– Part one of a two-part physiotherapy primer on winter running safety

By MedRehab Group chain of physiotherapy clinics

It’s not for everyone, but if you are a die-hard jogger, the cool temperatures and first snowfall will not hold you back from your outdoor workout circuit in and around the streets of Vaughan, Brampton, Burlington – or wherever you live in the Greater Toronto area. To avoid an emergency visit to your physiotherapy clinic, the key thing is to prepare your body to endure the cold weather, adjust your running program – and practice some cold weather running safety precautions to stay injury-free through to the spring.

The right attire

Winter runners: alway remember that you will be approximately 20 degrees warmer when running in contrast to just standing still. In most cases dressing for that estimated warmer temperature will work well. Layering will go a long way in helping you stay warm on the Vaughan or Brampton side streets – and avoiding a visit to your physiotherapist. Up to 25% or more of your body heat may be lost from your head, so wearing a hat is important. Wool tube hats are perfect for the chilly temperatures. Gloves are a must. Keeping your body as dry as possible will allow your clothes to act as a better insulator and keep you more comfortable. The inner layer should be a synthetic wickable fiber such as coolmax, thermax or other synthetic.

Moderate distance over speed

Colder temperatures are more conducive to moderate distance runs rather than speed work. While endurance running is possible in the cold, speed work is not a good idea for a number of reasons: As your physiotherapist will tell you, your muscles need to be warmed up sufficiently before the more intense contractions of speed work. It is not as easy to do that in cold and extremely cold weather that we get in the Greater Toronto Area, and the ambient temperature will keep lowering the skin temperature. Wearing bulky coverings is not something that makes you feel like doing speed work and these layers create restrictions to free movement.

The good news is you can still leave your comfort zone and probably reach your lactate threshold without much of a problem for some intense medium distance runs.

Learn more about physiotherapy treatment in Toronto at http://www.medrehabgroup.com/index.php/services/physiotherapy

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