Physiotherapist Raquel Castanharo, 39, has just published by Planeta “This book is not just about running”, in which she compiles a notable part of the content published on the web, very useful material for beginner runners and even more so for those who think they understand what’s going on.
Obsessed with scientific research, which she translates with brilliant didacticism, and with experience in clinical practice, she stands out for explaining what works and what doesn’t in the activity.
Mainly what doesn’t.
She is also a runner, having done her first marathon last year, in Rio, 17 days after being diagnosed with breast cancer.
In the book, Raquel attacks the myths built around running, but does not glamorize the science of the sport, “a baby”. “There is still a storm of bad evidence from sloppy testing.”
A supporter of Canadian doctor William Osler’s (1849-1919) postulate that “medicine is the science of uncertainty and the art of probability”, she states: “Whenever a health professional says ‘certainly’, be suspicious.” “Almost nothing in the human body is certain.”
Presented author, see what she says about central themes of the race. The assertions are accompanied, in the book, by notes with indications of the scientific works that endorse them.
Tennis
“It has little or no influence on the prevention of injuries (…) The main focus and first care should always be on your own body and what you are doing with it (Are you strong? Are you resting? Are you sleeping properly? Are your workouts gradually increasing without sudden increases? How is your impact with the ground? Are you eating right?)”
Footstep in the race
“There is no type of footfall better than another. Trying to change your footstep, from heel to forefoot, to run better, does not generate benefits. And in the same way that many incredible runners run with the forefoot [tocando o chão]several other incredible runners run with the heel, for example, Brigid Kosguei, marathon world record holder from 2019 to 2023.”
“Bad” knee
“I often joke that if the finish line of a running race had a chondropathy detector that would only let those with perfect knees pass, there would be half a dozen 19-year-olds left to run. Those with chondropathy can run, yes, they just need to treat it (with exercises, movements, increased capacity, decreased fear). Running doesn’t seem to make this wear and tear worse as they say (at least not in amateur runners)”
Stretching
“Study after study, the results have shown that it does not prevent injuries, neither done before running nor done after (…) It gives a pleasant momentary feeling, but it kind of stops there.”
Ice bath and “recovery”
Getting into a bathtub with water and ice, wearing compression boots and getting a massage are recovery strategies that reduce the feeling of discomfort and muscle fatigue after exercise. They reduce the inflammatory process (…) but not as much as most people imagine. Could this good feeling just come from a placebo effect? A medium-quality scientific test tested this hypothesis, giving a juice with red dye (…) saying that it was cranberry juice with anti-inflammatory properties. And didn’t the fake juice produce the same result as getting into a bathtub with ice?”
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