3 Easy Ways To Avoid Running Injuries

It?s an all too familiar scenario: a runner begins a new training program and a month later they feel some pain in their knees. Then during their next jog, injury strikes and the program goes right out the window. New runners are often guilty of pushing their bodies past the point of exhaustion, or fail to put proper injury prevention methods in place. It is true that a comprehensive injury prevention routine can be time consuming and is something which many professional athletes devote hours to.

However for the average guy, we can still keep our bodies healthy with certain techniques which take little or no time at all. Each of the methods mentioned over at Huffington Post are all great for preventing injury, and can be easily introduced into your current workout schedule:

1.???? Improve Your Running Form

Bad form typically includes issues such as:

• Over-striding (your foot lands far in front of your body)
• Slouching or leaning from the waist
• Aggressive heel-striking (often a result of over-striding)

The next time you’re running, make these four quick fixes:

• Maintain good posture by imagining there is a string attached to your head and someone is pulling it straight up toward the sky. This will prevent you from leaning forward and keep your back straight.

2.???? Don?t Get Too Crazy With Your Training

Instead, follow a smart running program that will have you build mileage and increase speed gradually. Try to adhere to the?10 Percent Rule?(or even something less aggressive than that) if you’ve been struggling. The 10 Percent Rule simply states that you shouldn’t increase your mileage by more than 10 percent per week. However, there are exceptions to even this rule.

Making some of these changes can make a huge difference to your running over time. However, if they aren?t working for you, then you might want to consider other alterations. This could include adding in strength exercises or aerobic cross-training activities. Finding a coach is also another option if you?re continually hurting yourself.