Shin splints are some of the most common injuries for runners, and it’s very rare that a runner will go through their life without suffering this at some point. It’s not just runners that suffer – shin splints are common among dancers, gymnasts and military recruits too.

In runners however, shin splints are a more common injury for beginners and long-distance runners, but are both curable and preventable. In this blog post I’ll be explaining what shin splints are, how to treat them and how to prevent them in the future.

What are shin splints?

‘Shin splints’ is actually a term used to describe a wide range of lower-leg injuries and lower leg exercise-induced pain. However, in the running world, shin splints injury is usually the medical condition known as medial tibial stress syndrome – MTSS for short.

The main symptom of shin splints is a dull, aching pain in the front of the shins. This is usually felt in an area measuring roughly 5 inches in length on either side of the shinbone or in the muscles surrounding it.

What causes shin splints?

Shin splints occur in most cases as a direct result of the repeated impact to the bone tissue, tendons and muscles surrounding the tibia. This leads to inflammation of the connective tissue that covers and joins the muscles of the lower leg to the shin bone.

How do I treat shin splints?

Shin splints are not a serious injury, provided you treat it before it has chance to become chronic. Doing the following as soon as you start to feel any shin pain should do the trick.

• Rest: If you start to feel any shin pain, rest. You shouldn’t be doing any type of running or high impact exercise until it can be done pain free.
• Ice therapy: Ice the affected area for 15 to 20 minutes, three to four times a day to reduce pain and swelling. Keep icing on a daily basis until the injured area is no longer inflamed or painful.
• Medication: In cases of severe pain, you may have to take anti-inflammatory medication to soothe pain and speed up recovery. However, it’s always important to check with a pharmacist first.
• Recovery: It can take anything from two to four weeks to recover from shin splints, depending on how severe you were injured. As you start to notice improvements, opt for alternative low-impact exercise such as swimming or yoga.

If the pain persists and symptoms fail to improve, you should always seek medical advice.

How do I prevent shin splints?

It’s true that prevention is better than a cure. Here are a few measures you can take to try and prevent shin splints:

• Make sure you have the right running shoes
• Start a comprehensive strength training regime that’s aimed to strengthen the muscles and the tendons in the lower legs and feet
• Consider getting a biomechanical analysis (conducted by a professional, typically using a motion capture video) to pin down and isolate the exact problems with your running biomechanics
• Make sure you perform a wide range of stretching exercises for the hamstrings, calves, and the Achilles

Until next time,

Mohsin Salya

When you’re a runner, there’s always the fear and possibility of injuring yourself. One of the most common injuries are foot injuries, naturally, as this is the part of the body that takes the shock and impact whilst running. The foot is active in both the landing and push-off phases of the running cycle, so it’s involved in absorbing the shock of impact (upon landing), then controlling the forces generated by running (during push-off).

In this post I will discuss the three most common foot injuries to watch out for when training, and how to treat and prevent them.

Plantar Fasciitis

This is pain along the bottom of your heel – it is particularly bad first thing in the morning when you get out of bed. This is caused by excess tension or pulling on the plantar fascia, which runs along the bottom of your foot, resulting in painful inflammation.

Treat it by:

• Cross-training
• Taking anti-inflammatories
• Rolling your foot over a frozen water bottle
• Pumping your ankle up and down 10 times before getting out of bed
• Wearing shoes with arch support
• Stretching your calf

To prevent Plantar Fasciitis stretch, strengthen and foam roll your calves regularly. Additionally, shorten your stride – aim for 180 foot strikes per minute.

Ankle Tendinitis

This is pain on the outside of your ankle beneath the bone and toward the back of the joint. This may start out mild but can worsen over time with repeated running. Ankle tendinitis is caused by a big bump in mileage stressing out the two tendons that run along the outside of your ankle, causing them to become in flamed.

Treat it by:

• Cross-training
• Applying ice for 15 minutes, five times a day
• Stretching and foam rolling your calves
• Talk to a sports doctor if discomfort lasts – they may recommend a brace

Ankle Tendinitis can be prevented by doing regular foot eversions and calf raises.

Stress Fracture

This is a pain in your forefoot or heel, which is usually most pronounced during running and worsens over time. This is something that can develop over time when the demand on the bone exceeds the bone’s ability to withstand the force.

Treat it by:

• Seeing a sports doctor for immediate diagnosis – they will advise you to rest and this can reduce recovery time.
• Cross-training

Stress fractures can be prevented by upping your mileage gradually. If you over pronate whilst running, try arch supports. Getting enough calcium and vitamin D can help prevent stress fractures, and additionally you should strengthen your core and hips with exercises.

Until next time,

Mohsin Salya

It’s a fact of life that if you’re a runner, there’s a good chance of injury at some point. Some estimate that up to 80 per cent of runners are injured at some point each year. With a statistic like that, it’s a good idea to get clued up on the different kinds of injury you could potentially fall victim to, as well as how to prevent them and treat them.

In this post I’ll be taking a brief look at each common injury, so that you know the essentials if you’re ever affected.

Runners Knee

Prevalence rate: 40%

Symptoms: Irritation of the cartilage under the kneecap

Causes:

• Any extra pressure on the knee
• Long runs
• Extended sitting
• Descending hills or stairs

Treatment:

• Reduce mileage
• Avoid downhill running
• Train using: elliptical, bike, pool

Prevention:

• Shorten your stride
• Land with your knee slightly bent
• Stretch your hip flexors
• Strengthen glutes

Plantar Fasciitis

Prevalence rate: 15%

Symptoms: The tendons and ligaments running from your heels to your toes receive small tears or inflammation

Causes:

• Very high or very low arches
• Pronation (foot rolls inwards)
• Supination (foot rolls outwards)
• Long periods of standing
• Weak core strength

Treatment:

• Ease up on running until fully recovered
• Ice the affected area
• Use a foam roller

Prevention:

• Increase core strength
• Wear the proper shoes for your foot type
• Stretch your arches

Achilles Tendonitis

Prevalence rate: 11%

Symptoms: The tendon that connects your calf and heel becomes tight and irritated

Causes:

• Dramatically increased training
• Weak calves

Treatment:

• Stop all running
• Apply ice regularly

Prevention:

• Do calf raises
• Avoid excessive calf training
• Avoid wearing high heels or flip flops for long periods of time

Iliotibial Band Syndrome

Prevalence rate: 12%

Symptoms: The band that runs along the outside of your leg from the hip to the knee becomes irritated and achy

Causes:

• Increased mileage too quickly
• Lots of downhill running

Treatment:

• Reduce mileage
• Use a foam roller
• Train using a pool

Prevention:

• Strengthen abductors
• When running on a track, change direction every few laps
• Limit hilly runs and shorten your stride

Stress Fracture

Prevalence rate: 6%

Symptoms: A strain on the bone that results in an achy feeling in your shins, feet or heels

Causes:

• Drastic increase in mileage or speed
• Nutritional deficits or inadequate calorie intake

Treatment:

• Take a significant break from impact exercises
• Pace yourself, even when walking
• Train using a pool

Prevention:

• Consume enough calories and nutrients
• Weight train to improve bone density

Until next time,

Mohsin Salya

Hi and welcome to the Mohsin Salya blog.

It’s a common complaint when you’re a runner that you ache more the morning after than at any other time. You may be able to fall asleep fine – good, even, if you’ve worked out or been on a run – but you wake up and have great difficulty getting out of bed. You find that everything hurts in the morning, even if you’ve had a good rest.

Why is the pain worse when we wake up?

According to a new University of Manchester study published in the journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, it’s all down to inflammation.  It turns out our bodies seem to suppress inflammation when we sleep, leading to worse pain when we wake up and the inflammation is ‘turned back on’.

Patients of Rheumatoid Arthritis, an inflammatory disease, have long known that their symptoms can vary throughout the day, with many suffering from greater joint stiffness upon waking. However, little is known about how our circulation rhythms – our inner clocks that tell us when to go to sleep and when to wake up – control this pain.

