RELOADing your Running- Load Management for Runners

RELOADing YOUR RUNNING  

Following on from our previous two blog topics that covered energy deficiency in sport (RED-S) and bone stress injuries where both touched on managing your load as you train. Today we would like to delve deeper into load management, with a focus on running (since we love it so much!). It should give you an idea how to progress yourself safely and effectively, whilst not foregoing your performance targets in your weekly Park Run!

Load management in sport is both a science and an art. It can be thought of as the delicate balance between training and competition, and rest and recovery. It is the difference between a well beaten dollop of cream and clumpy cream but-not-quite-cheese result.

Correct load management will allow you to meet your fitness and performance goals while ensuring that you do not sustain an injury or burn-out. It will empower you to return to running safely after some time off, or to increase your speed and endurance for an event.

Alternatively, incorrect load management is one of the greatest contributors to overuse running injuries that we see in the clinic, and it contributes to injuries such as achilles tendon problems, recurrent calf sprains, lateral hip and knee pain, shin splints, stress fractures and so many more.

As a keen runner and physiotherapist, I have had an interesting relationship with load management over the years. I have tipped the scales a little too far in either direction on numerous occasions and suffered the consequences. As a result I have learnt some great lessons: how to monitor load, listen to my body and to get the results that I strive for. You are definitely not alone, and I hope that you can learn from my mistakes!

Okay, so you’ve also suffered from an overuse injury, or are currently suffering from one… where did you possibly go wrong?

Lets think back on your running history. When your symptoms started, what was your running program like? How have things progressed or regressed since then? There are many more questions that we will need answers to, as the key to where your load management went gone slightly askew lies somewhere in the midst of all the fog.

Common scenarios that make our ears pick up include:

• Returning to running after time off from an injury

• Returning back to training after a month or two of holiday (how good)

• Increasing intensity following a couple of weeks of illness where loads were reduced (shorter, less intense runs)

• Sudden changes in training goals or race distances

• A change in training surface, terrain (hills), intensity (e.g. intervals) or footwear

• The weekend warrior – someone who typically doesn’t do a lot during the week but goes all out in the weekend!

Do any of the above sound vaguely familiar?

If so, lets take a leaf out of my book and do things differently from here on out...

What is the best way to monitor and manage load? You might be wondering “how do I best structure your training program to get the best results?”

There are numerous ways in which athletes and health professionals choose to manage training loads. Here are a few ideas:

The 10% rule

The 10% rule is simply not increasing your weekly training loads by more than 10% from one week to the next. It is a very simple and often effective way to ensure that your loads are not increased too quickly. You need to consider what your baseline loads are, what surfaces you are normally training on (hills, grass, road etc), and the intensity of your training, as they will affect your overall training load and therefore injury and burn-out risk. Please note that the 10% rule has significant limitations at the different ends of the spectrum of runners, such as those who run less that 15-20km per week, or over 100+km per week, but is great for its simplicity for the majority of runners.

The Acute/Chronic Workload Ratio (ACWR)

The ACWR is becoming more popular and you might see it in your current program. It takes into consideration your baseline loads, training surfaces and training intensity to ensure that you are not over or under training. It’s a bit more tedious to analyse all the data that you need to collect, however it is a great tool to predict your future injury risk based off your current levels of loading. It looks into your rate of perceived exertion (RPE) alongside the distance or duration of your run; and compares your current training week to the previous three weeks. The acute/chronic workload ratio ensures that your loads remain between safe parameters. Speak to us if you would like to know more details about the ACWR.

Lastly,

Periodisation

Periodisation is used to structure training programs which involves planning a few weeks or months in advance. I know right, its time to get organised! Periodisation is often based around an end goal for example a certain distance or time that you would like to achieve. You also need to keep an eye on your overall well-being as your mood, energy and sleep quality are vital to your success. Your physiotherapist or coach will likely throw ‘easy’ or ‘recovery’ weeks in between challenging ones.

The most successful runners have followed one of the above principles, including all of Arthur Lydiard’s athletes. Whether or not you are a weekend warrior or a seasoned ultra marathon runner you need to make sure your running loads are safe to avoid getting injured. Structuring your program with periodisation in mind will help not only with injury prevention, but other health concerns such as relative energy deficiency in sport (RED-S).

