Marathon Recovery

A marathon is a 26.2-mile race, and is exhausting not only because of the difficulties of the actual run but because of the training leading up to it. Marathon recovery is a significant part of the marathon experience; any runner without an adequate marathon recovery plan may damage his or her body in the aftermath of a marathon. This article will suggest some helpful marathon recovery tips for a successful post-marathon recovery.

Following a marathon, runners may experience severe fatigue and muscle soreness. Both pre-marathon training and the race itself may cause inflammation and loss of muscle fiber, weakening the muscles. Doctors recommend about two weeks of after-marathon recovery to allow the muscles to return to their full strength, and seven to ten days to recover from cellular damage.

Moreover, the immune system is severely weakened during endurance races. A patient may suffer from flu or colds in the aftermath of a marathon, especially if they train too hard without resting. They may develop leg soreness, joint and muscle pain, insomnia, and depression. The best way to prevent these symptoms from developing is to maintain a well-functioning immune system, and the best way to do this is to rest as much as possible for at least three days after the race. A proper diet is also essential to a post-marathon recovery plan. Doctors recommend snacking during the first hour after the marathon with light snacks such as fruits or nuts, accompanied by copious amounts of water, and then transitioning into larger meals that include significant numbers of carbohydrates, such as rice, pasta, and oatmeal. Proper intake of marathon recovery food will help a runner to maintain blood sugar levels and restore lost muscle tissue.

At New York Dynamic Rehabilitation clinic (NYDNRehab) we provide important resources for after-marathon recovery. Foremost among them is the running diagnosis and gait laboratory, which pinpoints dysfunctional movement in the runner’s gait cycle. While mainstream diagnostic procedures based on ultrasounds or X-rays can identify pathologies once they’ve already fully developed, gait analysis is different in that it allows us to recognize conditions in their early stages. This is critical to patients undergoing marathon recovery because the effects of the race may not be immediately evident. However, our technology enables us to catch them in the developmental stages before the patient even begins to experience painful symptoms and other warning signs.

NYDNRehab is one of the most advanced clinics for runners in the United States, having been featured in various print publications and on television. Dr. Lev Kalika, the clinical director of NYDNRehab, has studied the biomechanics of running under running and injury prevention expert Christopher Powers. After receiving certification in biomechanical analysis of running and sports injuries, Dr. Kalika established a gait and motion analysis lab that is on the cutting edge of sports rehabilitation.