Running Niggles

Stress incontinence

Stress incontinence is when urine leaks because there is a sudden extra pressure, or stress, on the bladder. This is because your pelvic floor muscles cannot withstand the extra pressure, and it develops because the pelvic floor muscles are weakened, for example after childbirth. Stress incontinence is also more common in older women, and as many as 1 in 5 women over the age of 40 have some degree of stress incontinence.

Small amounts of urine may leak, but sometimes it can be quite a lot and can cause embarrassment. Urine tends to leak most when you cough, laugh, or when you exercise (like when you jump or run). It is a very common problem for women runners, so the first thing to remember is: don’t worry, you are not alone! Feel free to talk to any of our coaches, who will be able to provide you with practical advice on running with stress incontinence. And, importantly, do not let it put you off running – running will NOT make your problem worse, and may in fact strengthen your pelvic floor!

The usual first treatment is to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles. About 6 in 10 cases of stress incontinence can be cured or much improved with this treatment. The exercises should be done every day:

Imagine you are passing urine and are trying to stop the stream. The muscles you engage to do this are the ones you want to strengthen.
Sit, stand or lie with your knees slightly apart. Slowly tighten your pelvic floor muscles under the bladder as hard as you can. Hold to the count of five, then relax. Repeat at least five times. These are called slow pull-ups.
Then do the same exercise quickly for a second or two. Repeat at least five times. These are called fast pull-ups.
Keep repeating the five slow pull ups and the five fast pull-ups for five minutes.

Aim to do the above exercises for about five minutes at least three times a day, and preferably 6-10 times a day. Ideally, do each five minute bout of exercise in a different position each time; that is, sometimes when sitting, sometimes when standing, and sometimes when lying down. As the muscles become stronger, increase the length of time you hold each slow pull-up. You are doing well if you can hold each slow pull-up for a count of 10 (about 10 seconds).

It takes time, effort and practice to become good at these exercises, but you should start to see benefits after a few weeks. However, it often takes 8-20 weeks for most improvement to occur. After this time you may be cured of stress incontinence. If you are not sure that you are doing the correct exercises, ask a doctor, physiotherapist or continence advisor for advice.

Chafing

You are running along with not a care in the world, so you think. A little later into the run and ‘oh boy’ you have a chafe and it is irritating and sore. If untreated it may lead to an open wound and bleed.
How: The major contribution to chafing is from sweating and rubbing and even the skinniest person can experience chafing. It generally occurs around the groin, underarms and nipples, but it can occur anywhere.

Prevention: Chafing is prevented in the following ways: try to stay dry, keep hydrated, use a lubricant and wear the proper clothing.

Hydration: Drink water during the day, keep hydrated during training and make sure you drink sufficient after exercise. This will assist you in perspiring freely so that the remnants don't dry into salt crystals which will make the possibility of chafing higher.

Lubrication: Try using a lubrication product before running. They are used to keep the skin areas sliding past each other instead of rubbing raw. Make sure the lubricants are petroleum-free and non-staining. They can also be used on your feet and toes in an attempt to avoid blisters. Petroleum jelly isn’t great, but worth a go, or try an anti-chafing product such as Body Glide which is excellent.

Clothing: Loose clothes may feel good during your run but to prevent chafing you need a snug fit. Running shorts are designed to give a skin tight fit that will prevent chafing and are excellent if your trouble is in the lower body or thigh area. For the upper body, polypropylene or lycra tops that fit skin tight will do the trick. Also avoid wearing new clothes on a long run, during a hard session or race. Always try out clothes before the big day!

Treatment: Once you are chafed, treat the area like an open wound. Wash and clean with antiseptic to prevent infection and cover with a sterile gauze pad that allows the area to breathe until it is healed. Remember prevention is better than cure!

Shoulder and Neck Pain

When running we can put a lot of emphasis on our lower body and are often quick to realise when our leg muscles begin to feel tight and tired.

However, it is easy to forget about the upper body and we can be unaware of the tension that can be carried in our shoulders and neck which can lead to discomfort, pain and headaches.

When we begin to get tired our posture, arm movements and hands can change position without us even realising, so to help you spot some of the signs, here’s a brief check list of what to look out for and what to do to help correct some of these issues:

Posture – Are you leaning forwards or running in a hunched position or ‘C’ shape?

Try to run tall and straight, keeping your upper body relaxed. This will help with your breathing and balance and alleviate tension.

Arms – Are your arms swinging across your chest as you run and moving up towards your shoulders?

Try to run with your arms at a 90 degree angle, moving in a relaxed but controlled backwards and forwards motion. If you start to feel tension, then try rolling your shoulders back and pushing your shoulder blades together every 15-20 minutes whilst running

Hands – Are your fists clenched? Clenched fists cause tension in the hands which will move into the arms and shoulders.

Try to imagine you’re holding a breakable egg in each hand, so that your hands are in a loose fist. If you notice your fists beginning to clench, drop your arms and gently shake them out.

A good massage with a sports therapist can help alleviate this problem if it persists, so please feel free to talk to any of the coaches who will recommend a good therapist for you to try.