“At night time, those inflammatory markers go down but gradually rise up again in the morning,” says University of Manchester researcher and study author Julie Gibbs, PhD.

How can I prevent aching after running?

The most obvious way you can limit the aching and stiffness the morning after a run is to ease into your training, and ramp up your training workload slowly. For example, your first run after time off should be very short and moderate intensity. It should be no longer than 20 minutes, and be light enough that you are able to hold a conversation throughout it. Even if you feel you are capable of much more, you need to resist the temptation.

You also need to resist the temptation to increase your training workload aggressively after that first workout has been completed. No matter how fit you are, a run that is significantly longer or more intense than those you are used to will cause significant aching. There’s nothing wrong with increasing your training, but just make sure you do it slowly. The key is to make sure your workouts are never more than slightly tougher than the previous one.

Until next time,

Mohsin Salya

Invest in trainers

It’s wise to invest in high quality trainers for running. Opt for trainers which are comfortable. They should support your insteps and the tops of your arches, to minimise your chances of developing foot pain. You should also replace your trainers every 425 miles you run, as at this point, the cushioning on your shoes will have started breaking down, making it feel uncomfortable when you run.

Care for your feet

Shape Magazine advises you to pamper your feet before and after you run to prevent pain. Before running, use warm up exercises such as walking lunges to get the blood flowing around your foot muscles. Once your run is over, massage your feet to ease any tension. It’s a good idea to roll a lacrosse ball slowly across the arches of your feet, resting it on points of tension, to ensure they recover well.

Strengthen your soles

Running places pressure on the soles of your feet. Try sole strengthening exercises to give you better propulsion, making it easier for you to run faster, for longer. Popular exercises include big toe raises – where you place your feet on the ground, lifting your largest toes and arch lifts. Here you put your feet on the ground and push your heels and toes down, so you’re raising up the arches of your feet.

Improve your technique

The better your running technique, the less likely you are to develop foot pain. When running, your feet hit the ground around 1,000 times per mile, so if you’re not careful, you can do some damage. Try striking the ground with your forefoot instead of your heel, as the latter increases the risk of injury. Also if you can hear your foot hitting the ground, you’re running to hard, so try to tread very lightly.

Rest your feet

Your feet need to recover from the pressure of running. It’s wise to rest and relax, so you don’t raise your chances of foot injury the next time you hit the track. Here you might want to consult my post-run check-list to ensure you rest properly after a session. Doing simple things like elevating your legs to improve blood circulation and eating a nutritious meal to get your energy levels up can work well.

Always be sensible

It’s a good idea to be sensible and stop and rest immediately if you start developing pain in your feet. This will ensure that you don’t turn a minor problem into a major issue which could stop you running in the long-term. Care for your feet and you’ll be able to sustain a healthy running schedule.

Until the next time,

Mohsin Salya.

Like all things that are good for you, running is good in moderation. If you clock up the miles too quickly without letting your body recover properly, you could end up tired, injured or in extreme cases chronically sick. In this post I’ll be sharing tips on how to spot the signs of overtraining.

What is overtraining?           

Put simply, overtraining occurs when the intensity and/or frequency of your runs exceeds your body’s ability to recover from the training load. There is a risk of seriously hurting yourself if you do this for a long period of time. Overtraining can affect you mentally, physically and emotionally, and every runner is at risk – whether you are a beginner or a professional. It’s more common for serious runners to go too far and overtrain, especially if they are aiming to hit a specific goal or preparing for an important race.

However, there’s no need to panic. If you only run three or four times per week at an easy pace, the chances are you aren’t at risk of overtraining. But, if you also run a lot and workout at the gym, then there are a few signs of overtraining to watch out for.

What are the signs of overtraining?       

