Ready, Set, Run! As 42% Of Brits Admit To Suffering From Exercise-Related Injuries, These Are The Training And Recovery Tips To Make It To The Finish Line, Injury-Free

Whether you’re an amateur runner or a seasoned athlete, muscle and joint challenges are an inevitable (and annoying!) part of being active.

Sprinter Amy Hunt, who recently won three gold medals at the European Athletics Championships and also , admitted that she ‘slathered’ her legs in Deep Heat during this year’s Commonwealth Games, reminding us that even the fastest and most elite athletes have routines in place to avoid pain and injuries.

When you consider that 42% of Brits have had an exercise related injury – according to new research commissioned by Deep Heat and Deep Freeze,^[1] the leading iconic and time-tested warming and cooling muscle and joint care product range, it makes sense that we would all want to protect ourselves. These injuries are felt all over, with:

• 28% dealing with foot and ankle injuries
• 27% experiencing knee injuries
• 24% suffering from a leg injury.

Physiotherapist, Pilates, and Musculoskeletal specialist and a Deep Heat and Deep Freeze advocate, Clara Kervyn says: “Whatever sport you are doing from the distance you are running to the miles you maybe biking, there can be toll on your body. Not only is it generally tiring, but muscles and joints face strain. That’s why sporting heroes like sprinter Amy  Hunt, turn to products such as Deep Heat, to support their muscles and joints during training and competitions. Deep Heat warming therapies, from sprays, roll-ons to creams, patches and rubs, help bring more blood to the muscle, which brings added oxygen and nutrients to enhance muscle repair, as well as relaxing aching and over-tired muscles.

“The Deep Freeze range of cooling therapies, on the other hand, has the opposite effect, helping to soothe minor aches and pains by calming inflammation and reducing blood flow – a must post running and exercising in general.”

Amy Hunt isn’t the only elite who turns to Deep Heat and Deep Freeze.

Hyrox stars Jake Williams and Sarah Holden also rely on the warming and cooling product range – Deep Heat and Deep Freeze – to help them avoid niggles and injuries during the 8km run race combined with various workouts. Meanwhile, rugby union’s Newcastle Falcons use Deep Heat to prep before matches.

”During exercise, your muscles and joints are put under a lot of strain. For example, long-distance running keeps muscles and joints under a repetitive load for long periods of time. As muscles become tired, they absorb shock less effectively, which increases stress on joints and tendons. This leads to the aches, stiffness and tight muscles that many runners feel during or after a long run,” says Clara Kervyn.

In the Deep Heat and Deep Freeze real-world research study:

• 67% of Brits said they had experienced muscle pain in the legs, knees, back and feet being the most common muscle hot spots for issues.
• Over half (55%) said they had experienced muscular strains or sprains.

Physiotherapist and part of the Deep Heat and Deep Freeze expert hub, Sammy Margo adds: “If you’re competing in a running race, Hyrox or playing a match sport regularly, for example, the training that’s required can be tough, and staying injury-free during training means you’ll make it to the start line comfortably. Of the 32% of respondents who said they had done a marathon or half marathon in the Deep Heat and Deep Freeze survey, 41% had had foot pain, and 28% had lower leg pain during training.”

In fact, the top issues for people training for long-distance running were:

• Fatigue (41%)
• Muscle strain (36%)
• Sore feet (29%).

“A simple issue can turn into a full-blown injury too,” says Elyn Marwick, Personal Trainer, Coach & Functional Fitness Specialist & International Competitor, who swears by Deep Heat and Deep Freeze.  “So, it’s best not to ignore even the smallest of aches, as it could set you back. This is despite:

• 54% of Brits noting that they try to mask physical pain, with 43% of respondents noting they do so because they believe the pain might not feel as bad, while 34% mask the pain because sometimes they think the pain is worse than it is.”

When an injury kicks in, however, it can affect all areas of health. Sammy Margo explains: “For example, 34% of Brits say their muscle injuries impact their sleep, yet sleep is when our bodies recover, so without it, an injury could take longer to heal. A third (33%) of Brits also say muscle injuries impact their mood, and for 28% of Brits, it’s led to depression.”

