Topics Covered (Time of question in brackets):
- I had a spasm in my back and had to take a week off running. What could have caused this, and how can I stop this happening again? (00:00)
- It's so muddy out on the trails at the moment that I find that I'm sliding a lot on my long runs. Because of this, I'm getting a pain in the side of my knee a couple of days after my runs. Is there anything I can do to alleviate this? (8:00)
- I have developed what seems to be a tib anterior issue. It started feeling like a dull ache but got better after a few miles on most runs. It came on after a high mileage fortnight in late January, but I've also been doing long (2hr) interval sessions on the treadmill in high stack shoes over the winter. I kept running on it, but I can now feel it most of the time and decided to pull out of an ultra this past weekend. Could the unstable shoes on the treadmill cause the issue? What's the best approach for recovery? Run to feel and see if it goes away, or rest and cross train for a week or two (12:00)
- I have been struggling with knee pain since last year's Comrades, and ignoring it has weirdly not helped. The pain moves around on both knees, sometimes at the bottom of the knee cap, and sometimes on the outside. Sometimes there is just a tightness around the entire knee (which feels like I am wearing a knee brace that is too tight, if that makes sense.) I saw a sports physician yesterday and had xrays, and he advised that there is no structural issues, no inflammation and no fluid build-up. He said that the issue is likely a bit of cartilage damage and bone bruising, and that the issue is likely biomechanical. He said that I can continue running and even still run Comrades this year. I am meant to run Paris Marathon marathon in 6 weeks. Two questions: 1) Can I really keep running, or will I do more damage? 2) Is there rehab / stretching that Parys recommends? (19:30)
- If you are stronger/more flexible on one side than the other. Do you work both sides the same? Or more weight on the strong one or you do more reps on the weak side to strengthen it further? (26:00)
- Would an Ultra sound scan or MRI pick up a chronic knee issue (and possibly torn upper hamstring) that isn’t flared up or painful at the time of the scan?? I’m always sitting cris-crossed in some way to relieve back, upper hamstring, or knee pain. I had tib-post for about a week after a long training run. Recovery with massage and RICE got me on the road again and then my chronic knee issue said hello on Red Hill 42km. (32:30)
