5 Common Running Myths Put to Rest
Physiotherapist Don Lesar out for a trail run in Dundas.
Running has always been a popular approach to fitness but it seems both road and trail running is gaining even more popularity since the onset of COVID-19. With gyms being closed and people looking for a different way to stay fit, people are pulling their sneakers off the shelves and racking up the step counts and kilometres. Given the amount of uncertainty both in the general public and within the medical community and with the increased number of people getting after it, in this post we wanted to dispel some of the myths around running.
Myth # 1 - Running is bad for your knees
A common misconception in the health and medical community is that running is bad for your knees. As a physiotherapist I hear this all the time from patients. The fact of the matter is that in all of the years that research has been accumulating on running there has yet to be a conclusive evidence to support this. In fact, there are studies that show quite the opposite. Recent studies have shown that running is not associated with developing symptomatic osteoarthritis and that running can actually improve cartilage health in the weight-bearing surfaces of the knee. Even with the lack of certainty on this topic, we feel that perpetuating the unfounded myth that running is generally bad for the knees does much greater harm than running itself ever could.
Myth # 2 - You have to stretch before you run
As it often is in the rehab and coaching fields, the answer is … it depends. What we know about stretching is that a single bout of stretching will have only short lasting benefits on range of movement and that it can reduce a particular muscle group’s springiness. Certainly there are cases where beginning a run with some focussed stretching would be beneficial. Generally, we would recommend this when an individual has a clinical issue that may influence their stride and mechanics. However, rather than recommending a blanket stretching program to runners we are advocates of performing a quality warm-up before running. A good warmup may include some dynamic mobility work followed by a walk to promote blood flow and prime the body to move. That said, if you feel you benefit from the feel good effects of stretching without a specific clinical need stretching may be better performed after your run.
Myth # 3 - Strength training is not useful for runners
Following up on the last myth, many runners put an undue amount of time and effort into blanket mobility programs hoping that it will reduce injury risk. Consistently in the research, however, strength training shows the strongest risk reduction effect on both acute and overuse type injuries. Further, strength training can promote improved running performance through increases in speed and running economy. Oftentimes strength training is neglected as part of a running training program because of reasons such as time constraints, lack of knowledge, uncertainty about the benefits, and concerns around putting on mass. With the evidence mounting around the benefits of strength training for endurance athletes and runners, we feel that it is an important piece of any runners overall training program. Generally, to maximize the benefits of strength training we should be loading up 2x/week. One day per week can lead to improvements but at a much slower rate and three days per week tends to be less sustainable in-season. That in mind, one way we advocate people incorporate strength work is by making hard days hard through the addition of strength work on two of your run days.
Myth # 4 - The right shoes prevent running injuries
At present there is little research that supports the idea that shoes can prevent injury. That said, heel-toe drop has been shown to influence biomechanics at the knee and ankle joints and this is something that we can use clinically to support recovery. Generally speaking, more minimalist shoes reduce knee loading but increase ankle and calf loading and shoes with higher drops tend to load the knee more.
Having the right shoe for the job we do believe plays a role in performance. Using the Nike Wildhorse on a road run, with higher swing weight, is likely to reduce running economy. In contrast, the HOKA Carbon X’s aren’t likely to do you any favours on your favourite single track trail loop. Further, every human has a somewhat different shape to their foot, arch height, forefoot width, heel width, etc, from a comfort perspective it’s critical to have a shoe that works for your anatomy.
Although we agree that shoe selection is important, the research has yet to show any injury risk reduction effect by selecting shoes based on foot type or minimalist index. Here at The Movement Physio & Performance we believe that we build robustness through graded exposure … meaning a slow progression in running volume, frequency, and intensity will help prepare you for and reduce injury risk during running. Further, we recommend that avid runners have several pairs of shoes with different designs to promote variable exposure to load in the lower body.
Myth # 5 - Every run has to be hard
More is more … a pervasive mentality that has been around for years in the fitness and endurance athletics realms, needs to be put to rest. Certainly there is a time and a place for high volume and high intensity; however, there is a definite need for appropriate ramping up, as well as planned recovery efforts both in the short term (weekly/monthly) and the long term training schedules. Volume and intensity vary drastically person to person based on a multitude of factors including but not limited to training history, genetic potential, injury history, and timing of races and events. Specifically for women menstrual cycle timing has recently become a recognized factor in planning exercise type and intensity. When it comes to both injury prevention and management, we often discuss with our clients the topic of acute to chronic workload as well as the importance of a well designed training program. The most important part of running is to be able to run consistently, stacking runs brick by brick to build a really strong house. If you try and build it too quickly, you run the risk of making mistakes and having to rebuild the whole house.
If you ever have any questions about running injuries, running gait assessments, or strength and conditioning for running don’t hesitate to reach out to one of our trained Physiotherapists to discuss your needs.