Staying active during recovery
When you're recovering from a running injury, it can be challenging to stay fit. There are still plenty of low-impact exercises you can do while healing to keep your body moving, and cross-training is essential for staying healthy and preventing further injury.
Squats
Squats are one of the most popular and effective lower body strength exercises, and they help prevent running injuries, making them an essential part of any fitness program. Squatting can improve knee stability, leg power, and body awareness, building strength around the knee that may reduce the risk of injuries like knee ligament tears. It does require core stability to maintain proper form, which can be challenging for runners with weak quads and hamstrings.
Lunges
Lunges strengthen the leg muscles and help protect against injury, and when done correctly they can also improve balance and range of motion while reducing the likelihood of knee pain from overuse. As with any bodyweight exercise, check with your doctor before starting something new or adding weight to your routine. Warm up your quads and hip flexors with stretching before lunges, skipping this step can cause a pulling sensation in the kneecap during the movement.
Step-ups
Step-ups are an excellent lower body exercise for building strength and stability, and they burn calories in the process. They target the quads, hamstrings, glutes, and hips while improving balance and strengthening the core, all useful for runners. Done incorrectly, or at too high a step height, they can pose an injury risk, so make sure your foot is planted firmly on the step and start with a low height, gradually increasing it as your strength builds.
Planks
Planks are an effective core exercise commonly included in rehab programs for injured runners. They improve posture and have been shown to reduce lower back pain in athletes with weak trunk muscles, and studies have even found they reduce the likelihood of overuse injuries among marathon runners. Planking doesn't require any equipment and can be done at home or at the gym: hold your body in a straight line from knees to head with your forearms on the floor and your core engaged, for 10 to 90 seconds across 5 sets.
Push-ups
Push-ups are suitable for all fitness levels and build the arms, shoulders, and upper back, which can help enhance running performance. The classic push-up strengthens the chest, triceps, and shoulders, and there are variations to fit different fitness levels and goals.
If you're experiencing foot and ankle pain or another running-related injury, contact our team for guidance and a personalized treatment plan.