Running with pain is no fun! Especially when you are training for a goal, whether it is to reach a personal best time or lose weight.
Have you looked for many solutions, but the pain keeps coming? It’s important to understand where the pain is coming from and why. To comprehend where the pain is coming from we must first understand 2 things, what is gait and what are energy leaks.
What is Gait?
In simple terms gait is how we walk or run. The difference between running and walking is not just the amount of energy you use but also the contact time with the ground. During walking we have both our feet in contact with the ground providing a more stable base vs during running only 1 foot comes in contact with the ground, we also achieve “double flight”(when both feet are off the ground at the same time).
During the Running Gait Cycle there are 2 phases (although they can be broken down into 6 or 8 sub phases)
1 Stance phase
– initial contact
– loading response
– mid stance
– terminal stance
2 Swing phase
– pre swing
– initial swing
– mid swing
– terminal swing
Most hamstring injuries happen during the stance phases & the terminal swing.
During each phase your upper body is being utilized which includes: abdominals, lats, triceps and low back muscles.
What are energy leaks & how can it affect my running ?
An energy leak occurs when all the energy generated to do a movement or task does not go into that movement or task, therefor creating stress in the body and causing unnatural motion in other parts of the body (dysfunctional movement patterns).
Think about this, if your glutes don’t fire the lumbar spine and the hamstrings will experience unnecessary loading of energy. The stress caused by the unnatural movement and unnatural energy absorption/production can cause the hamstring fibers to tear and the excessive loading/compression of the lumbar may cause disc issues over time.
This can affect your running by causing pain, injury or making you fatigue quicker! Making you slower or worse, putting a pause on your running.
How can I avoid energy leaks and reduce my pain?
We recommend that you get a thorough biomechanical evaluation by a professional. To schedule a thorough biomechanical evaluation click here or the link above! Also make sure to follow us on Instagram, FaceBook and our Website.
