How can ART improve my running?

Running

Running:

Running requires the body to absorb continuous repeated impact forces, and running-related injuries are a common presentation in a clinic specializing in Active Release Techniques®, ART®. Some of the major contributing factors to injuries are: total volume of running undertaken; gait biomechanics; condition/type of shoes; sudden changes in volume or intensity of running. By addressing these factors through gait analysis, running clinics, proper training habits, and health maintainance programs, a runner can decrease his or her chances of getting injured. In the unfortunate case of a small injury, it is important to get it treated before it becomes a bigger problem that could lead to major set backs in training.

The body responds to an injury with inflammation, a process which includes swelling or increased inflammatory agents to the area. The body responds to this inflammation by laying down scar tissue across the tissue fibers in an attempt to stabilize the affected area and to prevent additional injury. This scar tissue does not function properly like healthy tissue and leads to long term dysfunction of the tissue. Scar tissue restricts motion, reduces circulation, inhibits nerve function, causes ongoing friction and pressure, and usually results in the production of more cross fibers and adhesions. Although rest sometimes relieves the symptoms of the injury, the dysfunction caused by the scar tissue remains.

Common types of Running Injuries treated with ART®:

ART® Therapy and Running Injuries:

Active Release Techniques® is the most effective form of therapy used to treat soft tissue injuries for the improvement of running performance. Its effects are immediate, often dramatic, and always reassuring. ART® lets the runner return to his or her running quickly. ART® minimizes or removes the result of repetitive stress injuries. ART® results in a freer, easier run by removing adhesions and cross fibers that restrict normal movement. During the ART® procedure, the doctor formulates his diagnosis and performs the treatment at the same time. Practitioners must consider tissue texture, tissue tension, tissue movement, and tissue function. Each of these factors can cause the doctor to greatly alter the required treatment. For example, in the case of a Sciatic Nerve entrapped between the hamstrings, the patient's symptoms are often exacerbated during hip flexion with extension of the knee and dorsi-flexion of the ankle.

The ART® practitioner can also feel the lack of motion in areas that are entrapped by the lack of tissue translation.Once your doctor has identified the specific entrapment site and has the lesion (scar tissue/adhesion) under specific contact with his or her hand, the doctor takes the tissue from a shortened to a fully elongated position while moving longitudinally along the soft tissue fibers.

Rehabilitation after an ART® Treatment:

Rehabilitation remains an important part of treatment after the ART® procedures. After each visit patients must:

ART® at the Kona IronMan:

The effectiveness of ART® was seen during the 2001 World Championship Ironman Triathlon in Kona, Hawaii. The ART® team at Kona treated more than 1000 athletes prior to the event. ART® practitioners worked with a broad range of injuries related to running, swimming, and cycling. This Ironman faced some of worst course conditions ever seen at Kona. Cyclists were literally blown off their bikes due to the high winds. Temperatures were high, and the sun was hot! Despite brutal conditions, this race had the largest number of finishing competitors in the history of Ironman. Ironman race directors attribute this high level of race completion directly to the Active Release Techniques® ART® treatments received by athletes prior to the event.

ART® methods treating a triathelete for rotational restrictions in Kona, for 2001 Ironman Triathalon.

Nick Savatgy's Marathon Tips

Equipment

Shoes Buy the right shoe for you -- not just the one on sale or most heavily advertised. If you are unsure of the type of shoe you need, go to a specialty running store or come by Las Vegas Pain Relief Center to have our extensive gait analysis performed. It has been my experience in working with runners of all levels that the proper shoes can help prevent injuries such as shin splints. Never run more than 400 miles in a pair of shoes as they are not designed to last any longer than this. As shoes wear out, they don't provide the support they were designed to provide. Continuing to train in these shoes can increase your susceptibility to injury.

Fabric I have seen many new runners make the mistake of running in cotton cloth. This can lead to very bad chaffing. Do NOT run in cotton! Stick to synthetic fabrics such as Adidas Climacool or Nike Dryfit. This includes underwear; look for running shorts that have built in underwear.

Sunscreen Wearing sunscreen during training is a necessity due to the great amount of sun exposure during training runs.

Training

Water Due to the amount of perspiration necessary to keep the body cool during running, someone training for a marathon must drink more water than the average person. This means you must drink more than eight glasses of water per day.

