Top Four Exercises to Test your Running Readiness:
- Single Leg Balance: Stand on one leg, other knee flexed up to 90 degrees or hip level, hold position without falling over or using support from hands or foot for at least 30 seconds. Try doing this in front of a mirror to observe compensations of leaning with your trunk, dropping or raising of your hip or flattening or raising of your arches of your feet.
- Single Leg Heel Raises: Stand on one leg, raise your heels as high as you can and bear your weight on your big toe. Goal is 25 reps with getting full height from your ankles. A common compensation is weight shifting towards the outside of your foot.
- Single Leg Squats: Stand on one leg, squat down to roughly chair height while maintaining good alignment of your knee and stand up. Goal is 10 reps without needing to put your foot down or wobble side to side with your trunk. Common compensations are knee wobbling in and out and excessive weight into the toes. Think about a straight vertical line drawn through your hip, knee and 2nd toe of your foot as you squat.
- Side Plank: Prop yourself up on your side, stacking your elbow under your shoulder, hip in line and not sagging down towards the floor and feet either stacked or staggered for support. Goal is to hold for at least 60 seconds without breaking down form or losing balance.
Adam Javate PT, DPT
Clinical Director of Physical Therapy
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