Running & Pilates

If your passion is for running, you are dedicated to your sport, out training in all weathers and all times of day, I admire that! I always think of that when I pass a runner in the cosiness of my car ..

You also are open to injuries in the lower limbs, calves, ankles, achilles tendon..and the precious lower back..uneven surfaces, poor technique, incorrect footwear, excessive training all contribute.
So how do simple slow precise Pilates moves help? Its for flexible dancer type Females isnt it?? This is a myth..!!

 If you already do Pilates, you will know its not easy, as you have to concentrate , actually think about what you are doing and think about your body..from the inside..something you dont do in other classes!

Common Injuries.. Sciatica, poor posture is one of the causes, leg length difference is another. Tight Piriformis muscle..this can irritate the Sciatic nerve, you get pain in the buttocks and possibly down the back of the leg.

Iliotibial Band..a main cause for lateral knee pain, its thick tissue on the outside of the thigh from the outside of the Pelvis, over the hip & the knee, so you can see the many issues you get if its tight. It will bow the knees, and pronate the feet, the lower legs turn inwards creating issues above the knee in the hips as well, then the back as well.

Hamstrings..back of the thigh, insert at the sit bones and run down to the back of the knee..3 muscles..warming up before you run helps reduce strain , especially in winter..stretching them effectively reduces strain on these 3 very important muscles.


Calf strain..the calf is the Gastrocnemius, what a cool name!
Plus the smaller Soleus muscle. They get tight and need stretching, again warming up before running is helpful to reduce strain, as is stretching after the run..

Achilles Tendonitis..the largest tendon in the body! connecting the calf to the heel..it gets inflamed through overuse or through degeneration of the tendons. If you turn the foot whilst running..you will get tendonitis..a change in footwear, calf weakness, tight Gastroc, excessive pronation of the ankle pulls it off centre..

 Plantar fasciitis...causes the heel to ache, feel hot or swells..the fascia is inflamed. Poor foot posture, prolonged sitting or excessive running can be causes, wearing shoes with inadequate arch supports, a tight achilles doesnt help either.

Can you see that a tightness in all these muscles leads to injury, incorrect technique is a major factor..foot muscle strengthening is important good flexibility in the lower limbs is important..and great footwear is a bonus.

Theres many Pilates moves that help all of the above, but dont expect a class to me fast, furious and dont expect to "feel the burn" Its not a hard workout class, well, not in the beginning anyway...starting with the foundation and working your way up..bit like running really, you wouldnt start your running career by buying a pair of cheap shoes and running a Marathon the next day and expect a time of 2 hours 15 minutes, so why expect to go to a Pilates class and expect to see a result immediately and understand whats going on in your body in under 60 minutes in a class of 8 people who have totally different needs to you..they may just be going to a class to get flat abs!
So, find a great Pilates teacher, if your budget cannot be stretched to personal training once a week , see if you can sign up for one a month, or just one hour and pay for a personal programme for you to do at home whilst attending the classes...this information is invaluable to improve your muscle function..reducing injury..spend more time running effectively ..isn't that what you want to do..?