March 21, 2017 • Written by Peninsula Orthopaedic Associates

Injury Prevention: Running

Running is a great way to maintain your overall health. It is a full-body workout that gets you into shape and reduces stress. However, like any other type of exercise, risk of injury comes with running. So before you start your running routine, make sure you keep the following tips in mind to prevent injury and get the most out of your workout!

• Stretch – To maintain and increase your flexibility, stretch all parts of your body during your workout. Static stretching is not as effective, so warm up for 5-10 minutes before doing your stretches.
• Warm up and cool down – Don’t jump right into your fastest pace. Warming up and cooling down are important in order to prevent injury and reduce muscle soreness.
• Strength train – Strong muscles, ligaments and tendons help prevent injury while running. When your muscles are strong, the impact of hitting the ground is less traumatic on your body and your gait is less likely to be affected by muscular fatigue.
• Wear the proper shoes – To avoid injury, make sure you are wearing the correct shoes for your feet and running type. Go to a specialty store to get advice about what type of running shoes you should be wearing.
• Listen to your body – This is a must. You know what your body usually feels like, so stop running at the first signs of unusual pain. Running through the pain will only cause the injury to worsen, but stopping at the first sign of pain could help prevent a potential and more serious injury.