Of course not, and with good reason. Throughout the course of training for a triathlon, it impossible to stay completely injury free. Whether it’s minor injuries such as cramps or muscle aches, or major injuries such as ligament damage and muscle tears, it’s a certainty that along the way triathletes will pick up certain injuries.

Before embarking on any kind of training, it is recommended that you visit the doctor’s and undergo a physical checkup. Why? To ensure that there are no underlying medical conditions that could be aggravated.

The following section details a list of common injuries that affect triathletes. It’s beneficial to understand the symptoms and causes, to have a better diagnosis of any problems affecting the body.

Here is a list of common injuries that triathletes face:

• Swimmer’s Ear
• Swimmer’s Shoulder
• Knee Pains
• Neck and Shoulder Pains
• Numbness
• Saddle Sores
• Iliotibial Band Syndrome (ITBS)
• Shin Splints
• Achilles Tendonitis
• Plantar Fasciitis

Swimmer’s Ear: Caused by irritant moisture trapped within the ear canal. Symptoms are usually described as a severe pain in the ear. While unavoidable, this ailment can be easily eased by applying ear-drops (antibiotics) found at the pharmacy which helps dry up the ear canal. Earplugs are also another form of prevention, should you be more prone to Swimmer’s Ear.

Swimmer’s Shoulder: This injury is caused by constant repetitive strokes while as the name implies, swimming. Brought about by over-exerting your shoulder-arm muscles, or due to wrong swimming technique, the solution to this problem is to let the shoulder rest. This problem is identified by soreness in the shoulder, and swelling of the rotator cuff.

Knee Pains: Another common injury, one of the many causes could be incorrect seat height or position during cycling. However, if your seat is positioned correctly, the source of the knee pain could be from the foot position, where your foot rests on the pedal. Cycling in incorrect gear, such as a gear too high could also result in unnecessary pressure on the knee. Prevent tightness or soreness with stretching exercises, with knees slightly bent and stretch the hip as well.  Knee pain can also be a symptom of ITB Syndrome (see below).

Neck and Shoulder Pains: Relax the shoulders and neck while bike riding to prevent excess pressure buildup or tension. This occurs mostly during the initial stages of cycling, so it may just take a while of getting used to, before getting fully accustomed to your riding form.

Numbness: Sometimes, numbness in the fingers may occur even when wearing gloves. One way to relieve the numbness is to change hand and finger position frequently, so that blood flow is not affected. Let your lower back help carry your body weight, while keeping your hands light on the handlebars.

Saddle Sores: Although they are minor skin irritations, it could lead to skin infections if left untreated. Again, make sure the bike seat and pedals are correctly positioned at a comfortable height, and also try standing up frequently to relieve the pressure on the body. Standing also helps improve general blood circulation. Using lubricants could also help prevent skin chaffing and abrasions.

Iliotibial Band Syndrome (ITBS): An inflammation of the iliotibial band, which is located from the hip to just below the outside of the knee. ITBS is caused by increasing training intensity too quickly, or by excessive downhill running. If experiencing a pain, the best option is to get plenty of rest, and also stretching sufficiently before, during and after training. As with all chronic pains, consult a doctor or seek medical advice if the pain persists.

Shin Splints: Categorized as a stress injury, it is mostly encountered by newer runners, as they are not used to the increase in intensity and distance covered while running. Running on exclusively hard surfaces would also lead to shin splints.  To prevent shin splints, apply heat to the shins in the form of heat packs before running.  Stretch sufficiently too.

Achilles Tendonitis: Inflammation of the Achilles Tendon, which is the large tendon located behind the ankles. Symptoms include pain in the heel, or even pain above the ankles as well as the calf muscles. To treat Achilles Tendonitis, avoid any form of running until pain subsides. Stretching the calf muscle daily also helps sooth the pain.

Plantar Fasciitis: Inflammation of the tissue on the bottom of the foot, that runs from the heel to the base of the toes. The main symptom is severe pain at the base of the heel. It is caused mainly by overtraining, tight calf muscles as well as poorly fitted running shoes. The main treatment to Plantar Fasciitis is to ice the area which is causing pain, stretching any tight muscles around the calf and ankle area, before gradually returning to running.  We recommend the Plantar Fasciitis Treatment Plan to help clear up this condition quickly.

Injuries occur due to many reasons, such as overtraining, fatigue, and even just plain old bad luck!

Injuries can be frustrating for many a triathlete, and the best way to recover is to take time off, before gradually returning to training. Some tips for minimal injury risk include:

- Following the appropriate training plans

- Stretching and incorporate weight training to help muscles build strength

- Ensuring equipment such as bike seats and even running shoes to be in good condition

- Learning to recognize the symptoms of various injuries, allowing sufficient time to rest

This is the concept of “periodization”.

