INJURY PREVENTION
SLEEP BETTER TO RUN BETTER
Take note of these five reasons why catching more quality Z’ s can make you a stronger, better runner, and more injury-proof.
In the modern, ever-busy world surrounded by technology and distractions, getting a full night’ s sleep is a rarity for many people, but this is bad news for runners. This is because it is during sleep that your body recovers from hard training and builds you into a better runner, and here’ s why you should try to get more sleep if you want to perform better on the run.
1 In For Repairs: Sleep is when your
body repairs and regenerates damaged tissue from a workout, and builds bone and muscle density to be ready for the next workout. Therefore, distance runners especially need sleep and repair time to recover from training. Research has proven that increased sleeping time can improve athletic performance, and runners who slept more saw their speed improve significantly, and said they felt their training improved after six weeks of lengthened sleep. Also, research suggests that reducing an accumulated sleep-debt can be beneficial for athletes at all levels.
2 Growth Time: During the deeper stages
of sleep, human growth hormone( HGH) is released by the pituitary gland and released into the bloodstream to rebuild damaged tissue and build stronger muscles. It also helps convert fat to fuel, and keeps our bones strong. If you don’ t get enough sleep, you produce less HGH, and it becomes harder for your body to recover from workouts. Too little sleep also leads to an increase in cortisol, which contributes to slower recovery times.
3 Taking on Water: During sleep,
the kidneys balance water, sodium and electrolytes, so if you are already dehydrated from sweating, especially in the hotter months, sleep provides vital time for water reabsorption. So you not only need to drink enough water to replenish lost liquids, you also need to get enough sleep so that your body can absorb it properly, or you may suffer muscle pain and poor performance when running.
4 Keeping Trim: When you don’ t
get enough sleep, your appetite-related hormones can be thrown out of sync. Less sleep leads to more ghrelin, which makes you hungry, and less leptin, which tells you that you’ re full, so regularly sleeping a full night helps keep your hunger signals in check. Added to this, if you’ re not sleeping enough, your body won’ t store carbs properly, leading to less glycogen stores, and you may hit the wall sooner in your next run.
So, determine your sleep needs and meet that quota every night. Establish a regular sleep schedule by going to bed and getting up at the same time every day, because with an erratic sleep-wake schedule, your body never knows when it’ s time to shut down.
DIY REMEDIES FOR SORE SOLES
Try these five simple do-it-yourself home remedies for Plantar Fasciitis.
If you are experiencing persistent pain and stiffness in the bottom of your foot, you may be suffering from plantar fasciitis, one of the most common running injuries. It is caused by inflammation of the fascia( thick tissue) that runs along the bottom of the foot, and some contributing factors could be tight hamstrings, back, calves and Achilles tendons, or running in shoes that do not provide your feet with enough arch support.
The condition may also be caused by a muscle imbalance in the hips or pelvis, which can cause you to make a slight compensation in your stride, including rotating your one hip more than the other, which in turn places more stress on one leg than the other, sometimes causing a build-up of pain down in the feet.
If you pick up plantar fasciitis, you need to stop or reduce your running, and then follow these steps:
1Stretch the fascia: Prop your feet up against the wall, keeping your arch and heel flat so the toes stretch. Hold for a count of 10 and repeat up to 10 times, three or four times per day.
2Roll the arch: Stretch and then roll the bottom of your foot for 10 minutes on a frozen water bottle, or on a frozen golf ball, starting from the front and working your way back. Put good pressure on each of the inner, central and outer sections, rolling each for at least 15 seconds.
3Loosen your backline: A tight backline of muscles, even tight shoulders, can lead to plantar fasciitis, so loosen tight muscles with a controlled stretching programme and by foam-rolling all your muscles above the feet.
4Get yourself balanced: Correct the muscle imbalance in your hips or pelvis with a strengthening programme focused on calf- and pelvis-strengthening.( Get expert help with this from a physio or biokineticist.)
5Change your shoes: If your current running shoes do not provide enough arch support, you may want to try a different model or manufacturer, but keep in mind that many people blame their shoes for a running injury when the problem actually stems from their muscle misalignment or a strength imbalance.
The last two of these remedies are more long-term solutions, but in the meantime you can use the first three simple home remedies to temporarily relieve the pain.
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