Nothing gets in the way of a good run like pain. Pain can be acute and stop you right in your tracks or it can be chronic, starting small and gradually getting worse over time without completely going away. The last thing any runner wants or needs is an injury.
Unfortunately, running-related injuries are common in runners of all levels. One research review found that the incidence of a running-related injury among amateur runners was as high as 17.8 for every 1,000 hours of running accounted for. It was significantly lower (7.7) for elite runners, but still a part of the sport. This means running-related injuries are actually relatively common. But what if you could prevent running injuries from happening in the first place?
Most running injuries—like runner’s knee, shin splints, and plantar fasciitis—are the result of overuse, or repetitively putting stress on a muscle or bone, rather than one traumatic wrong move. They can be exacerbated by many things, like a high volume of training or the wrong kind of sneakers. But paying attention to your body and adding a few simple things to your training routine (beyond just logging miles) can help you avoid a lot of these overuse injuries—so that you can keep feeling good and strong as you run and train for your next race.
Here is a list of seven smart things you can do to help prevent running-related injuries. They’re definitely worthwhile for any runner, but especially for anyone who is about to ramp up their mileage (all you people training for a marathon right now, I’m talking to you!). [Full Article]