Water Running
Thursday, February 24, 2011 at 4:07PM This week I happen to have seen two patients, both female runners, with stress fractures. Both of them wish to maintain their fitness and continue with their training during the 6 to 12 weeks period of bone healing. These patients are not able to run or do any other impact activity, so a good solution for them is water running. With water running, athletes are able to maintain very specific run fitness. It is even possible to improve run fitness with water running only, as the athlete is able to undergo more intensity workouts (ie. interval training) more often than they would be able to do so on land because of the lack of impact forces and corresponding decrease in the risk of impact-related injuries.
So how is water running performed? It is performed in the deep end of a swimming pool. An 'aquabelt' is worn - this is the flotation belt that is often worn by participants in an aqua fitness class. Very often community pools will have these belts available for people to use, so if you wish to water run and cannot find them, ask the lifeguard because they may be hidden away in a room along the pool deck. Once the belt is on, the most important thing is that the running stride is simulated as closely as possible. Often, people get in the pool and end up marching rather than 'running'... so really work on a good knee drive, and a good follow through behind the body, activating the glutes and the hamstrings. One's cadence will be decreased in the water due to the added resistance the water provides throughout the running stride, but the athlete should still try and maintain a quick cadence, whatever the water will allow them to do. The athletes arms and upper body should also simulate the position of running as closely as possible. This means maintaining a good forward lean of the body (the whole body... not just from the waist), nice relaxed shoulders, and elbows bent so that the forearms and hands are held above the hips throughout the arm swing. As indicated above, water running workouts can be more intense than strictly land running - this will help to raise the heart rate, maintain and improve fitness, and make the time go by!
A negative of water running is that it can be booorrring.. especially for those runners who are used to running outdoors. So, interval training can help break up the time for you, or, try and convince a friend or two to go along for the workout. You'll be surprised at how effective it is!
Reader Comments (1)
Timing for this is perfect Cindy. I wasn't doing this quite right.
Thanks
Cheers from Mexico
Greg