Trail Running: Embrace the Adventure, Reduce the Injury Risks
Trail running is a great way to connect with nature, challenge your fitness, and break free from the monotony of road running.
We see a lot of our road runners transition to the uneven terrain & share how their road based running has improved alongside general fitness.
At Recoverie Health - trail runners make a decent part of our injury notoriety list (notoriously difficult to pin down for rehab) !
The Appeal of Trail Running
Nature Connection: The ability to disconnect from traffic, road & pedestrians scrolling through Tik Tok makes it worth the muddy trails.
Physical Benefits: The uneven terrain of trails strengthens stabilizing muscles in the lower limb, improves balance, increases overall strength and provides some good variety to your running training.
Aerobic Trail Running - most trail runs can be done in Zone 2 (easy pace) - this has numerous benefits as you build on a solid foundation of aerobic capacity & endurance.
Collective Running - Trail Runs are fun & you’ll be surprised to find some incredible trail runs in your backyard!
Common Trail Running Injuries
While trail running is generally safer for your joints, it does pose some injury risks -
Ankle Sprains: Uneven ground and hidden obstacles can cause your foot to twist unexpectedly. One of our physios tore his tendon whilst trail running in the Gower Peninsula!
Knee Pain: Descending steep trails can put extra strain on the knees, leading to issues like patellar tendinopathy. We see this linked to first time trail runners or excessive distances being covered.
Falls - yes believe it or not a few of our clients have had fractured bones as a result of a bad fall. If you can go slow, do so - better control & reduced speed allows for safer runs.
Sore feet - plantar fascia, cuts, bruising of toes - these can be normal if wearing ill - fitting shoes.
Tips to Prevent Trail Running Injuries
We get this question from every runner - Best Shoe Recommendation!
After countless studies - Comfort is the only factor you should really go for. Invest in trail running shoes that offer good grip, support, and protection against rocks and roots.Strength Training - A few bodyweight & resistance training based exercises can really make the difference between having injuries & a less costly affair from having to stop / seek physio. Stay tuned as we launch our Get Trail Run Strong programme.
Nutrition - Surprising there’s a real poor uptake of nailing nutrition for trail runners. Samantha Mare - our performance nutritionist & coach shares her insights around adequate protein intake & carb loading.
Pace Yourself - Start with easier trails and gradually increase the difficulty and distance over time. Pay attention to your body and don’t fall into the trap of increasing your trail-running distances too quickly, especially if you are new to the sport. It’s easy to think the distance needs to match road running - far from it!
Technique - Short quick steps allow better body control & effective stability versus larger strides on uneven terrain. Cadence during trail running changes & depending on your current ability that too may adapt.
Stay Hydrated: Dehydration can be deceptive especially when running in the UK (cold weather & that). Supplementing with enough electrolytes is crucial for keeping optimal hydration.
Listen to Your Body: If you feel pain, especially sharp or persistent pain, it’s a signal to stop and assess rather than push through it. The least expensive way is getting a physiotherapist to review it early on rather than later.
Recovery and Treatment
In the unfortunate event that you do get injured, here’s what you can do:
Rest - Give your body time to heal. Active recovery away from that area can work great to allow the body to continue moving!
Deload/Volume changes - No runner likes to be told to stop running! We get it - we prefer easing off the volume or walking the trails as part of the recovery process.
If pain persists, this is the time to reach out & get that expert help!
Conclusion
Trail running is a rewarding activity that offers numerous physical and mental benefits. By taking preventive measures and being mindful of your body, you can enjoy the beauty and challenge of the trails while minimizing your risk of injury.
Embrace the adventure.
Happy trails!
Shefali Desai
Lead Clinical Physio
Recoverie.Health