for Better Performance.  She recommends boosting

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.

with two or three days of light exercise or even complete rest, and it's a major problem for triathletes. Scott Molina, winner of over 100 professional triathlons and the Ironman World Champion in 1988, has long believed that some triathletes overtrain. "I

all the way back, switch to shoes with a stiffer sole or try wider-platform pedals. "Change your foot beds regularly, says Pruitt. "Change them once a year if you ride 5,000 miles or less; more often if you put in higher mileage."BackWHAT AND WHY

strength-training programme will not only make you stronger and faster but will also help you to remain injury-free.Here are the top five training benefits that can be yours in exchange for just two or three short strength-training sessions each week:1