How to Prevent Running Injuries

You’re all pumped up and ready for your regular daily run…but wait, what’s that pain in your shin?

If you’ve taken up running as a form of exercise without any professional training, then you may have experienced a running injury like this. These are called shin splints and are just one type of injury you can get from running improperly. So, how do you prevent these annoying injuries from happening?

Simple. Check out these tips for keeping your body intact and prevent running injuries:

Don’t overdo it. Lots of times, when we want to be at our best during a workout, we can overestimate our abilities. When it comes to running, many people often want to run as fast and as hard as they can at that very moment but this doesn’t exactly build endurance. It just puts more strain on your body than it can handle. Instead of doing too much and too fast, take it slow. Pace yourself and enjoy feeling your body get stronger with each gradual stride.

Find the right shoes. Finding the right shoes is super important when you start training as a runner. Try to find a shoe store that will fit a good running shoe to your feet. The better the fit, the better the run.

Run in all the right places. There’s a huge difference between running down the street and running on a treadmill. Oftentimes, concrete adds to your risk of injury because it’s an uneven, hard surface that puts more strain on your legs. Running on grass or dirt may soften the blow to your legs and running on a treadmill will help you keep pace. Find the surface that’s right for your needs. If you find that one is not working well, try another!

Take time to heal. If you’re already a runner and have already injured a foot, ankle, or leg, make sure you take as much time as you need to heal. This is necessary to prevent re-injury. Once you’re all healed up and pain-free, you’ll be ready to go!