Orthowell Physical Therapy

Have you tried aqua exercise for cross training?

Here’s what you can do if you can’t run

We advise many of our runners to take a break from running when injured in order to allow their body to heal. We usually recommend that they cross train in order to maintain their aerobic fitness.

Dr. Jack Daniels measured the drop-in aerobic fitness from inactivity and found that after 5 days there is a sharp drop-in fitness that is capped after 10 weeks of inactivity. Some ways to cross train include swimming and cycling; both are non-impact and relatively easy and pain-free for most lower extremity injuries. Another emerging method is aqua jogging.

Here is a great article detailing how to set up aqua jogging and key insights into intensity and correlation to running:

https://runnersconnect.net/deep-water-running-for-cross-training/

Here is another article that details proper technique and gives you some examples of workouts that can be done in the pool. In general, “aqua jogging is probably better suited for maintaining aerobic fitness versus race-specific anaerobic fitness.”

https://runnersconnect.net/coach-corner/aqua-jogging-for-runners/

Best In Health!

Your OrthoWell family

P.S. Any pain? Come on in for some some TLC. Our manual therapy only session is just $50. We can Graston, Cup, and Stretch out the tight and get you feelin’ right! ha

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