The first period is a base period.  Its purpose is to ease the athlete back into training alter having rested for two months.  The first weeks are slow and easy because the training is concentrated primarily on building back the endurance through volume, with very little emphasis on intensity or speed.

The pre-competition period is an extension of the base with one or two aerobic interval days breaking up the distance training.

Then the mid- competition period begins.   Now the training focus shifts slightly by decreasing the training volume and increasing the training intensity.   The training week is composed of alternating hard and easy days with aerobic – anaerobic interval work done on hard days separated by distance work.  In this transition of training periods, the workout quality (intensity) becomes more important than the quantity (volume).

September and October form the Peak period.  The training volume is very low and the intensity is very high.  The triathlete will spend few days on distance training and more days on specific race pace interval training.  The key international distance competitions should take place during this period.

Finally, the recovery period is an essential break, both physically and mentally.   Relaxation during this phase is important, so the word “training” should be substituted by the word “exercise”.  Then in January, the cycle begins again.

Any training plan should build upon the base work established early in the season and introduce higher intensity interval training for each event.

Days with dual work outs can be accomplished in a morning and evening session, morning and midday session, midday and evening or all at once.
Within each 4 week cycle the workouts alternate hard and easy training days for the first, second and third weeks.  The fourth week is less intense.  This allows the body to recover then progress to the next 4 week cycle.

The workouts should be varied from day to day and week to week in an effort to alleviate boredom.  Unless you are doing a specific “brick” training day, your training plan should not include training for all three events in one day.   Instead focus on deconflicting the hard training days for the general muscle groups.

Swimming and cycling make an excellent daily pair since one primarily uses the upper body and the other primarily uses the lower body.  Since cycling and running rely heavily on the leg muscles, their training days are separated.

In any training plan, it will be important to include full time trials in order to gauge progression.  These are much more realistic if it can take place in an actual triathlon competition.  As the times improve from one week to the next, so too should the intensities of the workout.

The anaerobic adenosine triphosphate – lactic acid (ATP-LA) system must be stimulated to improve motor unit recruitment, elevate lactate threshold and access the fast twitch muscle fibers.  In addition, the aerobic ATP-oxidation system must be trained to increase the cellular mitochondria levels, capillary density, and other adaptations particular to the slow twitch, slow fatiguing endurance muscle fibers.

By tailoring the training to optimize the production of each energy system, the athlete can take advantage of being able perform at a faster velocity for a significantly longer period of time.

There are two ways to stimulate the ATP-LA system.

One is by training long slow distances until the ST muscle fibers fatigue, forcing the body to recruit FT muscle fibers.  This method can take up to 3 hours.

A more time efficient method uses interval training.

Intervals can be broken down into different categories as determined by the intensity, work interval, and rest period between repetitions.  The intensity is based on the lactate curve (lactic acid accumulation versus percentage of maximal oxygen consumption [VO2 max]).  For a moderately trained individual, lactate threshold will occur around 70% VO2max.   Interval training occurs at intensities above the lactate threshold, generally ranging from 80% to 120% VO2 max.

At the lower interval intensities, both the aerobic and anaerobic systems are trained.   The ST and FT fibers are recruited, lactic acid levels rise then fall due to long rest periods.   These interval last for 20 to 40 minutes and are termed “aerobic” because the lactic acid does not accumulate.

International distance triathletes should also include some higher intensity workouts, ranging from 10-30 min, especially during the competitive season. A llowing the lactic acid levels to accumulate during the workout will force certain body adaptations beyond the ATP-LA system.   It could lead to an increased tolerance of lactic acid by producing more chemical buffers in the bloodstream; it could increase the capillary density around the working muscle to remove muscle lactic acid faster; and it could increase the lactate threshold causing a shift from 70% VO2 max to 80% VO2 max. A ll of these adaptations can translate into improved swimming, cycling and running performance.

The aerobic ATP-oxidation system provides the majority of the energy used on a daily basis as well as the energy used for exercise performed below the lactate threshold.

A person can maintain a jogging pace at 50% VO2 max max for over 4 hours before fatiguing. The run might continue on indefinitely if dehydration, glycogen depletion, mental exhaustion, etc., weren’t also factors affecting fatigue.  It is important to train this long-term energy source to improve not only the efficiency of the muscles, but also the nervous system that stimulates the muscles to contract and the cardiovascular system that transports the oxygen to the working muscles.

Distance work is the traditional method used for training.  Over time, the capillary density increases around the working muscle, the oxidative enzyme levels increase, the heart size increases, and the body learns to use its abundant fat storage as fuel for energy.

