When you have spent hours training, you want to make sure that you give yourself the best preparation for your race. It’s important to prepare yourself, not only to get through the race and enjoy it, but to avoid injury. At Ballsbridge Physiotherapy Clinic we work with runners on the best way to approach training and wellbeing, before and after running events.

There are numerous ways that your chartered physiotherapist can help runners who wish to get the best preparation and avoid post-race injury.

• Physiotherapy treatment before your race: If you are suffering from any pre-race niggles a visit to your physiotherapist can be very helpful. Your physiotherapist will assess your injury and discuss your diagnosis. Treatment may include dry needling, massage, exercises and stretching to help you perform your best on race day.

• Advice from Your Physiotherapist: Sometimes advice from a trained professional such as your physiotherapist can make all the difference. They are skilled in dealing with, preparing and treating athletes of all levels so can advise you on the best race preparation, which is tailored to suit your own specific needs. This may be advice on how best to pace yourself, how to ease pressure on your joints when running, or how best to overcome injury in training.

• Orthotics:  It is vital to make sure you have the right footwear for running and the best support. Your physiotherapist will be able to assess if you need additional  support. Sometimes an orthotic in the form of a special insole, may be able to give you the right support for running your race.

• Post Race Treatment: If you have picked up any injuries during a race, or if your post race soreness is lasting more than a couple of days, a session with your physiotherapist can be very valuable. Correct treatment including massage, mobilisation and exercise can help speed up your recovery. This can also be helpful in avoiding injury and preparing for the next race!

It’s vital to prepare properly for your race, in terms of warm-up, stretching and massage. Equally it’s important to know that avoiding injury in the future means knowing how to deal with your body after the race. The experts at Ballsbridge Physiotherapy Clinic will be on hand to help you in your race preparation and recovery.