Advice please

Hello there. Hoping you are all well. I have enjoyed completing Week 2 with the help of good old 80s pop playlists 🎶 😊

I’m asking for some injury advice on behalf of my 22-year-old son in case any of you have been there. He is generally fit and well and recently started doing 5k runs. He had not been running for some time and didn’t have great shoes. It seems like he has now injured his gluteus max muscle and his ankle is also sore. He is completely resting from running for the moment but has been going out for a walk a day. Would anyone have any thoughts about the best way back into running once it feels ok to avoid further similar injuries?

Many thanks and all best wishes.

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

The best way, in my opinion, for anyone to adapt their body to the potentially injurious impacts of running, is to follow a gently progressive training plan...........can I think of any examples of the top of my head........er.........well, there is always Couch to 5k.

If your son just decided to start running 5ks without conditioning his body by following a plan, then I am afraid that he has given a perfect example of why we advise that people, regardless of fitness, stick to the plan.

We are all capable of doing way more than our bodies are conditioned to do, but not without increasing our injury risk. Sticking to gently progressive training plans is the safest way to push our limits, whilst gently increasing our resistance to injury.

It is not a matter of what you can do, rather what you are conditioned to do.

We also recommend that good running shoes are purchased, long before a new runner is running 5k, again, to minimise the risk of injury.

Why not show your son the guide to C25k healthunlocked.com/couchto5... which contains advice applicable to any new runner.

[Hidden in reply to IannodaTruffe]

Hi there. That’s really helpful, thanks very much. I’ll pass your reply and the link on. Best wishes.