RECOVERY THROUGH RUNNING
INJURIES THAT CAUSE BRAIN TRAUMA CAN HAVE DEVASTATING CONSEQUENCES, BUT FOR SOME, RUNNING OFFERS A WAY FORWARD
We runners live in fear of injuries.
We know we’re always one step away from a twisted ankle or pulled hamstring that could sideline us for days, weeks or months, scuppering our best-laid training plans or race-day goals. But running’s pains, strains and sprains are trivial compared with often life-changing brain injuries. A trauma can result from something like a fall or a car accident, causing your brain to bump against the inside of your skull. Equally devastating are acquired brain injuries, caused by issues such as a stroke (when blood supply to part of the brain is cut off), haemorrhage or tumour.
Sadly, brain injuries are far too common. Recent UK data recorded more than 356,000 hospital admissions annually for brain injuries – roughly one person every 90 seconds. Today, around 1.4 million people in the UK live with the aftermath of this trauma. The severity of these injuries varies greatly. At the lower end of the scale are cases of mild concussion due to a force rapidly moving the brain back and forth. According to the charity Headway, an estimated 95% of all head injuries fit into this category. However, even mild concussion can have serious consequences, as a recent major study led by Oxford and Exeter University researchers involving 15,000 participants found. It concluded that suffering three or more concussions is linked to worsening brain function later in life. Even a single moderate-to-severe instance could have a long-term impact on memory, the study found.
When someone loses consciousness or is put into a coma, the consequences can be even more far-reaching, with long-term side effects including poor balance or loss of mobility, some of which may be permanent. Common cognitive problems include memory loss, difficulty concentrating, disturbed sleep and slowness at taking on board new information. Some people will suffer unsettling personality changes; mood swings might mean they change from being fairly even-keeled to someone racked with anger, frustration, depression or anxiety.
Recovery time from brain injuries varies greatly, but neurological experts agree that targeted rehabilitation where the brain learns new ways to overcome any lasting damage is crucial. And new research published in Experimental Neurology last year suggests that exercising, rather than a strict rest regime, might benefit recovery more. After looking at many other studies, researchers concluded that ‘exercise can facilitate cognitive recovery through multiple mechanisms’. In addition to reducing inflammation, exercise increases neuroplasticity. This describes how the brain adapts to changes, including those that ma
