Last April, a 21-miler left a band of exquisite tenderness along my inner calf. I rested and iced for five days, but the pain lingered until my next sports massage. Agonising as it was, the treatment eliminated the problem completely and I ran a half marathon PB a week later. So ...
GETTY IMAGES Q. I’ve recently started marathon training but am finding the long runs both daunting and boring. I do most of my training on my own - how can I stay motivated and focused? Jimmy F A. Long runs can be...
Matt qualified as a physio 20 years ago and has spent the past decade at the forefront of sports medicine. He works as a consultant in private practice dealing with everyone from elite level runners to beginners.Q1. I’m grateful for the opportunity to raise this question with you...
Catch up with the highlights from our recent webchat with Six Physio physio Matt Todman.The theme was last-minute race help.Matt qualified as a physio 20 years ago and has spent the past decade at the forefront of sports medicine. He works as a consultant in private practice deal...
Q Ive developed a recurring blister between my big toe and the one next to it. Ive tried taping up the area and also using petroleum jelly, all to no avail. Its now making me miss training.A As youve discovered, petroleum jelly is not durable enough to overcome the mechanic...
Q Im a 53-year-old male who races all distances from 5K to the marathon. I train six days a week: four hard sessions, two easy ones, plus a rest day. Do you think this is too much for someone of my age?A The real key to making any training programme successful is to get the rig...
Q. Why should I bother with energy drinks? I know that I need to keep hydrated during training and racing, but isnt water good enough?A. As you run, two things happen: (1) you lose water as your body uses it to cool down and (2) you use muscle carbohydrate reserves to fuel you...
Q I recently started training more heavily for some upcoming 5Ks and 10Ks. I run six days a week, including speedwork. Im a fit 24-year-old, but Ive noticed my sex drive flagging. Could my running be causing this?A There certainly can be a relationship between hard training a...
Q After suffering from some internal bleeding, I underwent a series of medical tests. These showed that all my baseline bio-readings were normal, but that my liver is larger than average, which my doctors suggest could be the cause of the bleeding. I know distance runners develo...
Q Following a partial tear in my Achilles tendon, the scar tissue thickened, resulting in stiffness, aches and swelling. I am due to have an operation to remove this scar tissue, which means that my leg will be immobilised for two weeks. Im told that, with physiotherapy, I shou...
