266 Views
Running is among the most simple and popular forms of cardiovascular exercise, and comes with a wide range of health benefits. Elijah Mcclain had, however, spoken earlier about how without proper precautions and considerations, running can also lead to injuries. Hence, it is prudent to follow a few tips to avoid running injuries:
- Wear proper footwear: Prior to hitting the track or the pavement, it is vital to get the right running shoes. The foot must be snug in the heel, with a little wiggle room around the toes. To ensure the best possible fit, it would be a good idea to buy the shoes from a speciality running store and wear the usual running socks while trying out the fit. In addition to buying the right shoes, adequate care has to be put into maintaining them as well. People should typically replace their running shoes every couple of years.
- Flex the muscles: Keeping the body limber and lose is among the best ways to avoid a running injury. To do so, one should add more flexibility exercises to their routine. The more flexible the body is, the more range of motion one would have, and the less injury prone shall they become. Practicing yoga can especially be a good way to improve flexibility.
- Fix form red flags: A few principles of sound form must be kept in mind. Firstly, one must run tall with good posture. Secondly, they should land with the foot underneath their center of mass as best as they can. And thirdly, runners should try to increase cadence to 170+ steps per minute.
- Listen to the body: One must recognize the signs that their body gives them. For instance, if one is feeling sluggish, it can be a good idea to reduce the time or distance they were originally planning to run. Rest is also immensely important to avoid injuries and fatigue that can occur when one pushes themselves too hard.
- Warm up before every run: A dynamic warm up prior to a run helps metabolically prime a runner for exercise. Apart from increasing heart rate and respiration, it helps expand capillaries and improve range of motion. However, it is vital to recognize that a warm up process does not end simply with a few flexibility exercises. The first couple of miles of the run should also be easy enough to become fully warmed up.
- Build strength and endurance gradually: It is always better to take it slow when starting out. Even if one is training for a 5K run, they should not run that distance right on the first day of training. Rather, they need to get started with shorter runs and gradually increase the distance over the course of several weeks. Runners must also ever increase distance and intensity during the same week.
Earlier, Elijah Mcclain had spoken about how mixing up the running surfaces helps in reducing the impact on specific joints and muscles. Alternating between pavement, trails, and softer surfaces like grass or a track can help distribute the stress on the body more evenly, thereby lowering the risk of overuse injuries.