• Poor performance – if your running performance has suffered despite all of your hard effort. This is most noticeable when you feel your training is going according to plan, but your usual runs suddenly feel too hard.
• Persistent aches and injuries – Even though soreness and stiffness are part of being a runner, you must not ignore the aches and injuries that just won’t go away. When you are overtraining, your body doesn’t get enough time to recover between runs, and so you start to train in a weakened state.
• Insomnia – You may notice your sleep pattern becomes disturbs – this is due to the impact overtraining has on your body’s natural biorhythms. Other symptoms will include lethargy, waking up much earlier than usual or having difficulty sleeping or staying asleep.
• Loss of appetite – If your appetite has diminished somewhat lately, then this could be another sign of overtraining. As a result, you’ll notice unwanted weight loss, so this is something else to watch out for during your training stages.
• Lack of motivation – It’s important to note that there is a difference between occasional wanting to skip a run and suddenly becoming disinterested. In some extreme cases, you might lose interest in running altogether.
• Chronic sickness – A quite obvious sign of overtraining is a high susceptibility to illness. Overtraining will hamper your immune system, which will leave you with more illnesses than usual. In particular, repeated bouts of colds, the flu and other viruses.

Overtraining is not clear cut, and so please bear in mind that none of these symptoms will be a definite indicator of overtraining. If you’re worried that you may be overtraining, it’s best to decrease the number and intensity of your workouts immediately and seek advice from a healthcare professional.

Until next time,

Mohsin Salya

Running can be very rewarding, helping you lead a healthier lifestyle. However, you put a lot of strain on your muscles when you run, and it’s crucial that you find ways to deal with it, otherwise you could do some damage. People try various techniques to alleviate sore muscles, one of which is acupuncture. To find out if acupuncture could be the right solution for you, carry on reading.

Handling muscle cramps

Muscle cramps are often a reality for runners, especially those of the long distance variety. There are two kinds of running muscle cramps you need to be aware of, the first of which is muscle overloading. This is where you overuse your calf muscles, as they’re the ones you depend on most for running, and this leads to painful fatigue cramps. The second is electrolyte imbalance muscle cramp which affects all muscle groups and is caused by excessive sweating – a common by-product of running.

If you don’t manage muscle cramps, there could be consequences later down the road that stop you from running. Obviously proper hydration management is key to dealing with an electrolyte imbalance muscle cramp, so you have enough fluids to replace lost sweat. For muscle overloads, you can try stretches and massages, improving the blood flow to your calf muscles so they can get some relief.

Warming up and down

It’s important to create a personalised warm up and cool down strategy. This will prepare your muscles for the rigours of running and stop any injuries from getting worse. It doesn’t take long to warm up – you can prepare your body for running in five minutes. Exercises such as ‘knee lift hip rotations’ (where you extend one leg out from your body 15 times, then repeat for the other leg) are a great way to warm up.

Cooling down’s not quite as straight forward. You should base your cool down strategy on the amount of time you spent running. If you had a gentle jog, a five minute stretch should do it, while if you’ve just completed a marathon, it’s a good idea to put aside a few hours for cooling down. Doing stretches after you run gives them time to recover, and replenish both lost energy and essential fluids.

Runners and acupuncture

But sometimes doing regular warm ups and cool downs isn’t enough. Just think of how much strain you can put on your muscles by using them every day, especially if you’re training for a marathon, where it’s common to run tens of miles in a single session. You’ll need to take some extra measures to keep your muscles in tip top shape, and industry source Runner’s World suggests that you try acupuncture.

So what exactly is acupuncture? Acupuncture is a medical practice which originated in the Ancient Chinese medical tradition. It works by stimulating key points in your body, most typically by using a needle to penetrate your skin, providing you with pain relief. It’s also employed to treat certain medical conditions, ranging from migraines to insomnia.

But how much can it help a runner? A lot, according to the experts Runner’s World spoke to. The publication notes that the needles used in acupuncture produce a large amount of anti-inflammatories, so it can be used to treat various running-related conditions. The treatment can also promote better blood flow to a muscle, allowing it to access the oxygen and nutrients needed to enable healing. It’s common for many elite runners to go in for a 30 minute acupuncture session each week, and you can see real results after about three weeks.

