Stay Strong, Run Strong: Injury Prevention Tips for Runners
At South Melbourne Physio (SMP), we’re passionate about helping runners stay healthy and perform at their best. As an avid runner myself, I understand the joy and fulfilment that running brings, but I also recognize the importance of injury prevention. Whether you’re a seasoned marathoner or just starting your running journey, prioritising injury prevention is essential for long-term success and enjoyment. In this blog post, we’ll share tips and strategies to help you stay injury-free and running at your best.
Proper Warm-Up and Cool Down: Before hitting the pavement, track or trails, it’s important to prepare your muscles, tendons and joints for the demands of running. A dynamic warm-up routine that includes dynamic stretches, mobility exercises, and activation drills can help increase blood flow, improve flexibility, and activate key muscle groups (McCray et al., 2015). Likewise, a cool down after your run with some gentle stretches and foam rolling will optimise muscle recovery and reduce those post-run DOMs (Dupuy et al., 2018)
Gradual Progression: One of the most common causes of running injuries is doing too much, too soon. Whether you’re increasing mileage, pace, or intensity, it’s important to progress gradually to allow your body time to adapt and recover (Nielsen et al., 2014). Aim for a very gradual and consistent increase in weekly mileage, and listen to your body’s signals to avoid overtraining and burnout. Patience and consistency are the biggest keys to long-term success in running.
Strength Training: Incorporating strength training into your routine is essential for injury prevention and performance. Strengthening key muscle groups can not only help to improve your times, but also helps reduce the risk of common overuse injuries including IT band syndrome, shin splints, runner’s knee, tendinopathies and bone stress injuries(Lauersen et al., 2018). In addition to strength, it is also important to include exercises that promote stability and balance to improve overall running mechanics and economy (Willy & Paquette, 2019).
Cross-Training: Variety is the spice of life, and cross-training is a great way to supplement your running routine while reducing the risk of overuse injuries. Activities like cycling, swimming, yoga, and strength-based workouts offer cardiovascular benefits and help strengthen different muscle groups while giving your running muscles a break. Plus, cross-training can add variety and fun to your routine, keeping you motivated and engaged in your running journey.
Proper Footwear: Investing in a good pair of running shoes that are appropriate for your foot type and running biomechanics can make a world of difference in injury prevention (Kulmala et al., 2018; Nigg et al., 2015). Visiting a specialty running store for a professional gait analysis and shoe fitting can help to ensure you’re wearing shoes that are specific for your feet. It is also a good idea to monitor your footwear usage, a good rule of thumb is to rotate shoes every 500-800 km to ensure your feet are supported.
Listen to Your Body: Last but certainly not least, listen to your body and prioritise rest and recovery as needed. Pay attention to any signs of pain, discomfort, or fatigue, and don’t ignore them. Rest days and easy recovery runs are just as important as hard workouts, so be sure to incorporate them into your training schedule. Remember, it’s better to take a few days off now than to risk a more serious injury that could sideline you for weeks or even months.
Injury prevention is not just about avoiding pain and injury; it’s about maximising your potential as a runner and enjoying the sport for years to come. By following these tips and incorporating them into your training routine, you can minimise the risk of running-related injuries and stay strong, healthy, and resilient on the roads and trails. If you ever experience pain or injury while running, or could benefit from professional advice on how to improve your performance and prevent an injury, don’t hesitate to reach out to a physiotherapist at South Melbourne Physio. Our team are here to help you recover, rehabilitate, and get back to doing what you love—running.
References
Dupuy O, Douzi W, Theurot D, Bosquet L, Dugué B. An Evidence-Based Approach for Choosing Post-exercise Recovery Techniques to Reduce Markers of Muscle Damage, Soreness, Fatigue, and Inflammation: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis. Front Physiol. 2018 Apr 26;9:403. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2018.00403. PMID: 29755363; PMCID: PMC5932411.
Nielsen RO, Rønnow L, Rasmussen S, Lind M. A prospective study on time to recovery in 254 injured novice runners. PLoS One. 2014 Jun 12;9(6):e99877. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0099877. PMID: 24923269; PMCID: PMC4055729.
Lauersen JB, Andersen TE, Andersen LB. Strength training as superior, dose-dependent and safe prevention of acute and overuse sports injuries: a systematic review, qualitative analysis and meta-analysis. Br J Sports Med. 2018 Dec;52(24):1557-1563. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2018-099078. Epub 2018 Aug 21. PMID: 30131332.
Willy RW, Paquette MR. The Physiology and Biomechanics of the Master Runner. Sports Med Arthrosc Rev. 2019 Mar;27(1):15-21. doi: 10.1097/JSA.0000000000000212. PMID: 30601395.
Kulmala, JP., Kosonen, J., Nurminen, J. et al. Running in highly cushioned shoes increases leg stiffness and amplifies impact loading. Sci Rep 8, 17496 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-35980-6
Nigg BM, Baltich J, Hoerzer S, Enders H. Running shoes and running injuries: mythbusting and a proposal for two new paradigms: ‘preferred movement path’ and ‘comfort filter’. Br J Sports Med. 2015 Oct;49(20):1290-4. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2015-095054. Epub 2015 Jul 28. PMID: 26221015.
