Rules of the Road: Tips For Staying Fit And Keeping Joints Healthy Through Running
September 19, 2013
Running is one of the most common forms of exercise, among elite athletes and regular, fitness conscious people alike. Whether you jog three-to-five times a week to keep active – like myself – or you regularly train for ultra-marathons, there is always that underlying risk of injury. Runner’s knee, Achilles tendonitis, shin splints, plantar fasciitis, stress fractures, hamstring issues – all common injuries we don’t like to say out loud, but unfortunately are often associated with running.
However, no need to hang up your running shoes yet. Following are key tips for safe and healthy running:
- Support means everything. This comes from both the shoes you wear and the terrain on which you run. Having the right support in your running shoes is key. Be sure to take note if you are arched or flat footed, then do some research on the best running shoe for you. A lot of specialty running stores, like Fleet Feet Sports here in Raleigh (where I go), can help determine the right shoe for you. You should also consider where you will do the majority of your running. If you run on hard ground such as concrete, you will probably need more cushion than you would should you choose to mostly run in grassy and soft-grounded trail-like areas. The “give” of the terrain plays a major role on how your joints react to the impact of your strides.
- Listen to your body. Even the most experienced runners can still experience sharp pains brought on by joint fluctuation and agitation. This is especially common in knees. Although hips have a smooth ‘ball and socket’ joint and ankles are designed to accommodate impact and rotation, knees tend to fall short in the functionality department. Cartilage and tissues can rapidly wear down from over-exertion and lack of support and stability. Make sure you rest between runs and stretch liberally during your warm-up and cool-down.
- Cross-train. From preventing and rehabilitating injuries, to improving overall fitness, cross-training is key. Supplement your running with strength training, swimming, biking, yoga – whatever tickles your fancy.
- Jump on the yoga bandwagon. Yoga helps strengthen your core and makes you more flexible – two elements that can keep you running injury-free.
Keep these tips in mind the next time you lace up and hit the streets or trails. Happy running!
I¡¦ve recently started a site, the information you offer on this website has helped me greatly. Thank you for all of your time & work.
hey there and thank you for your info – I have certainly picked up anything new from right here. I did however expertise some technical issues using this site, since I experienced to reload the web site a lot of times previous to I could get it to load properly. I had been wondering if your hosting is OK? Not that I am complaining, but sluggish loading instances times will very frequently affect your placement in google and could damage your high-quality score if ads and marketing with Adwords. Well I am adding this RSS to my e-mail and can look out for a lot more of your respective fascinating content. Ensure that you update this again very soon..
Do you mind if I quote a few of your posts as long as I provide credit and sources back to your site? My website is in the exact same niche as yours and my visitors would really benefit from a lot of the information you provide here. Please let me know if this alright with you. Regards!
Have you ever considered about adding a little bit more than just your articles? I mean, what you say is valuable and everything. Nevertheless just imagine if you added some great photos or videos to give your posts more, “pop”! Your content is excellent but with pics and videos, this site could undeniably be one of the most beneficial in its field. Wonderful blog!
Greetings from Colorado! I’m bored at work so I decided to check out your blog on my iphone during lunch break. I love the information you present here and can’t wait to take a look when I get home. I’m shocked at how quick your blog loaded on my mobile .. I’m not even using WIFI, just 3G .. Anyhow, good blog!
Does your website have a contact page? I’m having trouble locating it but, I’d like to shoot you an email. I’ve got some suggestions for your blog you might be interested in hearing. Either way, great site and I look forward to seeing it expand over time.
Hi there terrific website! Does running a blog such as this take a lot of work? I’ve absolutely no understanding of coding but I was hoping to start my own blog in the near future. Anyways, if you have any ideas or techniques for new blog owners please share. I know this is off topic however I simply wanted to ask. Thanks!
Hi! I know this is somewhat off topic but I was wondering which blog platform are you using for this website? I’m getting tired of WordPress because I’ve had issues with hackers and I’m looking at alternatives for another platform. I would be great if you could point me in the direction of a good platform.
Howdy! This is my 1st comment here so I just wanted to give a quick shout out and say I really enjoy reading through your posts. Can you suggest any other blogs/websites/forums that go over the same topics? Appreciate it!
Hi there! I realize this is sort of off-topic however I needed to ask. Does operating a well-established blog such as yours take a lot of work? I’m completely new to blogging but I do write in my diary everyday. I’d like to start a blog so I will be able to share my own experience and views online. Please let me know if you have any suggestions or tips for new aspiring blog owners. Appreciate it!
Good day! Do you know if they make any plugins to safeguard against hackers? I’m kinda paranoid about losing everything I’ve worked hard on. Any recommendations?
I was curious if you ever thought of changing the page layout of your website? Its very well written; I love what youve got to say. But maybe you could a little more in the way of content so people could connect with it better. Youve got an awful lot of text for only having 1 or two pictures. Maybe you could space it out better?
Write more, thats all I have to say. Literally, it seems as though you relied on the video to make your point. You definitely know what youre talking about, why waste your intelligence on just posting videos to your weblog when you could be giving us something informative to read?
Hmm is anyone else experiencing problems with the pictures on this blog loading? I’m trying to find out if its a problem on my end or if it’s the blog. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.
Does your website have a contact page? I’m having a tough time locating it but, I’d like to shoot you an email. I’ve got some creative ideas for your blog you might be interested in hearing. Either way, great website and I look forward to seeing it grow over time.
Right here is the right webpage for anyone who wishes to understand this topic. You realize so much its almost tough to argue with you (not that I personally will need to…HaHa). You definitely put a brand new spin on a topic that has been written about for ages. Wonderful stuff, just excellent!|
Fascinating blog! Is your theme custom made or did you download it from somewhere? A design like yours with a few simple adjustements would really make my blog shine. Please let me know where you got your theme. With thanks
Hey there! Someone in my Facebook group shared this site with us so I came to take a look. I’m definitely enjoying the information. I’m book-marking and will be tweeting this to my followers! Excellent blog and terrific design and style.
Good post. I will be facing a few of these issues as well..|
Howdy, i read your blog from time to time and i own a similar one and i was just curious if you get a lot of spam feedback? If so how do you protect against it, any plugin or anything you can suggest? I get so much lately it’s driving me crazy so any assistance is very much appreciated.