Prevent Running Injuries
In this article, I will give you nine tips to prevent running injuries. Running injuries can be common and can sideline you at any point in your running career.
The most common injury areas for runners are the knees. Runners also commonly face foot and ankle injuries, lower back pain and hip pain.
These tips will help you avoid pain and injuries that could sideline your running career.
Get a Check up
Before you start running, you should get a check up with your doctor. Make sure you can safely perform vigorous cardio exercises like running. You want to make sure you can safely run without worry for your heart, lungs, bones and joints.
Running Shoes
Proper running shoes can help you prevent injuries. I would recommend you get fitted by a specialist. Some specialists can even determine your gate and help you find a type of shoe that works for you.
You should also replace your shoes every six months, or roughly every 500 miles. You can also buy two pairs of running shoes at a time and alternate between them to reduce the stress on your lower legs and joints.
Work with a Running Coach
Working with a running coach can help you improve your form and running technique to help reduce the risk of injuries.
You take between 1,000-10,000 strides or more during a typical training run. Any slight misalignment in your technique adds up over time and puts extra stress on your body.
By improving your running form when you get started, you can reduce the stress on your joints and improve your running efficiency.
Warm up Properly
A proper warm up can also help you to prevent running injuries. Make sure you RAMP up for your running workouts. This means you need to raise your body temperature first with easy walking or jogging. Next, you can activate your muscles through squats, lunges, or walk outs. Next, improve mobility with leg swings, hip circles and shoulder circles. Finally, you can potentiate your workout by gradually increasing the intensity of your running. Progress from a short, easy 50 meter run at 50 percent of your workout speed. Next, do a short 50 meter run at 70 percent speed. Next, try a 50 meter run at 90 percent speed. Now, you can start your workout!
Progress Gradually
You can prevent many running injuries by progressing gradually. Ideally, you should only increase your frequency, intensity or running volume a little bit each week. You should never increase your running volume or intensity by 10 percent or more in a single week.
You might also consider working with a qualified personal trainer or running coach so that you don’t overdo it. A seasoned coach can help you create a good program for progression without putting too much stress on your body.
Strength Training
Not only can strength training make you a better runner, but it can also help you prevent injuries. Strength training builds stronger bones, tendons, joints and ligaments and makes you more resilient. Stronger muscles can also protect your joints too.
Make sure you follow a strength training program that includes compound, multi joint exercises that train every muscle in your body. Make sure you work some lateral motion into your strength routine as well.
Running only works your muscles from one direction, so you need to include multi-directional work into your strength routine as well. For instance, try lateral lunges and wood chops. Additionally, make sure you try some single leg exercises to improve stability and single leg power. And finally, don’t forget to train your upper body and core too for better running form. Pay special attention to your back muscles, glutes, and hamstrings for running injury prevention.
You can gain help prevent injuries with just two, thirty minute strength workouts per week.
Rest and Recovery
As a runner, you need rest and recovery too to build back stronger and prevent overuse injuries.
Make sure you take at least one full day off from running each week. In addition, try to get 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night to help you recover from your workouts.
Without this crucial rest and recovery, you will increase the risk of running injuries.
Proper Nutrition
You also need proper nutrition to help you fuel your runs. Proper nutrition can help prevent injuries by giving your body the tools to build back stronger.
Runners need adequate calories, protein, carbs, healthy fats and micronutrients to keep going strong.
Many runners under eat or fail to eat a healthy diet, and this can increase the risk for injuries and stress fractures.
Flexibility Training
Limber muscles can help you reduce the risk of injury during your runs. Loose, flexible muscles can also improve your running form and posture. Why not incorporate some flexibility training into your routine?
You can try some basic active mobility drills during your next running warm up. For example, try leg swings, hip circles and windmills.
After your running workout, you can try some simple static stretches for 20-30 seconds. Stretching twice per week can help improve flexibility and may reduce the risk of injuries.
You Can Prevent Running Injuries
Many running injuries can be prevented with a combination of the tips in this article. What do you think? What changes have you made to your running routine to help prevent injuries? Please let me know in the comment section below.
