What Else Could Be Contributing to Your Running Injuries?
Non-Running Physical Activities of Daily Living May Contribute to the Overall Mechanical Stress That Leads to Injury
Running-related injuries are often blamed on variables related to running alone. This means we look at the runner’s overall volume, intensity (speed), frequency of running, etc. These are all relevant variables, as we know that high intensities, performed often, are the recipe for injury. But what else could be contributing to your running injuries? Running injuries happen when the tissue is overstressed and not provided with the time to heal. The time and rate of repair versus the rate of damage accumulation influences whether or not the tissue adapts (and therefore is able to tolerate greater loads) or succumbs to accumulating microdamage and results in injury.
This research viewpoint suggests that physical activity other than running may contribute to accumulated microdamage that prevents tissue remodeling (and therefore facilitates injury). This refers to the following domains: occupational, transportation, household/domestic, and leisure time (other physical activity). These are considered, collectively, as “physical activity of daily living.”
For example, a runner using a standing desk at work for eight hours can incur as much joint loading as walking nearly a full marathon! The researchers suggest that doing this repeatedly could be contributing to why one runner does get injured and another does not. The above stated variables are often not accounted for in the running-related research, but are certainly contributing to the mechanical load placed on the runner’s musculoskeletal system.
The researchers state that the combined influence of leisure-time physical activity and high occupational physical activity on musculoskeletal pain may depend on variables such as psychosocial factors, muscle strength, exercise mode, occupational physical activity mode/type (i.e. lifting and standing versus sitting for work). This is why it’s so important to have good foundational strength in order to tolerate these loads sustained throughout the day. It’s also important to rest and recover properly by getting 8-9 hours of sleep per night, eating nutritious foods, and maintaining good mental health (i.e. healthy relationships, positive coping mechanisms, etc).
Although mechanical loading is the most key factor in running-related injuries, the above stated variables do play a role. Remember that hormonal factors, medications, and genetics can also predispose runners to injury. That’s because these variables influence the rate of tissue repair. In order to get a full picture, we need to take these factors into account, along with the age, sex, training program, and running biomechanics of the runner.
Disclaimer: This is not intended to be formal medical advice. Your individual needs should be met by the appropriate health care practitioners. Please consult with a trusted provider.
Dr. Paul Nasri, PT, DPT, OCS, COMT
Doctor of Physical Therapy
The Game Plan Physical Therapy
