Injury prevention for trial walk events

The starting line at the 2013 Victorian Oxfam Trailwalker Event.

Those who have completed a lengthy trail walk, such as the 100km Oxfam Trailwalker or Trailblazer Challenge events will rightly know how gruelling it can be, both physically and emotionally. Tough Mudder to some feels like a walk in the park in comparison. One hundred kilometres of hills in 48 hours…are you mad?

So how can you prepare your body to ensure you have the best experience during the event and give yourself the best chance to power across the finish line with a smile? These are my top tips to get your body just right for the event:

1. Plan well ahead. Start your training early. It is harder than you think so get your body conditioned well in advance.
2. Address pre-existing injuries. The little niggles that you are feeling on your shorter walks will definitely build throughout the event and could potentially cause you to drop out. The longer the injury has existed the longer it will take to properly treat. Overuse injuries, weaknesses and tightness in areas all need to be addressed.
3. Identify areas of new weakness and pain. Muscle tightness and pain can often indicate an area of weakness or an underlying injury. A thorough assessment by a physiotherapist will identify any issues and be able to offer a treatment plan to overcome any problems.
4. Get your biomechanics assessed. Feet can be a major problem if there are biomechanical issues with them. They can cause foot and heel pain, shin and knee pain, and even back pain. A Gaitscan assessment of the foot biomechanics can quickly and accurately highlight any underlying issues. Custom orthotics may be needed to offer proper support.
5. Knees can be a killer on the big hills. Get them assessed by a physio for any tracking issues and get a strengthening program for them. Taping for support can also help.
6. Work on your core stability. Having a proper core assessment and being taught the correct recruitment of the stabilisers will help to get the most out of your core and help prevent overuse injuries creeping in. A good core will also help improve power, agility and performance, and increase endurance. A tailored Clinical Exercise program is a great way of achieving this.
7. Massages are very beneficial not only to sooth and relax tired bodies but to address areas of tightness and tension. Massages conducted by a physio can be great to help recover between big training sessions.
8. Get the right shoes for you and make sure you break them in before the big event. It’s also ideal to take more than one pair on the walk. Be conscious of the type - running shoes, light trail or hiking boots?
9. Plan for blisters. Blisters are the number one reason people have to pull out of a long trail walking event. To combat them, prepare yourself by highlight any hotspots, using tape to prevent rubbing. If in doubt get them assessed early by a podiatrist.

My final tip. Have fun with the training, support your team. The weakest team mate at training may well end up the strongest towards the end!

Oh, and audio books are fantastic downloaded onto your iPod, one sure way to pass the time quickly. There are heaps at your library to borrow.

Tom Hindhaugh - Director and Physiotherapist, Back In Motion Bayswater