Don’t let aches, pains and soreness ruin your chances of crossing the finish line this year. Here’s how to train to try and avoid injury woes…

Training: the do’s and don’ts

#1. DO: Make sure your training plan allows time for recovery. It’s on rest and recovery days where your body actually adapts to your training, making you fitter and quicker.

Elyn Marwick adds: “When you train hard, you create small amounts of muscle damage and fatigue. Rest days allow tissues to repair and grow stronger. Without them, the risk of overuse injuries and persistent soreness increases hugely. Pairing your recovery with Deep Heat and Deep Freeze products can boost your recovery further.”

But only 54% of Brits ever build in recovery time to their exercise programme, and only 30% believe you need recovery time after every time you exercise.

If you feel any pain or aches, then it’s also best to allow your body time to recover. Only 46% believe that recovery time for an injury is a “must,” though. Plus, over half (56%) have tried to carry on as normal with a muscle injury, then been forced to stop and rest, which just goes to show how important recovery is.

#2. DON’T: Train hard every day: Although you’re training for a race or competition, going hard every day is usually best avoided. “Mixing in rest days or lower-impact activities such as Pilates and stretching gives your muscles, tendons, and joints time to recover from repetitive impact. This helps prevent overuse injuries and keeps your training sustainable over the long term,” says Clara Kervyn.

#3. DO: Strength train: Incorporating resistance-based training into your training routine is one of the best ways to protect your body from the impact of running.  Sammy Margo adds: “Building strength in the glutes, core, and legs improves stability and reduces the strain on joints such as the knees and ankles. Stronger muscles also absorb impact better, so this can lower the risk of injury during more intense training sessions. ”

#4. DO: Always warm up and cool down: Only 44% of people warm up before exercise all the time and 21% warm up sometimes.  Yet, a proper warm-up gradually increases blood flow to the muscles and prepares the body for movement.

Sammy Margo notes: “Dynamic warm-up exercises such as leg swings and walking lunges are ideal here.  As part of a warm up and a support hack that people like myself swear by is using Deep Heat Muscle Massage Roll-on Lotion or Deep Heat Heat Rub, as heat brings more blood to the muscles and adds oxygen and nutrients to help with muscle warm-up and so prevent injury. And always cool down, and here also use a cooling therapy such as Deep Freeze Muscle Rescue Cold Spray, which can help to calm minor aches and pains by soothing, cooling, and reducing blood flow – a must post-exercising in general. Just five minutes of cool down can help to avoid any pain post-workout.”

#5. DON’T: Wear the wrong shoes for you:

The right exercise shoe can make a huge difference to your comfort and injury risk. “With running, for example, everyone’s foot shape, gait and biomechanics are slightly different,” says Sammy Margo. “So, shoes that suit one runner might not suit another. It’s best to invest in properly fitted trainers. Do this by visiting a specialist shoe shop as they can assess your feet and running style.”

#6. DO: Give yourself a taper period before competing. It’s best not to train right up until race day, for example. Instead, allow time for a taper. For runners, this is the period in the final week or two before a race when runners gradually reduce their training volume to allow the body to fully recover.

Sammy Margo adds: “You want to arrive at the start line feeling rested, with muscles repaired and energy stores topped up, while still maintaining your fitness.”

#7. DON’T: exercise on an injury: Pain is often the body’s way of signaling that something needs attention.  Elyn Marwick warns: Continuing to run through an injury often turns a small problem into a more serious one. In fact, 51% of Brits say that not taking enough time has made an injury worse. Take time to rest and address the issue early on, as this can prevent longer setbacks later. If need be,

book in to see a physio who can offer more assistance.”

#8. DO: Use Deep Heat and Deep Freeze:  For every muscle and joint challenge, turn to Deep Heat and Deep Freeze, which are backed by science and come in a range of formats and formulations that allow you to channel the self-care power of hot and cold therapies on a run, through a marathon, at the gym, on the move or at home.

