Did you know that up to half of all runners suffer a lower extremity injury each year?
The most common injuries are tendon injuries (achilles, patellar, etc), stress injuries to bones, IT band syndrome, and kneecap related pain.
While you are training, consider these tips to keep yourself healthy:
- Do not increase your mileage too fast or too suddenly
- Initially run on non-consecutive days.
- Do not increase mileage more than 10% per week.
- Do not increase your long run by more than 2 miles per week.
- Avoid poorly balanced running volume
- Your long run should not be more than 1/3 of your total weekly mileage.
- Run with good biomechanics
- There are a lot of opinions out there about proper biomechanics. Watch out for long extended strides and heavy heel striking.
- Consider having your running style (gait) analyzed by a running specialist.
- Take care of your body. Running with a current injury or returning to running too soon following an injury can lead to persisting, worsening, or new problems.
Tips courtesy of:
Stephen T. Kirk, MD
Comprehensive Orthopedics and Sports Medicine
