movement physiology: running

yogabook / movement physiology / running

See also the explanatory comparative article on the different ways of travelling on two legs. Running is a type of ambitious jogging, but the reverse would be better: jogging is running without ambition in terms of propulsion and speed. In contrast to walking, there is a flight phase in which both feet are not on the ground. Compared to jogging, running has a much longer stride length, which requires significantly greater effort. While jogging typically allows you to carry on a conversation over longer distances without any problems, ambitious running interferes with your breathing to such an extent that this is only possible for a very short time or not at all.

Running is an intensive activity and requires slowly building up training with the correct technique if it is to be free or low in side effects in the long term. Malfunctions or misalignments of the musculoskeletal system and muscular imbalances can cause disorders.

Ambitious running requires well-functioning and sufficiently strong hip muscles, otherwise problems can easily occur. In addition, knee and foot health is a very important prerequisite. For a long time, the knee joint was the most common site of disorders and damage, but nowadays disorders of the Achilles tendon are increasingly common. In the knee joint, disorders of the meniscus are quite common, as is damage to the articular cartilage after it has been damaged for a long time. In principle, the bradytrophic tissues (cartilage, menisci, bones, ligaments) are far more at risk than the tachytrophic ones and – with the exception of the tendons – the passive musculoskeletal system more than the active musculoskeletal system. The meniscus itself is not a pain-sensitive tissue, but the contact of the meniscus with pain-sensitive neighbouring tissues such as the capsule causes significant pain. Each iatrogenic form of removal of meniscus tissue reduces its elastic buffer effect and increases the risk of arthrosis by a factor of up to 30 (!) in the case of total resection. In general, it appears that runners do not have an increased risk of arthrosis if all parameters are correct, although this is a strong claim and is unlikely to be met very often. This statement is supported not least by the fact that the most wear-intensive bradytrophic tissues, the meniscus and the articular cartilage of the tibia and femur, thrive on regular movement, which nourishes them. Experience has shown that the risk of overuse-related disorders increases significantly above 80 kilometres per week. Other factors for overuse are too rapid an increase in training volume or changes in other important parameters (including surface, footwear, topography) as well as insufficient regeneration or pre-existing axial misalignments or disorders in the knee, ankle or hip joint.

In adolescents, a mostly self-limiting osteochondrosis at the insertion of the Achilles tendon occurs quite rarely, comparable to Osgood-Schlatter’s disease in the knee joint, which leads to pain on movement and hardened calf muscles during a phase of intensive growth.

The most common disorders are, in some cases with details of their triggers:

  1. DGS (piriformis syndrome): inadequate increases in training, neglected supplementary strength training
  2. Plantar fasciitis: overuse, stretching deficiencies of the triceps surae or plantar fascia muscles and plantar fascia
  3. Achillodynia / Achilles tendon irritation, degeneration and rupture: overuse, stretching deficiencies of the triceps surae. Jumps and unexpected kicks, for example during cross-country running, pose significant additional risks. The risk of problems with the Achilles tendons also increases with age.
  4. Shin splints syndrome: lack of robustness of the muscles for the demand, overuse
  5. Meniscus damage: pronation or supination tendency, axial misalignment, foot misalignment
  6. Jumpers knee / patella tip syndrome: mainly running with jumping components, frequent stop and go, frequent changes of direction
  7. Plica syndrome: overuse
  8. Morton neuroma: overuse
  9. Runner’s knee: Hypersupination, also secondary hyperpronation, pelvis tilted forwards when running, weakness of the hip joint muscles that stabilise the pelvis, external rotation of the lower leg in the free leg phase, other knee-straining activities in addition to running, inadequate warm-up, downhill running, running on a lateral incline, lack of technique, bow legs, overuse
  10. PFPS / chondropathy patellae: external rotation of the lower leg in the free leg phase, rarely only its internal rotation
  11. PHT (Proximal Hamstring Tendinopathy): ambitious long-distance running, uphill running, weaknesses in other areas of the musculoskeletal system
  12. Stress fracture / fatigue fracture: overuse
  13. Ankle sprain (supination trauma). This happens to almost every runner at least once during their running career. The likelihood of this happening is higher towards the end of training when you are already fatigued. Uneven ground, running in the dark and a lack of concentration, for example when running in groups and with communication, are also predisposing factors. Another factor is hyperpronation, or a more or less pronounced
  14. Hoffa (Kastert) syndrome. Pain located in the area of the caudal patellar pole and slightly caudal (especially pain on movement in far extension of the knee), which creeps in and sometimes occurs suddenly after hyperextension of the knee joint. Prolonged standing and squatting are triggering or aggravating factors. This is an inflammation of the Hoffa’s fat body, the causes of which must be identified and eliminated.
  15. Pes anserinus syndrome. Hyperpronation is a predisposing factor here. The pain occurs mainly after exercise, and usually or almost always disappears when warmed up. It is particularly pronounced the day after training. The soleus, flexor digitorum longus and posterior tibialis are often hard due to overloading and require treatment.
  16. Chronic compartment syndrome: The anterior muscle lodge is usually affected, with the deep posterior lodge also affected to a lesser extent. If the posterior tibialis has its own sheath, this can be chronic and persistent.
  17. Other disorders that occur as bursitis, periosteal irritation or insertional tendinopathy: insertional tendinopathies of the adductors (usually at the origin, see footballer ’s groin), the abductors (see also GTPS), osteitis pubis (see also footballer’s groin), apophysitis of the anterior inferior iliac spine (origin of the rectus femoris) or in the lower leg as tibial plateau syndrome (medial: periosteal irritation or tendinosis of the posterior tibialis, as well as lateral).
  18. Back pain is primarily a functional disorder in the lumbar spine and mainly affects runners who do not do any additional strength or athletic training. A pelvis that is tilted forwards when running greatly increases the tendency to lumbar spine complaints. This can be caused by too weak hip-extending muscles or too weak abdominal muscles or too contracted hip flexors or a disproportion between the two. With increasing fatigue when running and increasing weekly kilometres, the tendency to back problems increases. Disc hernias also occur. Here too, it is important to bear in mind that cold and wet also affect the back muscles.

In the area of asana, following the above, preventative, therapeutic and performance-enhancing support can be provided with poses to promote the