The Road to an Injury Free Season

The seemingly ever-so elusive injury free race season, may not be as difficult to obtain as you may think. Some simple tips and tricks may be all you need to adjust your training habits and schedule to get you across each finish line this year with less aches and pains. Read on to learn more!

In order to understand how to prevent injuries, it is necessary to understand what causes them. Listed below are three key contributing factors to injuries in triathlons and ideas on how to correct these common faults.

• Muscle Imbalance: this can look like

  1. Muscle weakness

  2. Altered recruitment strategies or compensations

  3. Mobility deficits

Muscle weakness: triathletes need to be strong to get across the finish line, but they also need to be strong in the correct muscle groups to help support an efficiently functioning system. The glutes are primary stabilizers at the hip and help to unload and disperse shock from the lower extremities. They also help facilitate power. The core, intuitively, is our center and foundation of movement. Without a strong core, the rest of the kinetic chain falls apart, many of times lead with the back first. Our upper back and shoulders, or rotator cuff specifically, need to be strong to support long distance in swim and maintain proper posture to reduce stress on our neck in cycling. The easiest way to remember this is looking at the body from the side. We side a crisscross pattern that the body uses to stabilize.

Conversely, if the body is compensating, we see the opposite muscles involved and these compensations, or altered recruitment strategies, can quickly lead to injury by placing stress on muscles/joints that may not be able to sustain high, heavy, or repetitive loads. The converse to these muscle groups includes the hip flexors and/or quads, the low back muscles, and the chest muscles or pecs, and the upper traps. When these muscles become overactive to compensate it further leads to imbalance in our bodies that makes normal movements more challenging. *It is important to note that while you may be strong in the right muscle groups, there are times when that strength is not functionally being transferred to your sport. If this sounds like you, you may need a movement assessment to help determine how we can create the right movement and recruitment strategies for you.

Lastly, any limitation in mobility can significantly increase risk for injury for obvious reasons. Whether is lack of muscle length thus creating a strain, poor joint mobility altering how we move, or even both, poor mobility requires us to work harder for the same result and increase work means increased stress and fatigue which precipitates injury. Mobility is different than flexibility which is important to understand - mobility refers to our bodies ability to move through a range of motion, while flexibility refers to our soft tissue to comply and lengthen.

• Training Errors:

  • Skipping cross-training

  • Doing too much, too fast

  • Skipping recovery

While each of these categories could be a lecture on it's own, we will keep it simple. Don't skip cross-training. While triathlons incorporate 3 different sports, one does not suffice as cross training for the next. Take time to strengthen the appropriate muscles to help bullet proof your body and prevent injury. This does not mean you have to sign up for a gym, but simple exercises like banded side steps, planks, and glute bridges can help improve your ability to reduce risk of injury.

Progressive loading is crucial. It is easy to get excited and dive into a new training program and give it your all. However, when we do too much too fast, particularly running, we increase the risk of injury from repetitive overuse which can lead to determinantal effects on the body, including stress fractures! Progressive is key!

Don't skip recovery! We all need it so don't skip it. Don't favor additional miles or making up a lost work out over a recovery day. Skipping recovery means inability for our muscles to heal and repair themselves, increased stress and inflammation to our muscles and joints, and inability to replenish our fuel sources. As a result, your body will start the next training cycle at less-than-optimal levels which leads to further stress and fatigue, as well as decreased performance. Each time this happens, the body becomes more and more worn down until injury occurs. It's a simple solution for a big problem - focus on recovery!

• Faulty mechanics/faulty set ups:

  • These are easy things to monitor and correct - don't be a victim of poor mechanics and set-ups.

Get a proper bike fit - see a professional and get a bike fit specifically for you.

Stay symmetrical - breathe out of both sides in your swim

Maintain good posture and streamlined movements - if you're moving forward, stay moving forward. Don't let your arms and legs cross midline in your run and keep your ribs stacked on your core, over your pelvis. Don't lead with your chest or hunker down in a hunch. Good posture brings good movement.

Get the shoes that fit you - shoe trends are always changing and what works for someone else may not work for you. Get the shoe that fits you.

• Lastly, when to know to seek help!

  • Sometimes minor aches and pains may resolve on their own.... but sometimes, they may be more serious and require assistance. Generally, there are a few key ways to know you may need help then just a few days off.

    • If your pain lingers for a few days after your workout or training session.

    • If your pain persists or worsens with your activity.

    • If the pain becomes sharp or stabbing

    • If you start to notice consistent swelling that doesn't seem to resolve within a couple hours after activity.

    • If the pain begins to come on suddenly vs. gradually with activity.

  • Any of the above are key indicators it is time to seek help and get assessed. Typically, these types of aches and pains won't resolve on their own and may lead to a more severe injury, so get yourself assessed before you need to take weeks to months off!

Preventative care is by far and large, easier and more effective in managing injuries, then struggling with time off from your regimen, loss of race fees, and the mental let down knowing you aren't out doing what you love to do. While these tips and tricks are a fantastic place to start, it never hurts to ask questions. So, if you are more curious about injury prevention, specific to you and your mechanics, come get assessed! Keep yourself healthy and keep yourself in the race!