Two Tests Every Runner Must Pass
If you are a runner then this article is for you.
The spring running season is back and road races will start filling the calendar.
As many of you know, injuries are bound to happen due to the constant stress we put on our body each time we step on the road or trail. Foam rolling, stretching, yoga, and icing become the primary mode of therapy, but the relief is only temporary and then the pain is back.
What if I told you there is a way to test and see if you are running yourself into an injury.
Or you might miss your PR this year because of your limited strength and flexibility. You would want to know that, right? You won’t be a healthy runner if you cannot do these two tests with ease and pain free.
The First Test – Standing Toe Touch
Stand with your feet hip width apart, bend at the waist and reach to touch the floor. Go as far as you can without pain and with mild stretching. How far did you get?
A normal test is fingers touching the floor. This should be easy if your hips and low back are healthy. The only sensation felt should be a very light stretch in the hamstrings. If this is hard to do or you can’t touch the floor your low back, hips, and hamstrings are not as healthy and flexible as they need to be. In order for your body to handle the constant stress and strain produced while running this test must be normal.
The Second Test – Lunge
Stand with your hands on your hips, step forward with your left foot while dropping your right knee to the floor, at the bottom of the motion push back up with your left foot to return to the starting position. Next, do that for you right leg alternating 5x/side.
When looking at the lunge from the side your lead knee should never overshoot your toes. The angles at your ankle, knee, and hip should be relatively close to 90 degrees. Looking from the front, your knee should be in line with your foot. Your knee should not bow out over the foot or deviate inward. Any noticeable variation from normal is a serious problem in all athletes, especially runners. If you have trouble completing this motion or feel unstable during any phase there is an increased likelihood that you are on a path towards injury.
Now, this isn’t to say that the knees should never go over your toes during a lunge exercise. In fact, there are rehabilitation exercises we utilize that have the runner perform that motion. However, for the purposes of testing the balance of strength of the runner this is how it’s done.
Why these Tests?
The standing toe touch and lunge are used because they are simple and should be easy to do. If you cannot perform these tests pain-free and with ease that’s a big problem! It can also put you on the fast track to irreversible damage.
What’s Next?
The most common cause of decreased flexibility, weakness, and pain with movement is muscle adhesion. Adhesion acts like glue, sticking the surrounding soft-tissues to each other causing them to become weaker and less flexible. Adhesion is arguably the most under-diagnosed condition in the human body. If you noticed decreased flexibility, weakness, or pain with the above tests it is highly likely you have developed adhesion that has been missed by previous providers. Functional Pain Relief specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of adhesion. We are the only Integrative Diagnosis Certified providers in Lake County to perform this treatment. Call 224.206.7050 and let us help you fix your problem head on while returning to injury-free training!