WALKERS, runners and amateur athletes are being advised to make sure they have warm clothes at hand both at the start – and crucially  at the end - of next Monday’s Dublin Marathon by healthcare experts who have attended the marathon for many years.

Chartered physiotherapist, Adrian Copeland, who heads a team of over 30 fully-qualified and student physiotherapists that have provided treatment and advice to marathon participants for the last 13 years, says that in his experience of the marathon, many of the people who take part suffer acute pain and injury that can be avoided.

Step 1: Hypothermia-prevention

Hypothermia is one of the most avoidable problems identified by Adrian Copeland and his team over the years, with dozens of people needing treatment for hypothermia each year and some people even needing hospital treatment.

“It’s amazing how many people don’t have warm clothes. We see it every year and hypothermia is s a condition that is 100% avoidable,” says Adrian Copeland.

“Marathon participants need to take account of the fact that it is the end of October and it can be freezing cold at the start for people standing around in shorts and little singlets; They may have to wait up to half an hour before they begin the race and by the time they’re finished the 26 mile circuit they end up sweating and their body has reached the very limits of its endurance” he adds.

The advice to all marathon participants is to ensure that they wear a warm top at the startline while they’re waiting and that pack a tracksuit and an extra warm top layer in the special marathon bags that each of them will have to hand as soon as they cross the finish line.  Relying on getting to cars or to family members to get warm clothes immediately after they complete the event is simply not feasible owing to road closures, crowds and other logistical barriers, Adrian Copeland points out.

Step 2: Cramp-avoidance

Cramps are another acutely painful condition, according to Adrian Copeland.

“We see a lot of people bent over rigid and crying with pain, with hamstrings (back of thighs), quads (front of thighs) and lower back being the main areas of pain.”

His advice to marathon participants is to drink enough water and isotonic drinks (a balance of salt and sugar) to prevent cramps and to carry out the right kind of stretching exercises to deal with the cramps.

It is also vital, he points out, that all marathon participants participate in the ISCP-led “cool down routine” as soon as they complete the marathon.

“We lead stretching exercises. The routine only takes 10 – 15 minutes for each person but it is really important to protect their bodies from injury and from pain.”

ISCP members will be on hand at first-aid stations along the route and at the finishline to give advice to cramp-sufferers and to treat them where necessary with massage and stretching treatments. The ISCP team are also running an information clinic at the Dublin Marathon Expo in the RDS this weekend to give advice and answer any questions marathon-participants have.

Steps 3 – 5: Blisters, sprained ankles and joint-pain

Blisters, sprained ankles and pains on the outside of the knee and/or in the hip, are the other three most common and most avoidable injuries sustained by marathon participants treated by the volunteer physiotherapists

“We see some horrific problems caused by blisters,” Adrian Copeland points out, recalling a number of situations where participants’ feet have been destroyed by the simple mistake of wearing new runners on the day or just not tying the laces properly.

“Make sure the runners you wear on the day are well broken-in and fit you comfortably and ensure that the laces are tied properly so that the runner is not loose against the foot as this will definitely lead to friction against the skin and to blisters. It’s also important to wear good socks and to apply blister plasters on areas that are prone to blisters before you begin the marathon” is the advice from Adrian Copeland.

In relation to sprained and twisted ankles, marathon-participants should remember at all times that they are running, jogging and walking on city-streets where uneven road surfaces are fairly common. Pains on the outside of the knee and in the hips are also very commonplace and can be managed by gentle stretching exercises which may involve the participant lying on their back and following an appropriate exercise routine on the advice of their local ISCP practitioner.

Based on their experience of the Dublin Marathon, the ISCP have compiled a list of tips which marathon-participants are urged to check-out prior to getting started.

The Complete Chartered Physiotherapists’ Top 10 Tips to get you over the Finish Line!

Lead up to the marathon:

1. Your training is done by now so take it easy with just a few easy runs over the remaining days.
2. Maintain a good diet including complex carbohydrates (brown rice, brown pasta, and sweet potatoes) in conjunction with protein which will ensure a slower energy release for this endurance event.
3. Maintain an adequate water intake.
4. If you have any injury concerns at this stage consult your chartered physiotherapist who will advise you on how best to manage the injury.

Before the marathon:

1. Keep as warm as possible before the start of the marathon.
2. Ensure you perform an adequate dynamic warm-up prior to the start, easy-jogging, short strides, heel kicks, and high-knee running and trunk twists.
3. Don’t forget to rub Vaseline on body areas that will repetitively rub against your clothing and use “second-skin” plasters on feet to avoid blisters.

After the marathon:

1. As uncomfortable as it may be keep moving after you cross the finish line; walk for five to ten minutes and then perform static stretches. This will reduce the amount of muscle soreness you will experience and kick-start the recovery process. After the race visit the ISCP marquee near the Finish Line for further advice on the best methods of post-race recovery.
2. If you sustain a major injury, follow the PRICE protocol – Protect, Rest, Ice, Compress, and Elevate. For more serious injuries seek medical attention.
3. Contact your chartered physiotherapist for further information on post-race recovery strategies or for assessment, treatment and rehabilitation of injuries

Further information and leaflets can be downloaded from www.iscp.ie

Notes to Editor

1. The Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists (ISCP) will have a total of four physiotherapy stations along the route. They are:
2. Fortfield  Road, Terenure, Dublin 6. (15 Miles)
3. Milltown, Dublin 6. (18 Miles)
4. Flyover Bridge at UCD, Dublin 4. (22 Miles)
5. Merrion Square North, Dublin 2. (Finish – 26 Miles)
6. ISCP: Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists, est 1983 represents over 3000 chartered physiotherapists providing services in Ireland to people injured through sport, work, general exercise and/or with respiratory illnesses or long-term conditions such as cystic fibrosis, strokes, cancer etc.
7. Adrian Copeland BSc, Cert. Ortho. Man. Th., MISCP is a Chartered Physiotherapist based in Gorey Co. Wexford, with Physio-Solutions a Chartered Physiotherapy and Sports Injury Clinic.

Contact: Aoife Mac Eoin. 087 – 239 1984 (Media Queries)
Adrian Copeland MISCP. 087 - 416 0817 (Expert Interview)