In order to understand the benefit of strength training for the distance runner you must recognize the physiological demands that running places on the body. Unlike most sports, which require strength, speed, and power to be successful, distance running is primarily limited by the delivery and use of oxygen. This then brings us to the question: “Does strength training actually help increase endurance?” Currently there are no studies showing that strength training actually increases oxygen delivery from lungs to muscles. However, the way that strength training can make you faster is by improving your running economy. This means by increasing your muscular strength you will also increase your muscular power, which is the product of force (strength) and speed. The key to a runner’s strength training is to get his/her muscles to increase their rate of force production so that they can have stronger muscle contractions in a shorter time.

Current research supports that power training and plyometric exercises are most effective for enhancing economy and endurance performance by increasing muscle power production. This means that runners should be strength training like football players. Heavy weight training focuses on the strength component of power, and plyometrics training focuses on the speed component. The result is you will be stronger, quicker, and more powerful, translating into better running economy.

The bottom line is, if you have already increased your running volume and intensity as much as you can, or cannot handle the physical stress of more miles, strength training and plyometrics can help get you to that next level. If you are planning on adding strength training to your program, be sure to focus on high-intensity, low-repetition exercises. Examples include squats, hamstring curls, calf raises, power cleans, and dead lifts. Also, use specific periods of the year to focus on endurance training or strength, speed, and power.

The Advanced Injury Treatment Center in Bedford, NH specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of soft tissue injuries. We are also certified strength and conditioning specialists (CSCS). We utilize techniques such as Active Release Technique, considered to be the gold standard of soft tissue management systems, as well as Graston Technique, to break up scar tissue and enhance your recovery time from an injury. Advanced Injury Treatment Center can also assist in strength and conditioning program design, based on the needs and demands of your specific sport.

There are two main types of hamstring injuries, and each affects a different part of the hamstring group. The injury I most often see in my clinic is a strain that occurs at the tendinous insertion on the ischial tuberosity at the pelvis. This commonly occurs in tri-athletes, and marathon runners who will complain of pain in the lower buttock region that increases with sitting and when the injured leg strikes the ground. The second type is more in younger athletes is caused by a sudden motion, such as an explosive sprint, jump, or a kick. In this type of injury, the strain occurs at the muscular portion of the hamstring, resulting in pain, swelling, and bruising in the middle of the back of the thigh.

An understanding of the biomechanics of running makes it easier to understand how these injuries occur and how to prevent them. There are two phases of running: the stance phase and the swing phase. The stance phase consists of foot strike, mid stance, and toe off; and the swing phase consists of follow through, hip flexion and leg descent. During the eccentric contraction, muscle fibers will slowly elongate to slow down a particular motion, while a concentric involves shortening of the muscle fibers to lift an object or move a limb in a particular direction. During leg descent and foot strike, the pelvis flexes forward and the leg extends, the hamstring muscles are eccentrically contacted to slow both of these particular movements. When the eccentric load exceeds the strength of the muscle fibers, tearing of the hamstring fibers occurs, resulting in a strain injury.

The Advanced Injury Treatment Center utilizes a comprehensive treatment approach to hamstring injuries. Deep tissue procedures including Active Release technique and Graston Technique are used to free up soft tissue motion of the hamstrings and surrounding musculature. Implementation of proper strength and flexibility training of the hamstring musculature and the nearby muscles surrounding the pelvis and thigh will reduce the risk of injury. Focus on strengthening the abdominal and gluteus maximus musculature is important in the prevention of a hamstring strain because these muscles aid the hamstrings in decelerating flexion of the pelvis during heel strike. Flexibility of the hip flexors and low back musculature is also important in the prevention of a hamstring strain injury. Tight hip flexors and low back musculature causes excessive flexion of the pelvis during foot strike placing increasing strain on the hamstrings. Tightness in these muscles also inhibits strengthening of the gluteus maximus and abdominal musculature. Advice on how to progress training runs more appropriately also aids in reducing the risk of injury.

Water is the largest constituent of the human body.  It accounts for more than 60% of the human bodies volume.  Lack of water can lead to dehydration, a condition that occurs when you don’t have enough water in your body to carry out normal functions.  Dehydration, is defined by 2% loss of water weight which results in decreased muscle strength, endurance, and mental aquity. 

