Training for a Marathon? Get To The Starting Line In One Piece.

Bill Rodgers is probably the most famous American marathon runner in history, winning both the Boston and New York Marathons four out of five years in the late 1970s. But when asked about the most difficult part of racing, he famously said, “getting to the starting line healthy.”

Why would the greatest American marathoner be worried about just getting to the starting line? Because Mr. Rodgers is very aware that training for a marathon…is a marathon. Because training is a tedious, precarious balance between preparing the body for prolonged stress and allowing the normal healing process to catch up to the stress.

In a competitive environment, the temptation to “put in more miles”, increase the speed work, and accelerate the training regimen, is tantalizing and dangerous.

For the first-time or novice marathoner, the competition is also intense, but the body is the main adversary. That’s why when injuries develop, many runners ignore the symptoms, avoid treatment, and “suck it up.” After all, nobody likes to start something and not finish it. People with the “hero complex” deal with injuries as long as possible until it’s too late to do anything substantial.

Instead of bearing the burden of bumps and bruises by burying them below the surface, runners should be more like an analyst or security monitor, always checking and evaluating. The best runners monitor aches and pains, tightness and weakness, fatigue and energy, always calibrating how intense, how long, and how frequent they can run.

This does not mean run to physical therapy or a doctor’s office every time your calf tightens. It simply means be aware, about how your body feels, keep track of it, and act when something is not right.

Some signs to look for include the following:

·         Pain that alters the way you run. If you have to make a conscious change in the mechanics of your running stride to compensate for pain, you are headed for more pain.

·         Steadily decreasing energy. Watch for two things: too much training or too little nutrition.

·         Pain in the shins that is focused in intensity and location. Diffuse and spread over a larger area usually means medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS or shin splints). Focused and intense pain usually means stress fracture (or reaction), and that can lead to a complete fracture.

Things to do during marathon training:

·         Get a doctor that you can trust for musculoskeletal injuries IN CASE you need to see him or her. Race drivers don’t hire their pit crew in the middle of the Indy 500.

·         Be honest with yourself. You have flaws, everyone does. Some simply compensate better than others. This is the essence of running, repeating the same stride over and over, as long as you can, and then trying to repeat the strides faster and longer, all while dealing with the imperfections of one’s biomechanics. Without knowing your flaws, you will succumb to them.

·         Follow a running program from a trusted source. Resources to turn to include local running shoe stores like Hanson’s and Running Fit, and websites like runnersworld.com. Many other runners like Jeff Galloway and John “The Penguin” Bingham have websites that tout their expert advice. A good running program will steer you away from injuries related to improper training.

·         Get maintenance work on yourself, and that includes REST! Don’t cut out rest days. Your body can’t heal from the breakdown if it doesn’t get the chance. Other maintenance techniques include stretching, massage, manual medicine (adjustments), and acupuncture.

By Steven J. Karageanes, DO, FAOASM, Sports Medicine, Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan.

Arthritis and Exercise

Arthritis is an ever growing concern for many people, and is not just limited to a certain age group. Arthritis is an inflammation of a joint, most often the knees, hips, and spine. The pain associated with arthritis can be moderate to severe and sometimes prevent people from being active.

In the past it has been recommended that people participate in a flexibility based program to improve range of motion. It is now becoming more common to have a well rounded exercise program that also includes strength/resistance training and cardiovascular exercise as well. A well rounded exercise program can preserve joint mobility, increase joint stability, and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

The key to success is to take it slow and ease into new exercise. If you experience pain lasting more than 60 minutes, or an increase in inflammation or swelling, make note of the activity and modify the intensity for next time. 

At the DMC Fitness Center, you can find a host of licensed physical therapists, athletic trainers, and personal trainers who can adapt a program to fit your needs to help reduce your pain as well as get fit for the summer. For more information, contact the DMC Fitness Center at (313) 745-9748, or email Craig DeLeon at cdeleon2@dmc.org

It’s Solid Gold for RIM’s Paralympic Swimmer

Paralympic swimmer, Cheryl Angelelli, competed in the CanAm Championships this past weekend at the University of Minnesota. Over 130 athletes with disabilities competed in the event. Angelelli finished first in the 200 meter freestyle, 100 meter freestyle, 50 meter backstroke and 50 meter freestyle events in the S4 classification.

Her time of 52.5 seconds in the 50 meter freestyle was a lifetime best time and moved Angelelli from being ranked 4^th in the world to 2^nd in the world.

Angelelli suffered a spinal cord injury as a result of a diving accident in 1983, however that didn't stop her from getting back in the water. A quadriplegic, Angelelli is Michigan's most decorated athlete with a disability. She is a 4-time Paralympic medalist and holds 15 American Records and 3 World Records.

Angelelli was a patient at Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan (RIM) following her injury and today she serves as RIM’s Director of Marketing and Public Releations. She often speaks to newly injured patients at RIM and is an inspiration to those recovering from similar injuries.

To watch Angelelli’s 50 meter freestyle race, click here

RIM's Wheelchair Basketball Team Headed to National Championships

Last year, Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan’s (RIM) wheelchair basketball team, the Detroit Diehards were the underdogs going into the National Wheelchair Basketball Tournament (NWBA) and ended up going all the way to the finals before losing a nail biter to Cleveland. This year, they have unfinished business to take care of, and are determined to bring the national title home to Detroit.

RIM’s team will compete in the 2011 National Wheelchair Basketball Tournament (NWBA) April 7-10 in Denver, CO. The Detroit Diehards are one of 16 Division III teams competing for the national championship title.

RIM’s Diehards are seeded 4^th in the tournament after finishing their regular season with 12 wins and 3 loses. RIM’s team is comprised of athletes with physical disabilities, aged 17 to 50 from throughout southeast Michigan.

Teams qualified for the Nationals via NWBA-sanctioned regional tournaments – the teams playing in this event in Colorado will be the best of the best.

Leading RIM’s team on and off the court is Mo Philips. Philips, an amputee, has been playing and coaching both nationally and internationally for over 25 years. Over his playing career, Philips has won 3 National Championships and was inducted into the National Wheelchair Basketball Association Hall of Fame in 1998. Philips also serves as the coach of the Diehards.

The NWBA is comprised of over 200 wheelchair basketball teams within twenty-two conferences. Founded in 1948, the NWBA today consists of men's, women's, intercollegiate, and youth teams throughout the United States of America and Canada.

RIM has been sponsoring the Detroit Diehards since 2002. The team is supported through grants, donations, and fundraising events such as RIM’s annual “Celebrity Wheelchair Basketball Game,” (www.celebritywheelchairbasketball.org)