It is no secret that we get overuse injuries from repeating the same movements. Be it opening a jar if you have arthritis and your hands are hitting the same spot, an arthritic knee, or suffering from shin splints. Altering terrain is one way to prevent injury sustained from repetitive movement patterns. It does not have to involve complex hand-over-hand bouldering. Even subtle terrain shifts in grade and managing a field of rocks in a stream or path can be helpful to developing proprioception and stabilizing muscle strength in our legs, feet and core. The core is often forgotten when we watch someone run or walk for a short distance because deficits often do not show up until you get fatigued. Once fatigue sets in and adequate strength is not present, you will see people pitch forward while they run. This is a set up for injury. Core stabilizing exercises and balance drills help prevent the degradation of form but you can also find training in the choice of terrain to keep things fun and less monotonous. Schedule Appointment