Running injuries are no fun – here are some essential tips on how to avoid them.
When you stop and think about it, compared with other sports running has an awful lot going for it. It’s one of the best and simplest forms of exercise, you don’t need loads of expensive equipment, you can do it pretty much anywhere and it’s a lot of fun either on your own or with others.
Yes in many respects running is unique, yet it does share something with other sports and something that is quite often overlooked by runners themselves. Running can lead to injury.
A recent survey concluded that 43% of injuries in all sports are overuse injuries and as runners we have to hold up our hands and say that we’re probably amongst the biggest offenders of not always listening to what our bodies are telling us. So we asked The Society of Sports Therapists for their opinion on the basic simple steps that we can all take to minimise the chances of injury from running.
Wear the Right Shoes.
According to research, in excess of two or three times our body weight is applied every time the foot lands. Measure this by the number of strides taken and you can start to imagine the kind of jarring and pounding that your feet take over any kind of distance. Wearing the wrong kind of running shoes can often cause overuse injury.
In fact there are many factors to consider when choosing a running shoe including:
As a runner choosing the right shoe is probably one of the most important things to get right and if you haven’t done so already then it may be advisable to pay a visit to one of the specialist running shops that offer a fitting service. They will assess these factors and help you select the correct shoes for you.
Don’t increase you Mileage too Rapidly
It can be very addictive clocking up those extra miles, but if you want to increase your mileage then look to do so gradually. The normal response of the body to stress (physical activity) is to strengthen the tissues and this is one of the principles of training; muscles get stronger as do bones, ligaments and tendons. However, if extra stress is applied too rapidly then the tissues will break down. By increasing mileage gradually this allows the body’s tissues and other systems to adapt to the new load.
If you’re a beginner then start by running distances that you know you can comfortably manage and don’t be in too much of a hurry to run further. According to the Society of Sports Therapists a sensible increase in distance would be about 10%. Then for your next 8 to 10 runs keep at this distance so as to allow your body a period of adaptation.
Also for more experienced runners be careful when changing your training habits. If you run on treadmills but switch to roads beware - treadmills are softer than pavements!
Stretching
An area of the body to pay particular care and attention to is the lower calf muscles. Also known as the Soleus muscles, these are the main cause of Achilles problems, shin soreness and calf strains.
To stretch your calf muscles flex your knee over your toes whilst keeping the heel of your foot down. Push the knee forward until you feel tightness in the lower calf. You can also place the ball of your foot on a low kerb or something similar, this will increase the stretch.
Hydration
If you intend on running for more than 30 minutes or in hot weather then you’ll need to think about hydration. Dehydration can cause muscle cramp and reduction in muscle efficiency thereby increasing the risk of injury. To find out more read our article when to hydrate on the run.
Listen to Your Body
If it’s creaking and groaning then don’t ignore it. If something is hurting then it may not be doing you any good. Certainly if you run with an injury then you won’t be helping yourself, no matter how good or experienced you are. Don’t take any risks, get advice, consult a qualified injury specialist and get the problem seen to.
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Yoga and core training are very helpful in avoiding injuries too. It's important to keep you body's muscles in good balance and also stretch muscles properly. I have found that if I attend a yoga session each week, one locally or do a DVD or something like thinqfitness.com, and also do a core based session, eg sits ups, planks etc it helps to keep running injuries away.
Really interesting post, thanks! I've always suffered from shin splints which has put me off running long distances. However I've been reading lots about Barefoot running as apparently the form you take is less strenuous on your knees, shins & feet. Merrell have some interesting info - www.merrell.com/.../Bareform - Has anyone ever tried barefoot running?