Is acupuncture right for you?

Yes, acupuncture can be great for runners, as it’s known to relieve muscle cramps, promoting better performance, but is it right for you? It definitely gives you the ability to embrace endurance running. But it’s best to speak to medical experts before trying ‘alternative’ treatments such as acupuncture, just to be on the safe side, as it may not be appropriate for everyone. But it is a great way to take care of your muscles and be the best runner possible!

Until the next time,

Mohsin Salya

There are some problems that, unfortunately as a runner, you may need to deal with from time to time. One is chaffing, as it’s all too easy to irritate your skin while pounding the pavement. But don’t worry, this problem is simple enough to deal with, so keep reading if you want to find out how to stop chaffing when running.

Gear is everything

If you wear the wrong clothing, you won’t be able to prevent chaffing no matter what, so it’s really important that you find the right running gear. It’s your clothing’s material that you really need to take into consideration. It’s handy to buy running clothes in technical fabrics, as you’ll find that these pieces are really breathable, lightweight and wick away sweat, keeping chaffing at bay.

Hydrate with care

Yet another reason why you need to hydrate properly when running, is that it can minimise chaffing. As you run, you sweat, and this eventually dries on your skin, causing maximum irritation. But hydrating with care can keep you sweating until you get to towel it off. It’s a good idea to invest in sports drinks, such as Gatorade, which contain electrolytes, ensuring your hydration levels stay high.

Simple solutions

One of the easiest ways to stop chaffing is to minimise any friction you may experience while running, as this is a direct cause of this painful irritation. There’s one simple solution that’s sure to work – just rub talcum powder onto any areas of your body that are prone to chaffing, as this will stop the problem in its tracks. You can buy talcum powder (or baby powder) easily and cheaply online or from any good supermarket.

Extra protection

If your thighs are really likely to chafe, powder might not be enough. Give them extra protection from running-induced irritation by fitting them with bandlettes. These are bands which are made of a soft, synthetic microfiber. They’re effective at fighting chaffing, and include non-slip silicone, so they’ll stay on your thighs. You can get them in various sizes and colours from sports retailers online.

Effective after-care

It’s possible to minimise any potential discomfort further, by taking care of your body properly after running. It’s important that after you’ve gone running and cooled down, that you shower as soon as possible, to wash away the sweat. Go for lukewarm water, as hot water will just make chaffing worse. Also when drying yourself pat your skin down instead of rubbing it, to ward off further irritation.

Miracle moisturisers

Should you experience bad chaffing anyway, there’s one thing you can do to get it under control. While recovering from your work out, apply moisturiser to the affected areas of your body so it can recover. For really bad chaffing, anything with zinc oxide (such as diaper rash cream) will work wonders. For milder cases, products such as coconut oil and shea butter will do the trick – both available online.

Be the best runner

Have you ever tried to go running when your thighs are already raw and irritated? Nobody would recommend it, as doing this can be painful and it can really impact your performance. It’s crucial, therefore, that you tackle chaffing head-on both before it happens and when irritation rears its ugly head. This will enable you to pound the pavement regularly and be the best runner you can possibly be!

Until the next time,

Mohsin Salya

It’s wise not to overdo it as a runner, or you could do more harm than good. If you have a running injury, it’s often best to take a break from pounding the pavement. This gives your body a chance to recover, but is it true that you sometimes don’t need to? Athlete’s foot is one of the most common injuries for runners. In this article I’ll be looking at whether or not it’s a good idea to carry on running with the condition.

Common issue

Athlete’s foot is something that as a runner, you’ll probably have to deal with at some point. This is because athlete’s foot is a common infection that grows when your foot is subjected to warm, moist dark environments for long-periods of time.  So obviously if you run – especially if you’re the kind of person who likes long-distance running, you’re going to run the risk of getting this condition.

