RUN BABY RUN: ABC to avoid forced breaks

Over 1 million Italians are dedicated to running and 5 out of 10 once in their lifetime have had to deal with painful muscle and tendon problems caused by a no-limits practice.

Not a small problem that, to allow recovery, imposes forced breaks on experienced runners and weekend runners alike, brought together by the pain caused by tendinitis, ankle sprains, problems with the Achilles tendon, but also muscle tears and plantar fasciitis, all runner-related pathologies. Dr Francesco Atzeni, physiotherapist and CEMES coordinator, also confirms it:

‘Pathologies that are commonly spread among people who run marathons, half marathons, or long distances are back pains, small muscle strains and, above all, tendinitis, particularly insertional ones on the Achilles tendon and on the goose paw, at the base of which there are traumas and microtraumas due to their excessive use during sports.’

Extreme training is therefore not a friend of sport and can have significant repercussions especially on professional runners who cannot afford to stop for long periods.

But when the damage is done and pain shows up, how do you proceed?

If the first step is to control the pain, the second is to reduce the inflammation to allow a fast recovery.

The intervention of laser therapy can be a solution thanks to its analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and decontracting effects.
To get back on track, however, it is necessary to intervene quickly:

‘Early treatment can shorten recovery times up to 50% and avoid chronicization in many cases. Then used for two/three sessions after reaching the therapeutic goal, laser therapy allows a quicker recovery of sports performance.’

Massimiliano Sicheri, physiotherapist:

Laser therapy in running and especially in competitions has proven to be really useful because it allows you to oxygenate the quadriceps of the legs, subjected to a really strong stress, and to treat the muscles of the lower limbs and even the feet in a way that enables the best and fastest recovery.’