Great advice from our sports therapist Jack Edwards during the marathon season
As I 've increased my mileage in preparation for the marathon, I've had a few niggles, specifically - groin pain.
I am lucky to have access to osteopathy, and would always recommend that anyone struggling with injury goes and gets it checked out by a professional.
There are few things I can recommend though based on my own experiences not just as a runner, but as massage therapist.
Reduce activity where necessary and consider cross training. Long distance running is all about your aerobic system. Ideally training in what's called zone 2. I've used both the assault bike and cross training during my preparation for the big day.
Reduce training intensity - not all sessions need to be flat out. Mix things up to allow the body to adapt and heal. You will reap the rewards of this in the longer term.
Identify any muscle imbalances - could these be the cause of the pain. This is where having a professional to assess your gait and run pattern is useful. Helping to to help determine what is going on at the foot, ankle, knee or hip that may be contributing to overload of the adductors.
Include strength training - aim to do at least one session a week - focusing on glutes, hamstrings, hip flexors or the adductors themselves The goal is to reduce the chance injury not increase muscle size. Slow down the tempo, eccentric loading has a positive impact on tendon strength.
Beware of gait analysis in the shoe shops - the sales staff may have more training in selling shoes than biomechanics. And bare in mind that if we reduce “pronation/supination” in the ankle, the body may have to compensate elsewhere. Instead focus on strengthening and improving mobility in the foot and ankle.
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