ProLog: Dynamic Warm Up for Injury Prevention and Performance

It has been a while since our last ProLog because, well, we have been busy! Busy with some really fun stuff. ProActive is going through some changes, so stay tuned for updates!

Recently Ruth and I had the privilege of speaking to a great group of runners at Altitude Running Company on August 31st. We discussed common biomechanical issues we see in runners and how we appreciate those mechanics to help create a plan to prevent injuries and maximize performance. Below is a brief summary of the talk with some pictures.

Monkey Walks!

Muscles that tend to over work with running:

1) back muscles

2) hip flexors

3) quads

4) calves

Muslces that tend to work less-optimally with runners:

1) abdominal muscles (obliques)

2) glute muscles

3) hamstrings

4) adductors

So, in general, to develop a program to keep runners healthy so they can keep running, we need to do things to facilitate the abs, glutes, hamstrings, and adductors. At the same time, we want to inhibit the back muscles, hip flexors, quads, and calves. Many runners will move a little different left and right, so if you are dealing with an ache or pain or feel like something is off, be sure to check in with your physical therapist to get a proper individual assessment of your bio-mechanics.

We came up with our top 5 dynamic exercises to accomplish just that. If you have an injury or painful area, contact your physical therapist. Use these as a general guide to help prepare your body for running.

TOP 5 DYNAMIC WARM-UP TECHNIQUES FOR INJURY PREVENTION AND PERFORMANCE

1) Inchworms