I’ve had A LOT of injuries...from my head [teeth] to my feet!
Broken teeth, broken legs, broken arms, you name it!! [and those don’t even include my running injuries!!]
I have kept my past few years of training logs and there were so many weeks/months that I wrote NO RUNNING. Terrible times!! THESE are some of my injuries solely from RUNNING:
the obvious, sprained ankles
hip & feet...feet & hip problems
Achilles Tendon
THE KNEES, ALWAYS!!
and another “of course”...the hips
Running injuries SUCK!! But in the last 2 years (at least) I have been running INJURY FREE [knocking on wood right now]. I don’t really know why that is, but I know I am doing a few things more than I have done in the past:
- STRETCHING!
- REALLY RESTING ON MY REST DAYS [stop overtraining]
- EASING OFF WHEN I FEEL SOMETHING HURTING
- ICING WHEN I THINK I NEED IT (doesn’t happen that much)
- GETTING THE BEST NIGHTLY FOOT/LEG RUBS FROM MY MAN [thank you SOOO much!!]
I really, really think these few things have saved me from getting hurt these last couple years (and the fact that I was prego for part of that time and didn’t run nearly as much as I would have otherwise!).
On this post I’m going to talk about #1 – Stretching. (later this week I’ll go into the other 4 on the list above, stay tuned!).
My “saving stretches” are those that center around the HIP COMPLEX.
Most running injuries deal with a problem in the hip complex (in my opinion the IT band is part of the complex because it attaches to the HIP). So here are my HIP COMPLEX stretches [obviously I made these names up!]:
- the “hug your leg” stretch
-for this one you sit, lay one leg out straight and pull the other leg up to your chest. You can even cross your leg so your heel is touching the outside of the straight leg, then hug it up to you. Basically, with the leg you are hugging, move it around until you feel the stretch where you need it. [alterations: raise lower part of “hugged” leg up to for a 90 degree angle at the knee]
- the “almost indian style” stretch
-start by sitting ALMOST in indian style. Instead of crossing your legs, put one in close and the other touching it, but not crossing. Then lean forward. It stretches my hips GOOD. You may have to move your feet closer or further from you to get the stretch you want. Push down on your knees to get an even better stretch.
-stand with legs crossed at the feet. Bend toward the leg in front (away from the leg behind!!). You shouldn't have to lean very far to feel it stretch your hip and down your leg (it will be stretching the behind leg). For some reason when I first tried this stretch it was hard for me to get to stretch anything. It’s just a matter of adjusting until you feel it stretch.
-I think this is also a yoga pose, but they gave it to us prego ladies in my birthing class. LOVE IT! Stick one leg in front and one leg behind. Stretch out the leg behind you and straighten it as much as you can (don’t kill yourself!). Bend the one in front like in the picture (90 degree in front of you). In this stretch you are trying to keep your body in line. It’s almost like an easy version of the splits...but again, don’t hurt yourself!!
And there you have it! Those are my FAVORITE hip complex stretches, they work the butt, hips, IT band, etc. I do them mostly AFTER I run, but also anytime I feel sore or tight. They really are miracle working stretches!
*ONE TIP: hold the stretches for at least 10 seconds. You can even hold it until the stretch doesn’t feel as strong as it did in the beginning. That will work your muscle receptors and make the stretch actually begin to relax the tight muscle.
I’ve had A LOT of injuries...from my head [teeth] to my feet!
Broken teeth, broken legs, broken arms, you name it!! [and those don’t even include my running injuries!!]
I have kept my past few years of training logs and there were so many weeks/months that I wrote NO RUNNING. Terrible times!! THESE are some of my injuries solely from RUNNING:
the obvious, sprained ankles
hip & feet...feet & hip problems
Achilles Tendon
THE KNEES, ALWAYS!!
and another “of course”...the hips
Running injuries SUCK!! But in the last 2 years (at least) I have been running INJURY FREE [knocking on wood right now]. I don’t really know why that is, but I know I am doing a few things more than I have done in the past:
I really, really think these few things have saved me from getting hurt these last couple years (and the fact that I was prego for part of that time and didn’t run nearly as much as I would have otherwise!).
On this post I’m going to talk about #1 – Stretching. (later this week I’ll go into the other 4 on the list above, stay tuned!).
My “saving stretches” are those that center around the HIP COMPLEX.
Most running injuries deal with a problem in the hip complex (in my opinion the IT band is part of the complex because it attaches to the HIP). So here are my HIP COMPLEX stretches [obviously I made these names up!]:
-start by sitting ALMOST in indian style. Instead of crossing your legs, put one in close and the other touching it, but not crossing. Then lean forward. It stretches my hips GOOD. You may have to move your feet closer or further from you to get the stretch you want. Push down on your knees to get an even better stretch.
-stand with legs crossed at the feet. Bend toward the leg in front (away from the leg behind!!). You shouldn't have to lean very far to feel it stretch your hip and down your leg (it will be stretching the behind leg). For some reason when I first tried this stretch it was hard for me to get to stretch anything. It’s just a matter of adjusting until you feel it stretch.
-I think this is also a yoga pose, but they gave it to us prego ladies in my birthing class. LOVE IT! Stick one leg in front and one leg behind. Stretch out the leg behind you and straighten it as much as you can (don’t kill yourself!). Bend the one in front like in the picture (90 degree in front of you). In this stretch you are trying to keep your body in line. It’s almost like an easy version of the splits...but again, don’t hurt yourself!!
And there you have it! Those are my FAVORITE hip complex stretches, they work the butt, hips, IT band, etc. I do them mostly AFTER I run, but also anytime I feel sore or tight. They really are miracle working stretches!
*ONE TIP: hold the stretches for at least 10 seconds. You can even hold it until the stretch doesn’t feel as strong as it did in the beginning. That will work your muscle receptors and make the stretch actually begin to relax the tight muscle.