The overwhelming consistent conclusion across multiple research studies, academic societies and training associations is that dehydration can signficantly impact athletic performance.  The American College of Sports Medicine and National Athletic Trainer’s Association recommend 24 hours before exericise 400-600 ml should be consumed(approximately 6-10 oz) .  During exercise, active individuals should consume approximately 150-350 ml (6-12 oz) of fluid every 15-20 minutes.  If exercise is of long duration usually greater than an hour or 75 minutes or occurs in a hot enviroment, sports drinks containing carbohydrate and sodium could be used. 

Newer research is also finding that adding just a a small amount of protein to your post-exercise  glucose-electrolyte solution not only enhances hydration  and rehydration but also promotes muscle recovery and reduces muscle damage. 

In conclusion,  if you wish to perform at your highest level you must understand how to stay hydrated and rehydrate after exercise.  This is a vital component of your event prepration and often makes the difference between a high level performance and a complete disaster!  We strive to educate our patients at the Advanced Injury Treatment Center on all aspects of health and wellness including sport’s nutrition, injury prevention, to pre-event preparation.

Heat is often a better choice when dealing with symptoms that involve stiffness and tightness.   The reason heat works well in this situation is because its effects on circulation.  The use of heat will INCREASE circulation to an area.  More blood flow = more oxygen and nutrients delivered to the area in question & more waste products removed from the area in question.  Think about the last time you took a long hot shower or relaxed in a sauna.  Within minutes, you tend to feel looser and more relaxed which is always the right choice when dealing with stiffness, tightness and an overall decrease in range of motion.

Ice, on the other hand, is a better choice when dealing with symptoms that involve swelling, inflammation or acute pain.  The reason ice works well in this situation is also because of its effects on circulation.  However, the effect on circulation is the EXACT OPPOSITE to that of heat.  Ice causes a DECREASE in circulation which is important during the onset of injury because it helps to regulate inflammation.  Inflammation is the body’s normal response to injury but often times it can result in moderate swelling and pain.  I always remind my patients that ice puts out the fire.  Ice is a great choice during the first 48 hours and will help decrease pain and swelling while the body undergoes the healing process.

Regardless of the choice between heat or ice you want to make sure you never apply them for more than 20 minutes.  More often than not, people will use heat or ice under the right circumstances but the mistake that is made is keeping it on the body for hours instead of minutes.  Prolonged exposure to heat or ice for more than 20 minutes can have the reverse effects.  This can lead to an increase in pain or stiffness or inflammation depending on the situation.

So remember, use heat when you are experiencing tightness and stiffness and when an injury is chronic BUT use ice during the first 48 hours of an injury to help put out the flames of inflammation.  If you’re not sure of whether you should use heat or ice the next time you are in pain, then contact your local healthcare professional at AITC to make the right choice.

Adequate cushioning will help reduce the stress from impact whereas motion control will assure proper foot and ankle mechanics while running.  Wearing the wrong type of shoe can often be a major contributing factor in several running injuries such as plantar fasciitis, runner’s knee, IT band syndrome and more.  Shoe choice should be determined by certain factors such as your foot type, body type, running surface and mileage.

There are three foot types that most runners will fall into depending on the degree of their pronation – neutral pronator, over-pronator and under-pronator or supinator.  Pronation is frequently misunderstood and is defined as a normal inward rolling of the foot which helps to absorb shock and spring load the foot just before the toe-off phase of your gait.  If you fall into the first category, then chances are your foot is doing a good job absorbing shock and moving correctly during your stride.  A runner that falls into either the over-pronator or an under -pronator category is usually not absorbing shock properly and are subsequently not able to have a normal biomechanical transfer of weight from their heels to their toes.  Furthermore, the degree of pronation that your foot undergoes can actually change over the years and with certain body changes such as weight gain and weight loss.

Training tip of the month: Whether you are new to running or have been running for years, it is important to have your gait and foot type evaluated by a professional.  Take the time to stop by your local running store such as Runner’s Alley (www.runnersalley.com) and within minutes you will learn what foot type you have and which shoe will help provide the proper balance between cushioning and motion control.  Also, remember to change your shoes every 350-450 miles as most shoes lose roughly 50% of there shock absorbing ability by that mileage.

So the next time you lace up your shoes, ask yourself if you are running like the wind or simply pounding the pavement.