March: Tips for Running

Run and walk for health, just check with your physiotherapist before you do.

BC Physiotherapists share 4 tips to prevent injury and alleviate pain for runners and walkers.

Vancouver, BC March 1, 2012 | British Columbians love to run and walk. Both are both great ways to stay in shape and keep fit. New runners and people starting to walk for exercise after an illness should work with a physiotherapist to develop a program that includes warm up and cool down stretches to help prevent injury.

“It’s really easy to get injured while walking or running,” says Rebecca Tunnacliffe, CEO of the Physiotherapy Association of BC. “Many people just head out the door without a second thought, however wearing the proper footwear and ensuring you are following a graduated program to help build up your body’s fitness are key,” she stresses. “By following our Physio-4 and consulting with a physiotherapist to set up the right program for your age and level of fitness, you will prevent injuries, alleviate pain and keep moving for life.”

Below are the Physio-4 for running & walking from BC’s physiotherapists to keep you moving for life:

1. Proper footwear is essential for walkers and runners. The proper shoe can help maximize your efficiency and minimize your risk of injury. Try on many then select the shoe with the best shape for your foot. Your physiotherapist will assess whether arch supports or custom orthotics are necessary to improve your gait.
2. Start off slowly and build up your strength. If you have been injured or are new to walking and running, follow a graduated program to help build your body’s tolerance to the stresses of running and walking. Too much too soon can cause re-injury and unnecessary soreness.
3. Walkers and runners are prone to overuse injuries. These are often due to imbalances in strength and flexibility that you can correct through therapeutic exercises. Your physiotherapist can create a program designed specifically for you.
4. Choose walking or running to prevent osteoporosis later in life. Weight bearing exercise provides controlled stress to your bones, helping to improve or maintain bone density. Your physiotherapist can help you develop a program specifically designed to maximize your bone health.

The Physiotherapy Association of BC created the Physio-4 to share the expertise of its members with fellow British Columbians. “Each month on our website, movingforlife.ca, we provide 4 tips for a specific activity or health issue relating to that month to help keep British Columbians moving for life,” says Tunnacliffe.  “We want British Columbians to know that if they are injured or in pain, a physiotherapist can help. After all, we are the healthcare professionals physicians recommend most,” she states. The Physio-4 Tips for running & walking provides suggestions to keep British Columbians pain and injury free.

BC physiotherapists are the most physically active healthcare professionals in Canada and the ones physicians recommend most. To learn more about how physiotherapists keep British Columbians moving for life, visit movingforlife.ca. Go to the Physio-4 Calendar to see other tips from other months and activies.