By this point we know that running impact load can really lead to an injury. According to several researches, overuse injuries are the most common in runners, limiting running speed, distance and duration. The most affected areas of the body are knees, hips and feet.
There is a lot of data showing that strength training is the best way to prevent injury in runners, but if you are not doing it the right way, you can still end up getting hurt.
So, how Wolff’s and Davi’s Law can help to enhance your performance?
Wolff’s law says that physical stress (i.e.: running, exercise, etc.) can alter bone structure, and Davi’s law says that physical stress can alter soft tissues structure. Putting it simple, physical stress can hurt or heal your body, depends on how it is applied.
If we agree that injuries from overuse in runners are a result of same physical stress applied to bones and soft tissues repeatedly, then, varying the type stress on the body (i.e.: different planes of movement, different types of loads – cross training) can reduce the risk of injury and further improve performance. Note that, it can be applied to anyone else, not just runners.
It is very common to see runners choosing to run on recovery days. The problem is that, according to the laws of loading, even a light run is not considered a recovery exercise/day if we think that the same type of stress/load is applied on bones and soft tissues over and over again.
Think about this when you are planning your next running program and choose wisely your recovery and strength days, as well as your running days!
MD Coach
(BA Ph.Ed, Certified Running Coach)