Summer break from training can cause injuries

September 11, 2014

With back-to-school, Labor Day, and slightly cooler weather, the summer is coming to a close. But the nostalgic term “lazy summer” doesn’t apply to most of us; it’s a time of vacations, backyard BBQ’s, endless lawn care, and weekend trips, all piled on top of our normal work load. So when did you have time to train for that upcoming marathon?

Trying to make up for lost training time results in some of the most common seasonal injuries we see this time of year. Adding miles to your run or cutting corners in your warm-up because of the looming race deadline can cause stress fractures, tendonitis, plantar fasciitis (heel pain) flare ups, and ankle sprains.

“A lot of times, people think they can pick up right where the left off two months ago, or even that they can jump ahead to where they think they should be in their training,” says Dr. Philbin, “but they aren’t thinking about the stress that’s putting on their bodies.”

His advice? Be realistic about where you are in your training and take extra precautions when starting back up. That means completing a full warm-up, staying hydrated, and not trying to do too much too soon.

 

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