Five Tips for Great Beach Exercise
Five Tips for Great Beach Exercise
Many of us will hit the beach this summer with our families and friends,
but we won't leave our exercising at home. Invigorating oceanside jogs and brisk
walks await us, as do the soothing sounds of waves lapping against the sand and
seagulls crying overhead.
However, "running on the beach comes with
risks," says Dr. Michael Ciccotti, head of sports medicine at the Thomas
Jefferson University Hospital's Rothman Institute in Philadelphia. "As you
run on irregular, inconsistent surface like sand, the forces that go through the
feet, ankles and hips vary dramatically and can predispose an athlete to injury
in any one of these body parts."
Ciccotti, head doctor for the Philadelphia
Phillies baseball team, said joggers wrongly believe that sand is easier on the
joints because it's soft compared to hard pavement. We raise our injury risks
while jogging on the beach if the sand suddenly goes from firm, wet and hard-packed
to loose and dry, especially slopping downward if we run near the shore.
Shoes and stretching
If we're not careful, we may sprain an ankle or
knee, or develop tendonitis in a joint from running on the sand. The strains and
inflammation, even fractures, can include joints and tendons in the knees, lower
legs and ankles, Ciccotti says.
To prevent injuries while running, Ciccotti
recommends we:
• wear running shoes that offer stable support and are
designed to absorb the shock of hitting the surface while running.
•
stretch and warm up before we start to run.
• take care not to overexert
ourselves if we aren't used to running long distances. Running too much, too fast,
too soon are hallmarks of injury during the summer months, especially with the
casual joggers among us.
• watch out for changes in the terrain that
may cause us to stumble or fall.
• be aware of whether we have high foot
arches, one leg shorter than the other, spine problems, or excessive muscle tightness,
all of which increase our likelihood of injury.
One other thing about
the shoes:
Our running shoes will lose about 60 percent of their shock
absorption after 250-500 miles. If we put in 10 miles a week, we should replace
them every nine to 12 months, Ciccotti says.
One thing we'll have to
guard is our Achilles' tendons. The St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times advises beach
runners going to Florida's Gulf Coast to stretch first, and then start off on
hard sand and then switch to soft sand once they feel loose. Then, "when
your legs start to feel like sacks of potatoes," move back to hard-packed
sand.
Twenty minutes of beach running is worth an hour of jogging on
the street, according to the newspaper.
Things to do when an injury occurs
However, if we are injured or our running buddy is injured, Ciccotti says,
we should:
• decrease or stop running;
• ice the affected area
for five to 10 minutes at a time, two to three times a day for several days;
• take a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory, such as an aspirin or ibuprofen;
• use compressions, such as a wrap;
• see our doctor or sports medicine
expert if our symptoms get worse or interfere with sleep, appetite or routine
activities.
But Ciccotti says the risks shouldn't stop us from jogging
or running on the beach amid placid surroundings. We definitely shouldn't leave
our exerise programs at home when on vacation to the land of sand and surf.
"Running on the beach is a great activity with tremendous health and
psychological benefits," he says. "We just need to be extra careful
to remain free of injury.
Beach
Health Tips | |