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So here are my top tips for load management

• Remember that load can be affected by distance or duration, intensity, recovery and training surfaces!

• Do not increase your running load by more than 10% each week.

• Consistency is key. Put on those shoes year round and stay active!

• We are all different and hence, different training programs work best for different athletes because our capacity to adapt to mechanical stress is unique.

• It is best to follow a program from someone who is aware of load management principles – have a chat to your physiotherapist or your running coach, or come and see one of our running specialists at Reload.

At Reload Physio we offer one on one running programs, strength and conditioning and recovery work. If you would like more information, or just need some reassurance with your current program please reach out.

Book a Comprehensive Running Assessment and report session (60mins), or an Initial Injury Consultation below.  

RED-S

Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport

Do you have to ‘make weight’ for your sport? Are you in a very physically demanding job? Have you increased your training load? If so, you need to be aware of the risks associated with “Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport” (‘RED-“S” or “REDS”).

What is RED-S?

You might be familiar with the term ‘the female athlete triad’, which is a classification system used to identify female athletes who suffer from athletic amenorrhoea (loss of their monthly period), osteoporosis (weaker bones) and eating disorders.

In 2014 the female athlete triad was ‘upgraded’ to RED-S to recognise the fact that both males and females, young and old are affected by it. Furthermore, it identified widespread and long-term health effects and a reduction in performance in those affected by RED-S.

The basic principle of RED-S is low energy availability. In other words, an athlete is not consuming enough energy through their diet to sustain their training load as well as day-to-day living.

 Just to ‘be’ requires energy and fuel. The athlete’s normal physiological processes such as bone health, hormone production, reproductive health and the immune system get placed on the ‘less important’ list as the athlete’s body is essentially in starvation mode.

Why would their body use energy to maintain their ability to reproduce if there is not enough food going around?

RED-S is defined as: “impaired physiological functioning caused by relative energy deficiency and includes, but is not limited to, impairments of metabolic rate, menstrual function, bone health, immunity, protein synthesis and cardiovascular health”

Sporting codes that have a high prevalence of RED-S include running, triathlon, cycling and dancing. In the past, it was favourable to lose weight in order to ‘go faster’, ‘jump higher’, be easier in ‘point’ if you were lighter. Unfortunately, the long term health effects of a sustained energy deficit are becoming more and more apparent in recent years.

RED-S is a continuum from mild, moderate to severe. Therefore, the earlier it is addressed, the better.

Common signs that you might be suffering from low energy:

Have you noticed a declined in performance? Are you unable to sustain high-intensity efforts like you used to? Taking longer to recover after training? Waking up tired in the morning? Suffering from body soreness?

Females – have you had any changes with your monthly cycle, especially if you have not had your period for six months or more? Males – have you noticed a decline in your sex-drive?

Have you had reoccurring colds, coughs or upper respiratory tract infections? Have you suffered from stress fractures in the past? Have you been diagnosed with low iron?

Are you relatively strict with what you should or should not eat? How do you feel if you miss a training session (anxious/angry or frustrated, or do you accept your circumstances)?

It is essential to identify low energy availability as soon as possible to minimise the impact on your health and performance.

 As an athlete, you might not be too concerned about your immune status or your ability to reproduce. What if I told you that RED-S has a significant impact on your ability to perform at your best, that it could be the one thing that is holding you back?

Performance consequences of RED-S

• Decreased muscle strength

• Decreased endurance performance

• Increased injury risk

• Decreased training response

• Impaired judgement

• Reduced coordination

• Reduced concentration

• Irritability

• Depression

• Depleted glycogen stores

If the above does not motivate you to seek treatment to improve your athletic ability, then I am not sure what will!

How do we treat an athlete who’s suffering from RED-S?

The treatment of RED-S requires an interdisciplinary team approach. Often a sports medicine doctor, dietitian, physiotherapist and psychologist are involved in getting the best outcome for the individual.

It is crucial to regain the balance between the athlete’s ‘energy in and energy out’; to restore their morning energy levels, regain regular menstrual cycles (females), return homeostasis to oestrogen and testosterone levels, alongside a graduated return to exercise.

Sounds simple right?

Please note – the oral contraceptive pill is NOT the answer to restore the athlete’s period.

If you would like further information, please do not hesitate to talk to one of the physiotherapists here at Reload Physio or do further reading. The following links offer great insight to both athletes, parents and coaches: