A quick cellphone snapshot from the trail.
Throughout the recovery process for my posterior tibial tendinitis and associated challenges, I’ve been doing a great deal of physical therapy that targets all of the stabilizing muscles in the lower legs. From rocker boards and wobble boards to stability pods, balance discs, foam rollers, resistance bands and a variety of balance exercises, I’ve been aggressively challenged with movements that have me on one foot, eyes closed, balancing precariously on various objects while executing challenging exercises. Frankly, it’s been fantastic, and I’m grateful to have therapists who push me. Every time I start to get comfortable doing one thing, they change it up on me. Rocker board too easy? Let’s go on one foot… That’s easy too? Let’s go lateral with it… Oh? Still too easy? Close your eyes… Now they have me balancing on one foot, on the wobble board, with eyes closed, for two minutes. We’ll see if I can pull it off…
These exercises are all well and good, but at some point, I have to start transferring the newly regained skill and strength to my running. Over these past few weeks I’ve been making an exceedingly slow, steady and easy return to the roads, but to help with my recovery, increase my enjoyment and continue the re-strengthening of my joints and stabilizing muscles, I’ve added a good deal of trail running into my practice.
“if you do most of your running on even, paved surfaces the lower leg muscles and joints don’t have to work as hard to stabilize. Joint stability and integrity are crucial for injury prevention. That’s where trail running comes in.”
Sure, trail running presents an entirely new set of things-that-could-go-wrong, but done with attention to detail – as it should be done regardless – there’s no better way to continue recovering from injury (once you’re cleared to run, that is) than to challenge it on uneven terrain. Not only do the muscles and connective tissues get a great all-around workout, but running trails lessens impact on the body and provides relief from the constant, repetitive pounding that tends to add up while running on the road. Where road racing requires very specific muscles trained to do one thing very well, trail running requires all muscles to be equally trained and able to adjust to variable circumstances. Trail running is exactly like rehab exercises, only kicked up a notch and pushed into the real world. It’s practical, efficient and best of all, enjoyable.
Here are 7 tips for running trails during recovery:
1.) Go for time, not distance.
A good bit of advice for anyone returning from injury in general, but particularly so with trail running. Running trails, especially with all the variables involved, makes it difficult to measure distance the same way that you would road miles. While recovering, you should be looking to slowly increase the amount of sustained time running. Don’t worry about distance. In fact, go slower and don’t go so far. Worry about time on your feet, not feet traveled.
2.) Slow down.
You can’t run at your usual pace when coming back from injury. You have to build towards it. And you certainly can’t run at your full pace, even uninjured, if you’re new to trails. Scale it back. Try 50%. You might find that your heart works just as hard given the terrain.
3.) Don’t pick the most difficult trail.
It’s easy to hurt yourself while trail running. Roots, rocks, ups, downs – trails can throw a lot in your path. You don’t want to toast your muscles or stress your tendons, and you don’t want to have to worry about stitches in your face while recovering from an ankle problem! Single track is fine, and quite fun, as long as it’s not too technical. Remember, take it easy.
4.) Don’t pick the easiest trail.
Some of those gravel roads and fire roads are just as flat and straight as a city street! Okay, they might be a bit softer, but when it comes to seeking out uneven terrain, let’s just say that there are some “trails” that are more Kansas than Colorado*. Find some terrain that changes.
note: Did you know that Nevada is actually the most mountainous state in the USA? But for the purpose of our list, Colorado has both great mountains and it’s alliterative.
5.) Be willing to walk.
Up-hills can trash your calves, down-hills can trash your quads, and running too far too soon after injury is a sure route to relapse. Walk. When you’re first starting, walk more than you run. Don’t worry, walking over uneven terrain will provide the same benefits to your recovering lower legs as running, and it’s safer.
6.) Stretch. Stretch. And stretch. While you’re at it, warm up.
We all know that the standard advice is to warm-up before your run and to reserve the stretching for after. But trails can be demanding. Include some gentle, simple stretching before your run as well as a warm-up. This will help to loosen up your muscles, tendons and ligaments and get them ready for the unusual demands about to be placed on them. Plus, it will help protect you from further injury should you twist your ankle or wrench your knee on a root. Bendy bodies bounce back.
7.) Stop and smell the roses.
This goes right along with #2 and #5. Find a place that is beautiful. If not beautiful, at least make it interesting. Don’t be afraid to stop and look at things, take some pictures, enjoy yourself out there. This will help to slow you down, giving your body time to recover between bouts of exertion. And it will do a heck of a lot of good for your mental well-being. Don’t focus as much on the run so much as the experience of the trail, regardless of whether you’re walking, running or sitting on a rock absorbing sunlight.
Trail running can not, and should not, replace a physical therapy rehabilitation program, but as you slowly return to running, it’s a great supplement to your work in the gym. Stay safe, use your head, and above all else, go easy. Before long you’ll be tempting fate again by tearing down that trail at full speed, your injury a mere memory.
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