Help prevent injuries by performing proprioception & balance training
Posted January 17th, 2007 at 8:00 AM by Richard Quinn
Section: Running & Training, Injury & Rehab, Training Tips, Health & Fitness, Injury & Rehab, Exercise
Many regard running as a warm up activity or as a simple cardiovascular exercise. People will often go to the track and/or their favorite course and immediately launch into an intense workout without thinking twice about it. It is not uncommon for people to skip their pre- and post- workout stretching; one reason why runners suffer so many preventable injuries and never reach the top of their potential.
Training for running is no different than training for any other sport. In order to stay healthy and reach peak performance, an athlete must train in a variety of ways and be conscious of keeping their body healthy and free of injuries. Two types of training that are increasing in popularity and can help a runner achieve these goals are: proprioception and balance training.
Although proprioception conditioning has long been used for rehabilitation, it is also now being utilized as a method of injury prevention. Proprioception is an automatic sensitivity mechanism in the body. This mechanism sends a message through your central nervous system for analysis. The information is then relayed to the rest of the body about how to react and with what amount of tension. This can be seen in everyday activities, such as the ability to walk though a dark room without losing balance.
Since proprioception and balance are so closely related, improving proprioception will drastically improve balance. Even though proprioception is automatic it can still be enhanced. Certain activities that are known to increase one’s proprioception are yoga, pilates, balance conditioning (with eyes open and closed), and working at constant motion intervals as opposed to static movements (which are more common). Balance pads have also become a useful tool in training to improve proprioception; they have become an ideal tool for training because of their varying densities and softness. The most important aspect of proprioception training is to become consciously aware of your body’s movements and to try to improve them.
Balance can be particularly important for cross country runners and those who like to run off-road. One region where proprioception training has shown to be especially effective is with preventing knee injuries. 
Slight changes in terrain can lead to ACL damage that can keep a runner sidelined. Improving proprioception will increase the body’s ability to make the small adjustments that are necessary to maintain performance and avoid injury. After improvements have been made in balance through proprioception training there will be no reason to focus on changing balance throughout the shifting terrain, as it will have become second nature.
Balance and proprioception training is also beneficial for other sports and fitness activities. Every athlete can benefit from improving their balance. Whether you are a football player trying to maneuver around a defensive end or a tennis player reaching out to return a serve, remember that balance is a key component of all athletic activity. So next time when you go to the gym, or you review your exercise routine, consider the benefits of adding balance and proprioception training.
Research sources and for further reading: [Peak Performance Online], [Orthopedic Tech Review], [PT-Journal]
***Note: We encourage EVERYONE to see a doctor before altering their diet, taking a supplement and/or performing athletic, fitness or other strenuous physical activity. It is your responsibility to evaluate the accuracy, completeness and usefulness of any information, instruction, opinion or advice contained in the content. Please also see our complete disclaimer.***
Tags: ACL damage, athlete, balance, conditioning, fitness activities, injury prevention, proprioception, rehabilitate, rehabilitation, sports, terrain, training, yoga
Like what you see? Subscribe to our feed!
WordPress database error: [Can't open file: 'wp_comments.MYI' (errno: 144)]
SELECT * FROM wp_comments WHERE comment_post_ID = '1308' AND comment_approved = '1' ORDER BY comment_date
The Final Sprint