Interval training can also be used to train the aerobic system.  The lower intensity interval repetitions are performed at 80-100% VO2 max, which uses a combination of aerobic and anaerobic energy systems.  The exposure to the higher than usual blood lactate levels will lead to a new lactate threshold thus the person will be able to perform aerobically at a higher VO2 max.

In terms of running technique, perhaps two variables to consider are stride length and foot placement. The 10 kilometer running speed will be determined by the stride rate and the stride length.  There is no magic formula for stride length, each person’s stride length will vary with their turnover rate.   However, it should be long enough to not feel like a shuffle and short enough not to feel like a bouncing ball.

The optimal foot placement for a middle distance runner is to make the heel strike the ground first, roll the body weight on the outer length of the foot, then push off with the forces shifting from the small toe to the big toe.  These are very small technical details compared to those in the swimming and cycling events.

The technical aspects of cycling evolve around body position and pedaling efficiency.   Given the same power output, a rider sitting tall will be slower than a crouched rider.

The wind acts as a resistance to forward movement which slows the cyclist down.  To minimize the wind
resistance, the cyclist must become as aerodynamic as possible by keeping the body low with knees and elbows tucked in.

Pedaling efficiency provides the power to cut through the wind resistance.   To maximize that power over a long period of time, the cyclist must develop a smooth stroke concentrating on maintaining a steady circular pattern with a cadence of 70 to 90 revolutions per minute.

This is different from the technique used by sprinters who pump the pedals in an upldown piston-like action. Although the motion is circular, the main forces acting on the pedal occur, on the downstroke while the upstroke is used as a short recovery phase.

Triathletes use the crawl stroke because it is the fastest stroke and it provides some rest periods during the arm recovery.  To minimize the drag created by moving through the water, the body remains as  streamlined as possible.  The forward propulsion comes from the power phase of the crawl stroke.  When the hand enters the water at the beginning of the stroke, it grabs the water then pulls the body up to the point of entry using an S-shaped maneuver.

Once the shoulder is lined up with the hand, the motion changes from a pull to a push.  As the person becomes more technically efficient, small changes take place in the overall  stroke to improve speed; the chin stays tucked, the palms face back, and the elbow is held high.  The legs mainly serve to stabilize as the swimmer rolls to take a breath or lifts her head to sight in an open water swim.

Causes

The injury is caused by the iliotibiel band rubbing against the femur on the outside of the knee.  The friction causes irritation and inflammation, and occurs when there’s a shortening of the IT band caused by anything from bowlegs, overpronation and too many downhill workouts to too much spnintwork.

First ensure that your shoes aren’t worn, as this is a common cause.

Second, look at your training: did you do too many fast sessions or suddenly increase your mileage?

Ice three to four times a day for 20 minutes.  Massage the area using circular motions, and stretch regularly.  If the problem persists, see a biomechanist to check if you need an orthotic to correct any biomechanical problems.

The rocking stretch is the second most effective treatment we know for ITBS:

Lie on your back with  our knees bent, feet on the floor, place your right ankle on top of your left knee, link your hands around the front of the left leg and pull the leg towards your chest to stretch the side of the right leg and into the glutes; hold for 30—40 seconds to relax and lengthen the muscle.  Do three times to each side, three times a day.

Trigger Point Treatment

The best results we have seen treating ITBS have been using Trigger Point rollers.  This treatment plan comes with all the equipment you will need to beat ITBS and can be used for other complaints such as heel and foot pain and other leg injuries.

One athlete/ITBS sufferer commented:

“For me physically my legs are felling amazing and I will not do a workout without doing some TP work in advance.  My super sore and tight IT band is now no longer tight and sore.  I was not even going to work on that as my hamstring was the main issue but now I can put all my weight on the Quad Baller which was impossible a few weeks ago.  It now only takes about 5 total minutes to do my entire body.” Thanks again.  Shannon Kurek, President, HFP Racing

You can get the Trigger Point treatment system at Trivillage.com.  Use the code triathlonsh-10-8 at checkout to get a 10% discount on the price.

The deeper the abrasion, the more blood — although even a mild skin abrasion is painful. Without proper treatment, abrasions can become infected.

Treatment

The simplest way to treat road rash used to be clean soap and water, an antiseptic cream and a dressing.  But new research suggests that this method may not be ideal since it can further damage the injured area, making healing slower.  Some antiseptics actually harm the tissue and affect the regeneration of cells within the wound.

The best method is to clean the area using sterile water under pressure (a syringe is ideal). You can even use gauze to lightly clean the area, but don’t rub hard or you’ll do more damage.

After the wound is cleaned, cover the area with a dressing.

Change the dressing regularly, keeping the area moist — it heals quicker, protecting itself against infection.  It is also advisable to guard against tetanus (an infectious disease that affects muscles) if the wound is open. If the abrasion is full of deep cuts, then see a doctor as stitches may be needed.