If you get athlete’s foot it’s hardly going to be life threatening, but you should go to a doctor and get it treated, before this irritating condition spreads to other parts of your body and becomes a real issue. You’ll know you’ve got athlete’s foot if your feet have become dry, red, scaly, flaky, soggy, cracked or covered in small blisters, and usually your doctor will prescribe you a special cream to treat it.

Should you run?

So should you keep running while you’re recovering from athlete’s foot? It pretty much depends on how severe the condition is. Obviously if your athlete’s foot is so bad you can’t put pressure on your feet, then it’d be a really bad idea to go for a jogging session. It’s wise to ask your doctor to be sure, but for milder cases of athlete’s foot, you may be ok to keep running while you’re in recovery.

Preventative measures

It’s a good idea, however, to make sure that you never get to this stage, by using preventative measures to stop athlete’s foot. Here it’s all about picking the right running shoes, as your shoes are breeding grounds for the kinds of bacteria that cause athlete’s foot – this is why it’s a more common problem for runners. The best thing you can do is to choose some appropriate running shoes made of breathable materials.

You should also make sure you wear good running socks, so you can really knock athlete’s foot on the head before it develops. There are actually special running socks you can get that are made of technical fabrics – unlike cotton, which is the most common material for socks, these fabrics are known to wick away sweat which will prevent athlete’s foot before it has a chance to develop.

There are a few other things you can do to stop athlete’s foot in its tracks. Wash your feet immediately after you run, so any bacteria doesn’t get time to build up. You can also buy special products for your shoes, which can help ensure they don’t become breeding grounds for the condition. A great one is the SteriShoe UV shoe sanitizer, available online, which claims to kill around 99% of bacteria in shoes.

Give it a rest

So yes, you probably can run in some cases, when you have athlete’s foot. However it might be best to give it a rest for a little bit, so your feet have some time to recover. That way you can get back to running as soon as possible, knowing that you can get the most out of your favourite activity!

Until the next time,

Mohsin Salya.

We’ve all been there – finally sitting down at the end of a long run, we pull off our socks and trainers and gently nurse our hot and throbbing feet, and wonder why on earth they hurt so much. Whether it’s blisters or pinched nerves, bruises or skin infections, we only ever seem to give our feet the love and attention they deserve when they really start to hurt.

On the front line

This is clearly far too late – especially when you consider the fact that when it comes to running, our feet are well and truly on the front line. Everything starts with your feet. They are the base that you build your entire running technique upon and when they are suffering, the rest of you suffers too. Injuries to your feet – the second most common site of problems after the knee – can affect your entire body, from your shins to your knees, and your hips to your back.

Time to focus on our feet

So, think about the amount of attention you pay to the rest of your body – whether it’s by making sure we’re warming up properly to drinking plenty of water or eating the right meals pre-race – and start giving the same consideration to preparing and caring for your feet. Here are three quick suggestions think about.

1. The right shoes

The most obvious point (at least to anyone who has ever run any distance in the wrong shoes) is that you must have the right shoes for your feet and the terrain you’re planning to cover. Skip the general sports stores and head for your local specialist running shop – there should be an expert there who knows how to fit shoes properly and who will make sure your feet find their perfect partner.

2. The right socks

It seems sock technology has advanced almost as much in recent years as it has for shoes, and you should no longer be satisfied with wearing just any old sock for your run. Getting the right pair of specially formed acrylic socks can dramatically increase your chances of avoiding blisters, as well as keeping your feet cool and healthy.

3. The ice treatment

Our feet get hot when we go for a run – it’s perfectly natural – but sometimes this can be very uncomfortable, particularly if they swell up. Soak your feet in a bucket of ice water to calm them down (if you can stand it – use a cold hose if you can’t) – although don’t risk frostbite by exposing them to ice for longer than 20 minutes.

Seek advice

Finally, if you have problems with your feet that just aren’t going away, go and see a professional. Find out who has a good reputation among your fellow runners, and give your feet a treat for once. They’ll thank you for it.

Until the next time,

Mohsin Salya.