Injury Prevention For Runners

As runners it's easy to look back after we're hurt but sometimes we forget the basics of injury prevention. Here are some suggestions to jog your memory and keep you running.

• Remember this golden rule for injury prevention: Listen to Your Body. If you have sharp pain, soreness that won't go away or you're feeling very tired and grumpy think twice about running. Use your women's intuition. Be wise, take a day or two off and rest. A few days now could save you weeks/months on the sidelines and many dollars in treatment.



• It's easy to over train. We all want to get faster and stronger, yesterday. The key is to gradually increase your mileage, no more than 10% a week and not every week. Ease into speed and hill work after you've built a good base of running.



• Invest in good running shoes for injury prevention. Compared to other sports running is inexpensive. Trying to save a few dollars by not replacing your shoes (every 300-500 miles) is not worth it. Buy your first pair of shoes from a specialty running store from someone that runs and knows how to fit you properly.



• Run on level grass fields, dirt trails or medium-hard paths. Avoid doing most of your running on hard asphalt or concrete to save your legs from excessive pounding. Look out for ruts, rocks, tree roots, holes, uneven turf, banked roads, sand, water, snow and ice when you're running.



• Include stretching as part of your workouts, especially after you run. Tight and shortened muscles are more at risk for injury. If you're short on time try stretching while reading, talking on the phone or watching TV.



• Improper or over stretching can also cause sports injuries. As a runner you'll probably never be as flexible as a yogi. However, you can easily learn proper stretching techniques. Remember stretching should never be painful.



• The buttocks, hamstrings and calf muscles can become overdeveloped with running. To prevent imbalance of the opposing muscles include strengthening exercises for your abdominals, shins and quadriceps.



• Structural (physical) problems such as weak feet, short leg, knock knees, bow legs and postural faults put extra strain on muscles, bones, joints, tendons and ligaments. Visit a sports medicine expert for a checkup, treatment and injury prevention.



• Good technique can prevent running injuries. We all have our own unique style but try to avoid leaning too far forward or back, swaying from side to side and over striding.



• Always warm-up and cool-down. You might be pressed for time but it's not worth skipping these. Ease into running, don't pick up the pace or begin speed work without 10 minutes of easy jogging. When you finish your workout jog slowly or walk for 10 minutes to cool down.



• Remember the hard/easy rule. When you train hard, think speed work, racing or long run, make the next day an easy running day. Perhaps take the day off or try a low-impact cross training workout for injury prevention.



• It's tempting to keep running while injured as you don't want to lose fitness. However, you may favor the injured area and cause stresses on other parts of your body. This may lead to more injuries.



• Take extra time when returning from injury. Reassess your training and goals. Scar tissue and stiffness in old running injuries can cause them to recur or give you new ones. Pay special attention to those areas, strengthen and stretch.



• Keep a running log for injury prevention, to track your training and habits. Rarely do running injuries occur by accident, usually there will be a sign. Reading your running journal helps you pin point where it started and you can (hopefully) learn from this.