Wright City, MO

Wright City, MO

Allow Axes to Help Develop Your Personalized Beginner Running Program

Beginner Running Program in Wright City, MO

Beginner running program in Wright City, MO. The benefits of running are obvious: it can boost mental health, burn fat, strengthen the heart and lungs, and just about anybody can do it, almost anywhere. But, if you want to start a beginner running program in Wright City, MO, you may not know how to proceed, and if you’re healthy enough to handle increased exertion. Licensed physical therapists like those at Axes know how to help people move their bodies safely and effectively. Whether you’re hoping to return to form after a sports or work-related injury or just need to be more active in your day-to-day life, our team can help you learn proper form, understand if you’re healthy enough to begin a running program, and treat any injuries or soreness you experience in your running program.

Read on below to see our beginner running tips, request an appointment online, or reach out to the Axes location closest to you for more information.

Beginner Running Program Wright City, MO | Injury Prevention | Physical Therapy Near Wright City

6 Benefits of Starting a Beginner Running Program

Running offers many physical and mental health benefits, including:

  1. Weight management — The average person burns about 80 to 140 calories for every mile run, making running one of the more effective ways to achieve weight loss.
  2. Improved cardiovascular health — Running improves heart and lung function and reduces heart disease risk factors like hypertension and cholesterol.
  3. Increased physical strength and endurance — Running helps to strengthen the muscles in the legs, abdomen, and back, and greatly increases lung capacity and endurance.
  4. Better mood — Running is known to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression by releasing endorphins and serotonin, the brain’s natural feel-good hormones.
  5. Increased longevity — Regular running has been linked to a longer lifespan. People who run live an average of three years longer than those who don’t.
  6. Accessibility — Running is a simple and budget-friendly way to get regular exercise that doesn’t require equipment or a special field or court. It it doesn’t require any specific skills or knowledge, and your program can be easily modified to suit individual needs, abilities, and limitations.

While it likely won’t take long to get the proverbial “runner’s high“, in order to get the full benefits of starting a beginners running program in Wright City, MO, you’ll need to do it consistently, and do it the right way.

6 Beginner Running Tips in Wright City, MO

Getting from the couch to the track may be difficult for some Wright City, MO residents, but in truth it’s as easy as putting on your shoes, going out the door, and hitting your stride. A beginner running program isn’t about “winning;” it’s about tenacity, progressive development, and being healthy. Below are the top 6 beginner running tips to make sure you start your program safely, and stay motivated to continue it.

  1. Be realistic and progress slowly — You’re probably excited to start your running program, and may be challenging yourself to one day run a marathon. But if you haven’t done strenuous physical exercise before, or you’re just starting physical activity again after an injury, over-exerting yourself can have negative side-effects, and trying to do something unrealistic may make you unmotivated. Start out at a slow pace, and slowly build up how long you run for as you go.

    If you feel like you’re very out of shape, may be a good idea to start by walking rapidly for half an hour and progress to running later. Another option is to switch between running and walking in 2-minute intervals.

  2. Wear the right shoes — While shoes are the only “equipment” you need for running, it’s important to get the right ones. There are many advantages to buying good running shoes, including arch support, cushioning, and injury and blister prevention.
  3. Warm up and cool down Even Olympic athletes need to warm up before any physical activity. Stretching and exercises like leg swings and lunges that enhance flexibility will help prepare your body for the stress of running. After the run, it’s important to do static stretches and rest to help reduce the risk of injuries and reduce soreness.
  4. Combine running with strength and cross training — Muscle imbalances impact how our joints experience force, and can cause injury or soreness. Having strong gluteal muscles and hip abductors can help ease the stress that running puts on the body. You also need to improve and maintain range of motion in your lower body and core.
  5. Make sure you’re well-hydrated and maintain a healthy diet — Running and sweating increase the amount of liquids we need. Adequate hydration improves recovery and performance, and minimizes negative side-effects.

    Running also uses up a lot of fuel. You’ll need healthy carbs, protein, and nutrients to replenish your body. Having good nutrition also complements certain running benefits, like weight management and improved mental health.

