Every talk i give to runners and non runners alike has, as its main theme, the idea that to aim for symmetry in the way that our bodies move is of paramount importance to warding off injury.
This is never more true than in runners. A slight asymmetry in function will create a difference in stride length on one side compared with the other. Over many thousand strides this could cause some damage to the body, or at least create a strain pattern that results in injury.
This is why i think that we should all have a day in the week when every single thing we do is the mirror image of normal. Let me give an example…. if you sit on the right hand side of the sofa at night watching TV, sit on the other side of the sofa for one night in exactly a mirror image position. If you pick up a kettle with your right hand normally, pick it up with your left. and so on and so forth.
By doing this you will be gradually helping to unwind your asymmetrical pattern, and equalise your stride lengths, reducing the likelihood of injury. Just one day a week is enough to make a difference. Itll be hard to begin with, but will become easier with time.
