As the weather finally shifts to more of what Chicagoans are akin to as summer approaches, race season has already begun.  As Chicagoans and fellow Lincoln Park residents begin to train or are continuing to train for their upcoming races this summer, it is important to reduce injury because the risk of injury is high due to overtraining.  Whether you are running a 1/2 or full marathon, an Olympic or sprint triathlon, or 1/2 or full Ironman, all of these activities require discipline, time, and hard work to achieve your goals of completing a race.  As part of your training, I will discuss a few easy tips one can do to reduce the risk of injury forcing a visit to either a sports chiropractor, orthopedist, or worst case, cease training altogether.

It is important as you either begin your training program or are in the middle of training for your race that you increase flexibility or at least, maintain flexibility, of any tight muscles you have that are going to be a large part of your training.  With your job of sitting/standing for long periods, muscles will get tight.  Then, you work out/train from largely being sedentary causing a great deal of load placed on your muscles exercise brings.   One needs to ensure proper lengthening of the muscle(s) involved for training due to possible compensation through a different area of the body leading to injury.  It is a good rule of thumb to stretch for 10-15 minutes 2-3 days/week to help with your training.

Additionally, mobility is as vital as stretching.  Joints will get stiff, restricted, and limit your muscles’s ability to lengthen when your mobility of an area is compromised.  There are many different ways to mobilize a joint, but consider that every joint moves in 3 planes due to humans being 3-dimensional.  The important joints to mobilize include, but are not limited to, hips, ankles, and spine.  If anyone of these areas is not moving as well, it can lead to injury as part of your regimen.  Spending 10-15 minutes daily 2-3 days/week on mobility will complement your flexibility routine.

Lastly, cross-training is often something that most athletes who live in Lincoln Park, and surrounding neighborhoods, have access to, but do not incorporate into one’s training as much as one should, due to time constraints. Whether you lift weights, take Pilates, Yoga, or cycle/spin classes, it is important to stress your muscles and joints in different ways through other forms of exercise to prevent injury from overtraining associated with your race.  Cross-training allows one to maintain their strength, and conditioning to a degree, to complement your rigorous training schedule.

Preventing injury and implementing these strategies will keep you training as fellow Chicagoans work toward achieving their goals of completing their race. Have fun this summer as you train hard!

Brian Marion, DC, CCSP, ART, SFMA, CKTP

Lincoln Park Chiropractic 2202 N. Lincoln Ave Chicago, IL 60614

(773) 248-2790 https://lincolnparkchiropractic.com