  6. If you’re not feeling great, slow down or take a day off — Listen to your body when starting your beginner running program. While it’s important to make running a habit, you can injure yourself if you over-exert yourself. A little soreness should be expected. But, if you’re having significant pain, you should hold off on running until you heal. If the pain doesn’t subside or progressively worsens, seek out an appointment with your physician, or call Axes Physical Therapy for a free injury screening.

In a sense, running never gets easier, as the healthier you are the more you’ll have to run to reach your limits. But the more you do it the more you’ll be motivated to continue doing it.

How a Physical Therapist in Wright City, MO Can Help Your Beginner Running Program

Our Wright City, MO physical therapists are experts at treating injuries, or other musculoskeletal problems such as dealing with chronic pain. But a licensed physical therapist can also be part of a wellness regimen aimed at improving your overall health. With exercises and techniques proven to work through study and research, an Axes physical therapist in Wright City, MO can help your beginner running program with:

  • Evaluating your current fitness level — A physical therapist in Wright City, MO can help you understand if you’re currently healthy enough to run. If you’re not, we can develop a customized, safe, and effective exercise program to get your body up to shape.
  • Create a customized exercise program — We can develop a beginner running program designed specifically your specific fitness level. We can also develop a cross training program. A physical therapist can also help you overcome plateaus, and progress to more demanding running techniques such as inclines or fartlek training.
  • Teaching proper running techniques — Running in the right way is vital to avoiding injury and getting all the possible benefits from your running program. We’ll teach you correct running form, and we can perform motion video analysis to clearly see any flaws in your techniques.

    We can also teach you warm-up exercises to do before your run, and the best static stretches to do after.

  • Injury prevention Once you start a running program, you don’t want to go back. We’ll help you get in the best shape possible through a personalized program that boosts strength, range of motion, endurance, and technique while running or performing other exercises.
  • Addressing injuries as they occur — If you do become injured, a physical therapist can help you get back to running and other activities you love quickly and safely. If you’re experiencing significant soreness, a physical therapist can reduce inflammation and pain in your legs, buttocks, and back.

Whether you’re looking to get healthier, or get back to the top of your game after an injury or surgery, the Wright City, MO physical therapists at Axes are here to help you develop and maintain your beginner running program.

Our Wright City, MO physical therapists can also help you with:

Beginner Running Tips Wright City, MO | Beginner Running Running | Physical Therapists Near Wright City

Call Axes For Help With Your Beginner Running Program in Wright City, MO

Starting a beginner running program in Wright City, MO can offer numerous benefits for both physical and mental health. However, many people aren’t sure how to start, or are nervous about how it’s going to go. Professional physical therapists like those at Axes can help by developing a comprehensive exercise program that will ensure you can enjoy the benefits of running safely. If you’re thinking about starting a beginner running program in Wright City, MO, contact us through our website, or call the Axes location nearest you.

Services Offered

Services Offered
  • Physical Therapy
    • Pre/Post Surgical Rehabilitation
    • Acute Injury Management
    • Chronic Injury Management
  • Work Conditioning/Hardening
  • Functional Capacity Evaluations
  • Certified Hand Therapy
  • Sports Physical Therapy
  • Pediatric Orthopedic Physical Therapy
  • Geriatric Physical Therapy
  • Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization
  • DorsaVi Video Motion Analysis
  • Spine Specialty – Certified Manual Therapy, McKenzie
  • Free Injury Screenings
  • Kinesio Taping®
  • Blood Flow Restriction Therapy

Our Team

Sara Crain
PT, CEAS, Astym Cert.
Julie Freiner
OTR/L, CHT
Samantha Bixby
PT, DPT, Astym Cert.
Farren Holman
PT, DPT, Astym Cert.
Matt Williams
MS, OTR/L, ATC/L, CHT
Jeff Hunter
Clinic Director, PT, Cert. MDT, MBA
Bailey Zimmermann
Front Office Supervisor
Amanda Reynolds
Front Office

Locations

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