Getting active and avoiding injury in 2020: with Harris & Ross Podiatrist Oliver Taylor

Getting active and avoiding injury in 2020: with Harris & Ross Podiatrist Oliver Taylor

At The Running Bee Foundation, we’re all about the love of sport and offering the best advice to our running family to make sure they can #BeeActiveBeeHealthyBeeHappy! Our official physio partner Harris & Ross has been kind enough to shed some light on some of the physical issues that might be troubling you and the things you can do to make a change!

Whether you are just starting out with a couch to 5k program or you are training for a marathon, picking the right training plan is vital. The vast majority of running injuries we see here at Harris & Ross have developed because of an increase in running load, and poor running mechanics. If we put too much load through our tissues too quickly, our body can’t deal with it and it is a sure fire way to develop an injury.

Having the right footwear is also very important when taking up running – increased forces and stress go through the lower limb when you run, so you need to be in a trainer which can cope with this. There are many different types of trainer on the market now and it can be a confusing place. Most trainers still fall into the category of neutral or support/stability trainers. Neutral trainers are marketed more towards higher arched foot type, whereas support trainers more towards a lower arched foot. This is over simplifying things and picking the correct trainer can depend on multiple factors…… so its best to discuss the types of running you want to do, previous injury, terrain, foot type with the professional who is advising you.

As a podiatrist, a big aspect of what I look at in all runners is Gait Analysis; whether experienced or just starting out. Gait analysis has the ability to tell us a lot about an individual’s running mechanics and therefore potential injuries. When you are having a gait analysis performed, the focus shouldn’t remain on just the foot and the camera shouldn’t just be behind you. Movement needs to be observed in different places and different joints. Feet can be rolling in, knees can be overly extended, hips can be dropping – these are some examples of poor running mechanics which can be overcome with podiatry input.

If you would like help starting out on your fitness journey, call Harris & Ross on 0161 832 9000.