Injury prevention is a very serious issue for those who run regularly,
especially those who are in training for a particular race or event. In these
cases injury prevention is not only important because it helps the runner to
avoid a painful injury and potentially long recovery period but it is also
critical because an injury can disrupt the training schedule and result in the
runner not being
properly prepared for the race or event. This article will provide some
basic tips for runners which will help them to prevent injuries.
Well designed equipment which also fits properly can go a long way towards
injury prevention for runners. One of the most important pieces of equipment for
runners is their running
shoes. Running shoes should fit properly, not be overly worn and should also
ideally be
designed to accommodate the runner’s style of running. Additionally, running
shoes should be replaced regularly to prevent injuries which may result from the
running shoe being overly worn out. A good recommendation for
how often to
replace a pair of running shoes is every 300-500 miles. Runners should keep
a detailed training log with a section for accumulated miles since the runner
started wearing a new pair of running shoes. This will allow the runner to
easily determine when they have reached the 300-500 mile range on a particular
pair of running shoes and are likely to be in need of a new pair in the near
future.
Stretching regularly can also help runners to avoid injuries. One worthwhile
recommendation for stretching is to
stretch during and after a
run. Many novice runners make the common mistake of thinking they should
stretch before their run but this is not necessarily true. Runners who stretch
before they run are stretching cold muscles which are not as pliable as muscles
which have been warmed up with a short jog. For example if you are planning to
go for a five mile run, you might want to consider jogging an easy one half mile
or a mile before you stretch to give your muscles ample time to warm up and be
more receptive to stretching. It is also a good idea to stretch after you have
completed your run. This will help your muscles to cool down properly and will
aid in the recovery process of the muscles. This is important because the
muscles can tighten considerably during the course of the run. Stretching them
afterwards will help to prevent a long term shortening of the muscles.
Finally, runners can help to prevent injuries by taking care to avoid doing too
much mileage too quickly. An individual who has not been running at all and
attempts to immediately start running 5-7 miles per day is likely to experience
a number of different injuries. Those who have not been running regularly are
advised to start out with only a couple of miles a day. Even experienced runners
can cause injuries by attempting to increase their mileage too quickly. You
should aim to make mileage increases as gradual as possible and try to limit
yourself to increase of no more than 10% per week to avoid injuries commonly
associated with overtraining such as shin splints and stress fractures.
The video clip above is from my DVD about running stetches and other running related information. Click on the DVD case below to find out more.
