JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas –
For many service members and civilians, running is a vital part of their lives, so the Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph Health and Wellness Center is taking the extra step to make "maintaining health" a priority by offering a monthly natural-running clinic for the JBSA community.
Karl Leonard, HAWC exercise physiologist, said the clinic is not only important because they teach proper running fundamentals, but the information provided can help people avoid unnecessary injury and surgery resulting from bad running.
"About 90 percent of people who come through my doors are inefficient runners and are damaging their bodies," Leonard, who's been conducting Air Force running clinics for eight years, said. "In short, improper running is an epidemic in my experience, from young athletic Airmen to older individuals."
The clinic highlights the body mechanics of running, injury prevention, performance improvement for physical training tests, ideal running form, core strengthening and stabilization, flexibility, running shoe selection and how to make running more enjoyable, Leonard said.
This is accomplished through indoor classroom instruction and outdoor physical application, he said.
Senior Airman Adriana Charles, Air Force Personnel Center technician, said that after attending a clinic in November, her physical condition improved. A foot fracture has kept her on profile for two years.
"I gained a lot of knowledge about the basics of running and what people do wrong, the right kind of shoes to buy, the proper posture and how to breathe correctly," she said. "Since then, I have been running according to the way I was taught that day and I've been doing very well, better than I expected."
Charles said Leonard gave the clinic a personal touch by recording the way participants ran, breaking down their mechanics and suggesting techniques for improvement.
For Master Sgt. David Ehrbar, 502nd Security Forces and Logistics Support Group NCO in charge of knowledge operations, attending the November clinic helped him dispel and affirm various running advice he'd received throughout the years.
"I learned I had some good foot strike but launched myself higher than necessary, putting more stress on my calves and Achilles tendons, and needed to have a straighter and more active arm swing and a slight forward lean," Ehbar said. "When I incorporated this on a long run, I increased my pace and it was easier to correct myself when I got lazy."
According to Leonard, proper running form entails landing on the balls of the feet with a slightly forward lean at a cadence of 180 beats per minute, which naturally shortens stride length and eliminates the tendency to strike the ground with heels first.
The clinic is open to anyone with JBSA-Randolph access.
To sign up, visit
https://app-eis.aetc.af.mil/fas/Randolph/default.aspx, click on "Running Clinic" and then click "Register Here!"
Individuals are advised to wear exercise clothing and running shoes.
For more information, call 652-3967.