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!
bookmarked!!, I really like your blog!|
I as well as my friends have already been taking note of the nice tactics located on your website and so then I got a terrible suspicion I never thanked the site owner for those techniques. My guys happened to be consequently joyful to read all of them and have pretty much been enjoying these things. Many thanks for truly being considerably considerate and for considering certain fine areas millions of individuals are really wanting to discover. My sincere apologies for not expressing appreciation to you sooner.
I am not certain the place you are getting your information, but good topic. I must spend a while finding out much more or figuring out more. Thanks for magnificent information I used to be looking for this info for my mission.
Wonderful web site. Plenty of useful information here. I¡¦m sending it to several pals ans also sharing in delicious. And naturally, thanks for your sweat!
I¡¦ve been exploring for a bit for any high-quality articles or blog posts in this sort of house . Exploring in Yahoo I finally stumbled upon this site. Studying this information So i am satisfied to exhibit that I have a very good uncanny feeling I discovered exactly what I needed. I such a lot surely will make certain to do not fail to remember this site and provides it a look on a constant basis.
Just want to say your article is as surprising. The clarity in your post is just great and i could assume you’re an expert on this subject. Well with your permission allow me to grab your RSS feed to keep up to date with forthcoming post. Thanks a million and please keep up the enjoyable work.
I always spent my half an hour to read this weblog’s content every day along with a cup of coffee.|
Hi! I just wanted to ask if you ever have any issues with hackers? My last blog (wordpress) was hacked and I ended up losing many months of hard work due to no data backup. Do you have any methods to stop hackers?|
Informative article, totally what I needed.|
I blog frequently and I seriously thank you for your information. The article has truly peaked my interest. I will book mark your site and keep checking for new information about once a week. I subscribed to your RSS feed as well.|
Hi, I do think this is an excellent blog. I stumbledupon it 😉 I will revisit once again since I book marked it. Money and freedom is the greatest way to change, may you be rich and continue to help others.|
I’ve learn several just right stuff here. Definitely value bookmarking for revisiting. I surprise how much effort you set to make this sort of wonderful informative website.|
You made some decent points there. I looked on the internet for more info about the issue and found most individuals will go along with your views on this web site.
Somebody necessarily lend a hand to make severely posts I might state. That is the very first time I frequented your web page and up to now? I surprised with the research you made to make this particular post amazing. Fantastic task!|
I wanted to thank you for this good read!! I absolutely enjoyed every bit of it. I have got you book marked to check out new things you post…
Hello Dear, are you actually visiting this website regularly, if so after that you will definitely obtain good experience.|
Hello! I could have sworn I’ve been to this website before but after checking through some of the post I realized it’s new to me. Nonetheless, I’m definitely glad I found it and I’ll be book-marking and checking back often!|
This is a topic that is near to my heart… Take care! Where are your contact details though?
I like it when people come together and share ideas. Great site, continue the good work!
I have been absent for a while, but now I remember why I used to love this site. Thank you, I will try and check back more often. How frequently you update your website?