Does Running cause Arthritis?
Over many years, it has been believed that the repetitive action of running increases the risk of developing arthritis in the knee and hip. Without the accurate imaging that is available today, it would be obvious to hazard a guess at running being a risk factor. After all, our joints aren’t designed to withstand the forces involved with running long distances, right?
Achilles Pain and Running
The Achilles is the thick tendon from the lower calf to the heel. As you might have seen quite recently, David Haye reportedly ruptured his Achilles tendon in the boxing match against Tony Bellew. The relevance of this example is the similarities between boxing and running. You repetitively push off from your foot, activating your calf muscle (gastrocnemius) and adding load to the Achilles tendon. Hence why David Haye didn't stand a chance.
Lower Back Pain
60-90% of the population will experience lower back pain in their lifetime, so if you haven’t yet, its likely you are going to at some point. Fortunately, 40% of the time, your back pain will resolve within the week, with the right management. For those not so lucky, around 44% of people will experience chronic lower back pain which can greatly affect daily tasks and is a common cause of days off work. So, who can help?
Does stretching benefit running?
Should you stretch immediately before or after a run? No. Contrary to most beliefs, research suggests that an acute phase of stretching (before or after exercise) does not show any benefits and indicates a possible decrease in performance and increase risk of injury.
Spinal Manipulation: What's the crack?
I’m sure many of you have watched videos that circulate social media of people having their backs ‘cracked’. But what makes that satisfying sound and what does it achieve?