Reduce the stress on your most used running muscles. Learn how to help your recovery and prevent injuries.
Running is a popular and invigorating form of exercise, providing numerous health benefits. However, avid runners are prone to developing overused muscles due to the repetitive nature of the activity.
Overuse injuries can lead to discomfort, reduced performance, and even long-term damage if left untreated. Fortunately, there are exercises and physical therapy techniques that can help alleviate the strain on overused muscles, promoting recovery and preventing further injuries.
Commonly Overused Muscles in Runners
- Calves: The calf muscles, located at the back of the lower leg, consisting of the gastrocnemius and soleus, are heavily engaged during running, particularly during the push-off phase.
- Hamstrings and Glutes: These muscles, located at the back of the thighs and hips, are vital for knee flexion and hip extension during the running stride.
- Quadriceps: The quadriceps muscles at the front of the thighs play a crucial role in extending the knee and propelling the body forward.
- IT Band: The iliotibial band, a thick band of connective tissue running along the outer side of the thigh, can become tight and inflamed due to repetitive friction, causing discomfort and pain at the outside of the knee.
- Adductor Magnus: This large muscle is located at the inner thighs. The adductor magnus muscle is both a dynamic stabilizer of the pelvis and femur as well as a prime mover of the femur (thigh bone) into adduction. In other words, this large muscle draws the legs in towards each other and flexes the thigh forward with each step.
Exercises to Help Overused Running Muscles
You can use this as a general rule of thumb: Stretch what is tight and strengthen what is weak.
STRETCHING EXERCISES
Standing Calf Stretch – For calves
Standing Quad Stretch – For thighs
Wide Leg Forward Bend – For hamstrings
Frogger – For inner thighs / adductors
Reclined Figure Four – For glutes / hips
CROSS-TRAINING
Engaging in low-impact activities like swimming, cycling, or strength training on non-running days can give overused muscles a chance to recover while maintaining cardiovascular fitness.
STRENGTHENING
Focus on exercises to strengthen the outer hips, calves, quads, glutes and ankle stabilizers.
How Physical Therapy Can Help Runners
Physical therapy plays a vital role in the rehabilitation and prevention of overuse injuries in runners. Here’s how it can help:
- Assessment and Diagnosis: A physical therapist will assess your running form, muscle imbalances, and identify overused muscles contributing to your pain or discomfort.
- Deep tissue therapies: Hands-on treatment can address muscular and fascial restrictions, hip and spine misalignments.
- Treatment Plan: Based on the assessment, the physical therapist will develop a personalized treatment plan, which may include a combination of manual therapy, exercise prescription, and modalities like ultrasound or electrical stimulation.
- Corrective Exercises: Physical therapists guide runners through specific exercises to improve muscle strength, flexibility, and balance, targeting the overused muscles and addressing underlying biomechanical issues.
- Education and Injury Prevention: Physical therapists provide valuable education on proper running technique, warm-up routines, footwear selection, and strategies to prevent overuse injuries in the future.
- Gradual Return to Running: Physical therapists ensure a safe return to running, progressively increasing mileage and intensity while monitoring the runner’s progress and adjusting the treatment plan as needed.
Overused muscles are a common issue for runners, but with the right exercises and the guidance of a physical therapist, these muscles can recover and regain their strength. Incorporating stretching, strengthening, and cross-training into your routine, combined with targeted physical therapy, can alleviate pain, prevent further injuries, and enhance your overall running performance. Remember, listening to your body, maintaining proper form, and seeking professional advice are essential for maintaining a healthy and injury-free running experience.
When to seek help and treatment
If you are experiencing pain when you are running – before, during, or after, consider visiting a physical therapist to get yourself checked out. Through the expertise of our physical therapists, you can gain a comprehensive understanding of your unique movement patterns and receive targeted interventions to optimize your running. This will enhance your overall movement quality, reduce your risk of injuries, and help you achieve your fitness goals with confidence.
Schedule an evaluation appointment with INVIVO Wellness physical therapy today. Our physical therapists also offer a complimentary screening to see if physical therapy is the best option for your situation.
INVIVO Wellness in Milwaukee, Wisconsin offers a whole-body approach to physical therapy meeting the needs of all age groups. Our therapists specialize in evaluating and treating disorders of the joints, muscles, fascia, and nerves that prevent normal movement, cause pain, and limit an active lifestyle.
Treatment plans may include hands-on manual therapies of joint and spine mobilizations/manipulations, massage and stretching techniques, electrical stimulation, therapeutic exercise programs, and self-management recommendations. Ensure you can enjoy the benefits of an active, pain-free lifestyle.
