Do you remember how difficult it used to be trying to find a physiotherapist that had any knowledge or interest in running as an actual sport? I do. Now the problem is a bit like the other side of the same coin; there are too many to choose from.
Maybe it’s a generational thing, as there seems to be a wave of top-shelf runners around my age who have become physios. Perhaps they had the same issue trying to find proper treatment and chose to solve the problem themselves. And then there is Instagram, which has become a Tinder of sorts for physios where you can swipe through the duds and pick who you like the look of.
For the past 5 years I’ve spent my time living between a few different continents, which has made regular treatment from the same person pretty much impossible. To get around that I would call some of the aforementioned top-shelf runner-physios for advice. Given that nothing was ever actually broken, we could work through injuries or discomfort with exercises. I quickly came to realise that they needed to see how I moved, not how I felt.
Consistent travel and constant training have required me to adapt in order to give my body the maintenance it needs. I’m not sure if my support-network is remote, or if I am the one who is remote. Either way, it’s a distinction without a difference; technology has bridged the gap.
Being injured or carrying a bit of pain without any clear path forward can feel incredibly isolating, especially when it’s experienced amidst genuine physical isolation. I’m sure there are people pushing themselves pretty hard, but I’m using this as a time to work on some weaknesses that although haven’t stopped me running, have had me moving with my foot slightly on the clutch rather than full throttle.
When it comes to training, I’ve often found that running is the easy part. Strength work is almost always the first thing to be let go when I’m tired – but now I see this as an opportunity to get back on top of things. My physio [Brad Beer] is based on the Gold Coast (about 1,100km away) but the online consults and app with all my exercises have given me some much-needed structure and accountability.
I’ll need to be back on the physio workbench at some stage, but for now I have all the resources I need to be back moving well when the time comes to be ready to race, whenever that may be.
 but the online consults and app with all my exercises have given me some much-needed structure and accountability.){kind=link}