Listen Learn the difference between having a tough training day and needing an additional day off. There have been plenty of times in my running career when I've left for a run and turned back 10 minutes into it. If your body is too run down to train, it is better in the long run to take the day off rather than train through it.

Injury The key to limiting lost training time from injuries is to treat injury in the early stages before the injury really takes hold. There are two ways to approach this: 1. get preventative treatments at Las Vegas Pain Relief Center at set durations throughout the training program and 2. wait until you start to feel an injury and then have it treated. A patient of the LVPRC, Roy Nakamura, opted for the first approach. While in his 50's, Roy kept routine weekly treatment sessions with the LVPRC which allowed him to quickly overcome a quad and low back injury and to maintain his training. The weekly treatment routine allowed Roy to accomplish his goal of running a sub 5 hour marathon.

Cold As you run, your body temperature will increase due to the heat produced by the working muscles and the increased metabolism. When you run in cold weather, you should feel a bit cold when you start because, as you warm up in the run, you will feel comfortable. If you wear too many layers, as you warm up, you will feel too hot.

Motivation Talk friends or family into training with you to help keep you motivated. When I was training for my 2hr 56min Tucson marathon, I found it much easier to get up at 5:00 AM because I knew I had to meet one of my best friends, my training partner, Ian Campbell.

Digestion On race day you will have to a drink a good amount and eat some, but your body will not be prepared for it unless you do it in training. Practice drinking water every few miles of your long runs. Also eat a gel pack a few times a week during training runs.

Pace On race day you will have a pace or minutes per mile you have to run to reach your goal time. How will you know what that pace feels like? Starting about three to four weeks before the marathon, add in a few mile repeat workouts at your goal pace.

Taper Start to decrease your training load throughout the week preceding the marathon. The key to this is to do only 10 strides the day before the race. This allows the body to be rested and fresh without being lethargic on race day.

Consistent Train for the race! Even if you only run two days per week, you are less likely to get injured than if you race 26.2 miles without consistent training.

Visualize This may sound strange, but create your race day. With every big race I won or every personal record I beat, I did so by visualizing myself winning months before race day. Just sit there in bed ten minutes before going to sleep and run the race in your head. Think of every detail ranging from lacing your shoes to successfully crossing the finish line. Remember the more emotion and detail you imagine, then the more real it will feel. On race day you will already have run the race 100 times!

Race Day

Shoes If you are racing in a different pair of shoes than you trained in, make sure to break them in. Breaking them in is as simple as wearing them around for a day or two. Run at least one training run in them. This will prevent the shoes from causing major blisters on race day.

Gel Packs Carry a gel pack in the key pocket of your running shorts to be used as emergency energy. Most runners "hit the wall" around mile 21 so if you have not needed it by then, go ahead and use it to get you through the rest of the race. Try to eat the gel packs only at or just before water stations. This way you can drink water after the gel to prevent your mouth from getting gummed up.

Water Drink a few sips of water at every water station even if you are not thirsty. When drinking from the provided water cups, pinch the top most part of the cup closed to prevent too much water from spilling into your nose and mouth.

Nuts Eat a small handful of macademian nuts about 15 minutes before the race. This will provide your body with some fuel in your digestive tract before you deplete your glycogen stores.

Chaffing Depending upon the sensitivity of your skin, you may have to put band-aids over you nipples on race day to prevent chaffing. You can also rub a product such as Glide or Vaseline on the underarms or thighs to prevent chaffing.

Music If you are running with an MP3 player, make a different play list than the one you trained with. This way on race day each song will be new and exciting as opposed to the same old play list you have been listening to for the last 3-6 months.

Brains "Run the first half of the race with your head and the second half with your heart". This means that no matter how slow it feels, stick to your pace for the first half of the race. Then if you still feel good, you can slowly increase your pace during the second half of the race.

The Day After

Motion Move around the day after the race. Walking around the mall or a park the day after will speed up the recovery process.

Recovery Any injuries or pains that persist after the race should be addressed. It's a good idea to have a post race ART® treatment scheduled at Las Vegas Pain Relief Center to insure that no major injury was sustained during the race.

Brag Enjoy the amazing feat you have accomplished and don't be afraid to brag about it!