Recovery is a crucial part of your training and ensures you build endurance without compromising your long-term health.
"There is no one-size-fits-all approach to recovery. For participants with disabilities, recovery often needs to be enhanced and address specific needs,” says physiotherapist Ann Bryan.
Ann has extensive experience working with adaptive athletes. Here are her top three tips for increasing your mileage safely.
Don’t wait until it’s too late
A common mistake is only considering recovery after getting injured or completing an event, but recovery is a key component of your Training Plan.
You might require a more personalised plan and to allow for extra recovery time.
"This may include more stretching, such as proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation [a technique to improve muscle elasticity], as well as a higher level of recovery massage, particularly if you rely heavily on one side of your body,” Ann says.
“Additionally, the impact of training tends to be more unilateral, meaning tightness, soreness, and injuries may occur more frequently on the impaired side. Allowing for extra recovery time is essential."
Done right, training with proper recovery, nutrition, and psychological wellbeing allows you to perform at your best while reducing the risk of long-term injury.
Listen to your body
You will get tired over the course of your Training Plan, and recognising the signs of overtraining is crucial.
"There’s a difference between identifying potential overtraining injuries and actually acknowledging them," Ann explains. "This is where both the physical and psychological elements of training come into play."
Fatigue can manifest in unique ways. For example, those with lower limb impairments may experience increased contralateral hip movement, which, if unmanaged, can lead to injury.
Ann says if you wear a prosthetic you also need to consider the fit, durability, and impact on gait during your long runs.
Don’t overlook strength training
"I always say, get fit to play sport, not play sport to get fit," says Ann.
Strength training strengthens muscles, tendons and ligaments, which can help to reduce the risk of injury.
"The stronger your muscles are, the better they can protect your joints and absorb impact. Overload should be gradual, and correct form is crucial. Since movement patterns may be unique, working with a coach or physiotherapist to ensure balance is important, especially as fatigue sets in."
Mobility and flexibility exercises should complement strength training. A solid stretching routine, both before and after the workout, can help with long-term recovery.
Ann says periodisation is also a useful tool to consider to avoid overtraining. This involves organising your training into phases by breaking your workload down into smaller blocks.
This piece was written by para-athlete Anthony Bryan who represented England at the 2015 Cerebral Palsy World Games in Nottingham and competed in the 2024 Adaptive CrossFit Games in Texas. He’s no stranger to running either, as he took home the Guinness World Record for the fastest marathon with hemiplegia - a paralysis that affects one side of your body - at the 2024 TCS London Marathon.