Being injured while out for a run is actually very common. Fortunately, there are ways to protect yourself. Running injuries, while common, have a large range when it comes to severity. A running injury could be something minor like a pulled muscle, or something serious like a fractured ankle or a torn ligament. No matter how serious or minor the running injury may be, there are ways to prevent a painful injury.

Some Helpful Prevention Hints

The oldest trick in the books is to stretch before your workout. Everyone has heard about the importance of stretching, but amazingly there are still people out there who don’t think stretching before running is important. These people are at great risk for injuries like pulled and strained muscles as well as stretched or torn ligaments.
Not only is it important to stretch before a run, it is also important to stretch after your work out to prevent lactic acid from pooling in your muscles. It is when you fail to stretch after your run and allow lactic acid to build up that you are at greatest risk for muscle injuries like pulls and strains. Stretching will relieve muscle tension and increase muscle fiber flexibility, so your muscles will move a little more freely the next time you run.

What Parts of the Body are Most Likely to be Injured During a Run?

The knees, ankles, calves, shins, Achilles tendons and the feet are most commonly injured among runners. In fact, about a quarter of all endurance runners will injure their knees at some point. The knee is at such danger because it is the largest joint and it absorbs a great deal of force.

If you are new to running, it is especially important that you don’t over exert yourself. Take it slowly; don’t increase the difficulty level of your workout drastically. For example, if you begin by running one mile every day for a week with very little difficulty, don’t try to run ten miles the next week. Instead run one and a half, or two miles.

Don’t Be Cheap; Treat Your Feet!

A good pair of shoes is paramount to preventing some of the more serious running injuries, especially internal injuries to the feet and knees. Don’t be afraid to ask a sales representative to help you choose the best athletic shoe for your needs, this is what these people are paid to do.

Running is a safe and self rewarding activity, and as long as you keep the tips mentioned in mind, you can keep the risk of enduring a painful injury minimal.

Many incredibly competitive runners never stretch and never seem to get injured. Is there any proof that this common recommendation is actually valid? What do the studies say about stretching? Does it really prevent injury? Will it make me faster? Again, the experts really don’t agree on much! In most arguments between stretchers and non-stretchers, it inevitably comes down to “stretching helps prevent injuries” and “stretching is a leading cause of injuries in runners”.

The motion of running, repeated over many years, strengthens and shortens several posterior muscles. The most affected are the calves, the hamstrings and the lower back muscles. These muscles play a primary role in lifting the feet and moving the runner forward. Exercise physiologists blame shortened muscles for a reduced range of motion, decreased athletic performance and increased risk of injury. To add insult to injury, the aging process contributes to further loss of joint and muscle flexibility. The majority of runners and coaches believe stretching improves performance and reduces the risk of injury. In the meantime, experts disagree on the benefits and dangers of stretching. While many experts credit stretching with numerous benefits, improper stretching remains the second leading cause of running injuries! So, if we believe in stretching; what is the most effective method?

First and Foremost; the warm up and cool down should never be optional in your running routine. Cold muscles are at the highest risk for injury; by increasing the temperature of your muscles by warming up they will be more flexible and have an increased speed of motion. Warming up can loosen your muscles and soft tissue as much as 20 percent. The cool down allows blood to continue flowing through your muscles, working its way more slowly from a high level of exertion to its normal resting condition. Build stretching into your regular schedule, both before and after your daily run; after warm up and as part of your cool down. Take the time, it’s worth it!

The Do’s and Don’ts of stretching:

Do

1. Warm up prior to stretching. Walk or slowly jog at least 10-15 minutes prior to stretching.

2. Slowly add stretching to your workout slowly. Gently stretch a little more each day. Your muscles can actually stretch almost 1.5 times their length, but if you try to achieve this all at once you will hurt yourself!

3. Relax. Tension makes it almost impossible to stretch effectively

4. Breathe. That may sound easy but try to breathe from you diaphragm or stomach

5. Make it a routine, try to stretch every day, even if you don’t run. Follow the same order of stretches every time for consistency
6. Listen to your body. Some days, less is more!

Don’t

1. Don’t bounce!! Bouncing risks pulling or tearing the muscle you’re trying to stretch and relax. Muscles must be stretched gradually.

2. Don’t hold your breathe

3. Don’t stretch if it hurts

4. Don’t forcibly stretch an injured muscle, gentle and less is more

5. Don’t hurry through your routine

6. Don’t listen to your friends opinions about the best technique for stretching Try them all and decide what works for you

Bottom line: Most experts agree that stretching reduces muscle soreness after running and results in better athletic performance. Gentle stretching after a race or intense workout can also promote healing and lactic acid removal from the muscles. Stretching is most effective when performed several times each week; at least one stretching session per week is sufficient to maintain flexibility. Most coaches and runners believe in stretching before and after every workout. The experts never agree on much, but the majority seems to feel that stretching is beneficial to runners if done properly. So follow the precautions outlines and always warm up prior to stretching. Your body will feel better and who knows, you may even get a little faster!