Why Endurance Athletes Like Us Need Sports Physiotherapy
Training for marathons and triathlons isn’t just about building distance or speed—it’s about building a resilient body. Every stride, pedal stroke, or swim stroke adds up, and repetitive motion can lead to imbalances and overuse injuries if you’re not careful.
Here’s how sports physiotherapy fits into the equation:
- Prevention is Power: Address weaknesses and inefficiencies before they become problems.
- Recovery is Key: Learn to repair and rebuild so you can train harder, smarter, and more consistently.
- Performance is Everything: Optimize strength, mobility, and technique to shave seconds off your time—or just feel amazing during your race.
Common Injuries in Marathoners and Triathletes
No matter how careful you are, endurance sports come with risks. Here are the usual suspects:
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Runner’s Knee (Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome)
- What it feels like: Dull, aching pain around or behind the kneecap, especially during or after long runs.
- How physio helps: Strengthen your quads, improve hip stability, and adjust your running mechanics.
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Achilles Tendonitis
- What it feels like: Tightness or pain in the back of your ankle, particularly in the morning or during runs.
- How physio helps: Gradual strengthening exercises, soft tissue release, and training adjustments.
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Plantar Fasciitis
- What it feels like: Sharp pain under the heel, often worse when you take your first steps in the morning.
- How physio helps: Custom exercises to strengthen your foot and ankle, stretching tight calves, and improving your gait.
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IT Band Syndrome
- What it feels like: Pain along the outside of the knee, often after long runs or cycling sessions.
- How physio helps: Release tight muscles, strengthen your glutes, and adjust your biomechanics.
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Stress Fractures
- What it feels like: Persistent pain in your shins, feet, or hips that worsens with activity.
- How physio helps: Recovery strategies, gait analysis, and nutrition advice to support bone health.
How I Help Marathoners and Triathletes Stay Strong
When I work with runners and triathletes, my approach goes beyond treating symptoms. It’s about getting to the root cause of problems and building a body that can handle the demands of your sport.
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Biomechanical Analysis: Perfect Your Form
Your running form or cycling posture might feel fine, but small inefficiencies can add up over time. I start by analyzing your movement patterns—everything from how your feet hit the ground to how your knees track during each stride.
For runners, we’ll look at:
- Cadence: Are you over-striding?
- Impact forces: Are you landing too hard?
- Hip and knee alignment: Are your muscles supporting your joints effectively?
For triathletes, we’ll also assess:
- Cycling setup: Is your posture efficient and pain-free?
- Swimming technique: Are you overusing your shoulders or neglecting your core?
By fine-tuning these mechanics, we can reduce injury risk and make you more efficient—so you’re not wasting energy on unnecessary movement.
2. Strength Programs: Build Endurance and Power
Strength training is a non-negotiable for endurance athletes. Weak glutes, tight hamstrings, or an underactive core can sabotage your performance and leave you vulnerable to injuries.
I create strength programs tailored to your sport and goals, focusing on:
- Glutes and Hips: To stabilize your pelvis and prevent knee issues.
- Core: To improve posture and efficiency during running and cycling.
- Feet and Ankles: To absorb impact and propel you forward.
These exercises aren’t about lifting heavy—they’re about building functional strength that translates directly to your sport.
3. Prehab: Stay Ahead of Injuries
Prehab is all about injury-proofing your body before something goes wrong. We focus on mobility, stability, and control to make sure your joints and muscles can handle the repetitive stress of endurance training.
A typical prehab session might include:
- Dynamic stretches for your hips and hamstrings.
- Stability drills for your ankles and knees.
- Foam rolling techniques to keep your muscles supple and ready to perform.
4. Recovery Strategies: Repair and Rebuild
Recovery isn’t just downtime—it’s when your body gets stronger. I help you maximize this process with targeted recovery strategies:
- Manual Therapy: Deep tissue massage and joint mobilizations to release tight spots.
- Biohacking Tools: Cold plunge therapy, compression boots, and red light therapy to reduce inflammation and speed up muscle repair.
- Active Recovery: Low-impact activities like swimming or yoga to keep your body moving without adding stress.
5. Race Prep and Tapering
The weeks leading up to a race are crucial. This is when we focus on fine-tuning your performance while letting your body recover from the heavy training load.
During this phase, I help you:
- Address any last-minute aches or pains.
- Maintain mobility and light strength work.
- Prepare mentally for race day with confidence-building strategies.
What I’ve Learned as a Marathon Runner
Running marathons has taught me that it’s not just about the miles you log—it’s about how you prepare, recover, and take care of your body. I’ve had injuries that have interrupted my training and created a lot of frustration. By working on them I’ve learned how to adapt my training and treat niggles early. That’s why I’m passionate about helping athletes avoid the mistakes I made and reach their full potential.
Top Tips for Marathoners and Triathletes
- Gradual Progression: Don’t ramp up your mileage or intensity too quickly—it’s a surefire way to get injured.
- Listen to Your Body: Pain is your body’s way of saying something’s wrong. Don’t ignore it.
- Strengthen Your Foundation: Regular strength training can make you a faster, more efficient athlete.
- Fuel Wisely: Nutrition matters. Practice your fueling strategy during training, not on race day.
- Rest is Part of Training: Take rest days seriously—they’re when the real improvements happen.
Let’s Keep You Striding Strong
Marathons and triathlons push us to our limits—and that’s why we love them. But the key to longevity in endurance sports is taking care of your body. With the right physiotherapy support, you can train smarter, recover faster, and perform at your absolute best.
Whether you’re gearing up for your first race or aiming for a new PR, I’m here to help. Book a consultation with me today, and let’s make sure you’re ready to achieve your goals—stronger, faster, and injury-free.