DEEP HEAT

For something that works fast,  NEW Deep Heat Rapid Gel starts working in just 60 seconds to soothe and relax tense, tired muscles. It contains Vanillyl butyl ether, which gently warms muscles to help you feel ready for workouts, training, or even a long day on your feet. Plus, by warming muscles, this helps boost circulation, which can ease tired, stiff, or overworked muscles after exercise or daily strain. NEW Deep Heat Rapid Gel also helps to soothe discomfort in joints and muscles, whether from sports or long hours at a desk.

For use during warm-ups and also post-run or workout, New Deep Heat Magnesium Massage Balm is designed for anyone experiencing muscle tension, aches, or fatigue. It includes natural ingredients, including the mineral magnesium and arnica, a natural herb that’s been used for centuries and known for its plant health benefits.

The Deep Heat Muscle Massage Roll-on Lotion combines massage with heat therapy to help ease tight, knotted muscles. It’s great for your calves, thighs, shoulders, upper arms, and any other parts of your body that get achy with exercise as a fast-track warm-up.

Prefer a rub? Deep Heat Heat Rub provides targeted pain relief and can be used before or after exercise, and it also helps with stiffness, including back and rheumatic pain, sciatica, fibrositis, sprains and chilblains. Plus, penetrating heat therapy through a rub helps to increase blood supply to relax and soothe aching, injured and sore muscles.

For something stronger, Deep Heat Max Strength provides more than double the amount of the pain-killing ingredient, methyl salicylate. It generates penetrating warmth in aching, injured, and sore muscles.

The Deep Heat Muscle Rescue Heat Spray also helps ease and soothe tight, tense muscles and works great alongside a warm-up or at any point when you need to relieve discomfort. The targeted warming relief is thanks to Vanillyl butyl ether (VBE), which produces a thermal sensation on the skin by activating a specific thermal receptor (vanilloid). The spray is also climate-friendly thanks to the ingenious Bag-on-Valve technology. This eliminates the need for ozone-depleting Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) while producing an even, fine, misted spray for easy application.

For long-lasting heat, Deep Heat Pain Relief Heat Patch, a handy odourless adhesive patch, provides warming relief for muscular pain, strains and joint stiffness for up to 16 hours. It can be used for pain across the back, hips, thighs, calves, arms, knees, the neck, and the shoulders to provide targeted and soothing relief right where you need it, and can be applied directly to the skin. 

Plus, the Deep Heat Warming Belt is a great way to soothe pain in the lower back or hips. The discreet, odourless, non-sticky warming belt comes with four large heat cells that provide up to 12 hours of deep penetrating warmth.

DEEP FREEZE

Immediately after exercise, try the Deep Freeze Muscle Rescue Cold Spray. It provides an instant burst of targeted cooling relief for minor aches in muscles and joints or past injury flare-ups. The no-fuss spray format allows application on hard-to-reach areas such as the back, legs, feet, and shoulders.

Deep Freeze Glide-on Gel works just like ice but with none of the mess or fuss of ice. It delivers scientifically proven cooling and soothing relief from minor aches in the back, neck, shoulders, legs, and feet. Plus, it’s simple to use on the go or to pop into gym or kit bags and handbags. Need something longer-lasting? The Deep Freeze Cold Patch is a discreet self-adhesive patch that works just like ice by cooling the desired area, helping to decrease blood flow and calm and soothe muscular or joint pain. It’s ideal for backs, necks, shoulders, legs, and feet plus it’s safe for mums-to-be who need relief from pregnancy-related discomfort in the back.

Deep Freeze Cold Gel also has all the soothing power of ice and works fast to cool and soothe minor aches in muscles and joints. It’s easy to apply, and the mess-free format makes it a kit-bag essential and perfect buddy when you’re travelling.

Sammy Margo adds: “Whatever you’re training for, such as running a marathon, competing in your first Hyrox competition or playing local club football, it should not be taken lightly, as the impact it has on your body is huge. Muscles and joints really face the wrath and should be cared for properly, so you can make it to race day comfortably and feeling your best. The range of Deep Heat and Deep Freeze products works to ease and soothe aches and discomfort, supporting muscles and joints during training, race day itself,f and the days that follow.”