Thursday, April 10, 2008
A free annual clinic for runners looking to improve their stride will take place next week at Watkins Memorial Health Center.
The clinic, scheduled for April 15 and 16, will provide runners with a 45-minute evaluation of their strength and flexibility as well as a video analysis of their running or walking form.
Student Health Services physical therapy department will conduct the clinic, which is scheduled to coincide with next week’s 81st annual Kansas Relays, a four-day track and field event that brings more than 5,000 athletes from around the country to the University of Kansas.
Sandy Bowman, supervisor of the physical therapy department, said that despite the connection to the competitive track and field event, the clinic was designed for recreational runners and anyone starting a new running regimen.
runningBB
How to prepare
Make sure your running shoes match your foot type Start any new running program in moderation — don’t run too fast or for too long Run on both sides of the street or in both directions around the track to make sure leg muscles develop evenly Stretch or do yoga to keep muscles flexible
— From the Student Health Services physical therapy department
The physical therapists who conduct the analyses will look at a range of issues including proper footwear, gait and the way each runner’s foot hits the ground.
“If there are any faulty mechanics or movements that are unnecessary, we try to point them out and help with ideas on how to correct their running form,” Bowman said.
Amber Long, fitness coordinator at the Student Recreation Fitness Center, said the clinic could also helped runners avoid common running injuries, such as shin splints or joint overuse.
Those injuries often occur this time of year when the weather gets warmer and students try to tackle longer runs, Bowman said.
“Everyone tries to go out and be the super athlete that they were last summer,” she said.
A video analysis of each runner’s stride will also help trainers formulate strategies for students to avoid injury and improve their running efficiency.
Students looking for extra running training could also enroll in a spinning class, yoga class or make an appointment with physical trainers at the recreation center to help incorporate a weight training routine that would focus specifically on the muscle groups most important to runners, Long said.
For more information about the runners’ clinic, contact the physical therapy department at 785-864-9592.
— Edited by Katherine Loeck
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