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Today I am sharing some tips to prevent runner injuries. There’s so much talk about running injuries, including plantar fasciitis and shin splits. In addition to the pain of the injury, running injuries also prevent us from doing what we love, running! So I decided to put together a list of 8 tips that can help prevent these problems from happening.
Make Sure You Do A Proper Warm-up
Warm up before your workout by stretching muscles or with light movement like hopping on one foot. These precautions help make joints more flexible which could prevent injuries in the future-especially if they’re relatively new runners!
Tips to Prevent Runner Injuries – Know your limits
Exercise balls, equipment, and weights might be great tools for improving strength and balance, but it’s important to know when enough is enough to prevent injury. Push yourself just far enough that you feel challenged but not so hard that you’re injured or exhausted!
Work Up Your Distance Slowly
We all want to reach our running goals, but it’s important to take things slow and steady to keep from getting hurt. If you can only run a mile, that’s fine! Runners don’t have as much time as they used to since they’re usually busy with school or their careers. Shoot for running 3-5 miles a week. If you have time on the weekends, try increasing the distance by adding one mile per week.
Get The Right Shoes
If you’re new to running, going to the Shoe store can be really overwhelming. There are so many different shoes to choose from and they all seem pretty similar! Start off with something simple like a running shoe that has the right fit and support for your foot. Make sure it has enough cushioning and arches in the right places. If you do not have a quality shoe store locally, you can always check running shoes at Amazon. They offer a great variety and the reviews are helpful.
Keep Your Core Strong
This is especially important for runners! Doing core workout exercises like planks and crunches can help prevent injuries in the future. You should try to do these exercises at least 1 to 2 times per week if possible. Incorporating a Full-body Workout Routine or even learning some Power Yoga Poses will greatly help strengthen your core and in return reduce your risk of running injuries.
Ensure Your Posture Is Correct
Tuck your chin in and bend forward slightly from the waist when jogging in order to maintain a proper posture. Without a forward lean, you won’t be able to accelerate forward as quickly as when you’re standing still. Tilt your cranium slightly backwards. Rotation and landing can cause your head to slip forward, therefore this will protect it from doing so Relax your arms and let them sway freely from your shoulders.. By minimizing excessive tightness when jogging, this will help prevent biceps problems. Make sure you spread your weight evenly on both feet. This will prevent injuries that can happen when sudden force is applied to one side of your body.
Focus on Improving Endurance Over Decreasing Body weight
Strength and endurance are more important than losing weight. You will be able to run longer distances with less stress on your joints, muscles, and bones if you focus on growing your endurance rather than reducing your weight.
Running large distances to lose weight is a widespread myth, and if you’re not prepared, it could lead to injury. Making sure you eat and drink enough food and fluids is an important first step in preventing injury. Before increasing your distance, focus on creating a strong foundation and keeping excellent form.
Distance can be increased more gradually and without putting undue pressure on the body until its muscles have had time to adapt to the increased exertion. If you’re in good shape, it is also important to know that injuries can still occur. Endurance can be trained, but there are certain factors you cannot control. Even if your body is prepared for running 5 miles, a sudden injury or illness could prevent you from reaching your goals.
Don’t Run On Empty
If you’ve eaten a healthy meal and adequately hydrated before a run, the contents will be broken down and used during your run to help reduce the stress on your body. If you run on an empty stomach, your body will use its own muscle tissue as a source of energy. Because this energy source is not easily re-synthesized by the body, it could cause damage to organs like the liver and kidneys if used for too long or during strenuous activity that lasts longer than 90 minutes.
It’s important to remember that eating before a workout does not mean you can eat whatever you want! Healthy carbohydrates like whole grains, fruits and vegetables are all good options for pre-run snacks.
Conclusion for Tips to Prevent Runner Injuries
I’ve been running for about 6 years and I have learned over time that it’s important to avoid injury by practicing good form when you’re training, keeping your body healthy, and staying within your limits. By following these tips to prevent runner injuries, you will be able to mitigate the chance of getting a running injury and continue to enjoy the great benefits of running!
