How to Avoid Injury while Training for Triathlons

by Dr. Paul E Koch, DC Chiropractor

One of the great things about training for and competing in triathlons is that because the sport is made up of three individual sports, it lends “balance” to the body. Different muscle groups are recruited for all three sports. Swimming tends to be more of an upper body workout, while cycling and running tend to be much more of a leg workout.  When you train effectively for a triathlon, you divide your time training for all three sports, thereby strengthening your entire body. I would like to discuss how to improve each sport individually to better “balance” the body. I find that the majority of the injuries sustained by my endurance athlete patients are the long-term effect of slight biomechanical imbalances in their training and every-day lives.
 
Running:
One of the biggest mistakes athletes make is wearing running shoes that are either not appropriate for them, or wearing the correct shoe for too long a time. Some of my patients who begin jogging make the mistake of assuming because they bought a pair of name brand running shoes, that they must be good. The key to getting the correct running shoe is not the brand, but the model. Nike, Brooks, Asics etc. all make great running shoes, but that doesn’t mean that every pair of Nike shoes is going to work best for you. This is where being properly fitted for running shoes comes in. I highly suggest utilizing the knowledgeable staff at the South Jersey Running and Triathlon Store right in our back yard! You may be able to buy name brand running shoes at Dicks and Kohl’s, but getting the right shoe for you is something that the people who work at those stores aren’t going to be able to recommend. When you go to a running based shoe store, make sure you bring in your old shoes. The staff can look at the wear pattern on your shoes to see how your feet strike the ground, and this will help them pick the best shoe for you.
 
Another mistake is wearing running shoes past the point where the effectively support and cushion your feet.  You can’t go by the amount of tread on the bottom of a shoe to know when your shoes are too worn.  I can nearly guarantee that if your shoes are worn out on the bottom, the midsole (which does all the shock absorbing) wore out about 2 months ago! Continuing to run in broken down shoes will cause your foot to turn either in or out with each step. This is one of those subtle biomechanical problems that can lead to a host of problems in the rest of the body.  When you get a good pair of shoes that are appropriate for you, try to save them for training.  Getting 2 pair and switching them for every other run will extend their lives too.
 
So how do you know if your shoes are “shot?” If you look straight down and can see an equal amount of midsole around the perimeter of the shoe, then you are probably OK. Look at the back of the shoe and see if it looks compressed on either the inside (pronation) or outside (supination).  I have found that my shoes no longer support me after about 250 miles of training. How fast you wear out your shoes will be affected by your gait and your weight. It may be expensive to buy shoes often, but your ankles, knees, hips and back will appreciate it!
 
Cycling:
Many new cyclists complain of neck pain, numb hands, low back pain and numb feet. When these symptoms disappear when you get off the bike, it is pretty easy to figure out that something about your bike setup is what is contributing to these problems.  Often minor adjustments to your bike can help to relieve these problems. Adjusting your stem height can take some pressure of the neck, and moving your hands into different positions on your handlebars can help to relieve the numb hands. If you use clipless pedals, make sure the cleat on the bottom of your cycling shoes is directly under the ball of your foot.  Sometimes the cleat will shift when you click in and out of your pedals, so periodically look at them to see that they haven’t moved.
 
My biggest advice is to make sure you ride a bike that fits you! Although some frames only come in small, medium and large, many vary in size by 2 cm. Getting a proper bike fitting is crucial not just for comfort and injury prevention, but you will definitely ride faster on the right bike! Aerodynamic efficiency is achieved by making sure you are positioned on the bike, and all the fine adjustments to the stem, seat, crank length and aerobars are perfect.  All the local bike shops have fit specialists who can help you fine tune your setup.
 
This advice is common sense, but worth repeating. Helmets keep your brain in your skull, gloves keep your skin on your hands, glasses keep bugs out of your eyes, and ride as far to the right as you safely can!
 
Swimming:
When you first learned to do the crawl or freestyle, you probably found it was easier to breathe to one side more than the other. Many swimmers breathe to only one side, but the problem with this is that it doesn’t lend “balance” to the body.  To better have balance in the body, I suggest you practice breathing from both sides of your stroke. Not only does this equally stress and strengthen your body, it gives you a huge advantage in open water triathlons.  When you can breathe on both sides of your stroke, it doubles your chances of getting a good breath, you don’t have to worry about dealing with another athlete swimming right next to you, and it is easier to spot the buoys.
 
General Training Tips:
The beauty of triathlon is that if you do find yourself suffering from some minor ache or pain while participating in one of the three sports, you can always take some time off from that sport, and focus on another.  Feet hurt? Go for a swim! Shoulder hurts? Go for a run! Just don’t try to push through the pain. “No pain no gain” applies only to the pain associated with the fatigue from your workout. If you continue to hurt after the workout is over, you would benefit from taking some time off from the activity that is stressing your body. If the pain continues you may need professional help in treating it.
Triathlon is a warm weather sport, but having a training plan all year long will make you stronger next season.  In the fall, you may want to pick a long running race to shoot for. It’s easier to stay lean and fit all winter if you go into it lean and fit from training for a half-marathon.  Mountain biking is a fun winter activity that many triathletes use to hone their bike handling skills and to stay fit. I ride at Camden County College on Saturday mornings all winter. GCC and Ceres Park have some excellent trails also.  I also suggest adding a weight lifting routine for the winter too. The stronger you are in the spring, the harder you can train without the chance of injury.

Dr. Paul Koch, a chiropractor who lives in Mantua with his wife and 2 sons, treats many endurance athletes at his office in Washington Township. He has been a competitive runner since 1979 and has been competing in triathlons since 1991. He has competed in many local triathlons and also finished Ironman Lake Placid in 2001. He can be reached at his office at 856-582-7800, or at www.askdrkoch.com.