How to Avoid Injury When Running

Harnessing your enthusiasm for exercise will carry you through the ebbs and flows that mark any exercise routine. But running without a prevention plan is an invitation to injury. Tempering your eagerness to move with steps to prevent injury can help you stay healthy and active longer.

CREATION Life, our wellness philosophy based on eight God-given principles in the Bible, starts with “Choice.” God gives us the ability to choose a lifestyle that leads to wholeness. The fourth letter in the acronym, “A,” stands for “Activity.” By choosing to maintain an active lifestyle, we have more control over our health than we might think.

Since sitting all day can weaken your body, we'll also help you avoid the aches and pains caused by desk jobs. Stretching, core strength, cross-training and gradually increasing intensity are key elements in staying healthy. Our biggest tip to avoid injuries is to maintain a regular exercise schedule.

Our Approach

The CREATION Life approach teaches us to be active but flexible about how that looks for each person. Doing something you enjoy, like gardening or hiking a trail, will turn a chore into a fun activity. It doesn't have to be extreme, but have a normal routine that involves cardio, such as walking, swimming, cycling or hiking. Of course, starting an exercise routine isn’t easy. But here are some tips to help you sidestep the pain and frustration of injury.

Don’t Rush It

No matter where you start on your running journey, pace yourself. It’s common for runners to have knee pain because they often progress too quickly. As a rule of thumb, runners should run 10% farther each week.

In other words, if you're running 20 miles a week, don't jump to 40, even if you think you can handle it. Instead, try 22 miles the next week. As you ramp up, you'll make more progress each week than you did before, but in a sustainable way. It's a slower road but by far the safer one.

Reach Your Full Potential With RunPFX

Whether you’re a new or seasoned runner, our AdventHealth Sports Med & Rehab RunPFX program uses the latest mobile motion-analysis technology to help you improve performance and avoid injuries by applying corrective strategies.

Our experts can monitor your speed, flexibility, balance motion and posture. They can identify a movement-related dysfunction and create a personalized plan to help you improve your technique, strength and movement. Your RunPFX program assessment includes:

• Customized exercise programs
• Functional movement assessments
• Personalized running analysis
• Shoe recommendations

With RunPFX, we’re here to keep you safe and healthy and optimize your strides.

Mix It Up

We recommend cross-training, which is where you incorporate new forms of exercise into your routine. This is a great way to prevent injuries by teaching your body new ways to move.

Runners' joints are subjected to repeated stress, so we encourage adding low-impact workouts such as bicycling and swimming to help bring balance. This also provides rest for battered joints without stopping your workouts. Plus, it works different muscles in new ways, benefiting your overall strength and conditioning.

Make Sure to Stretch

Despite the key role of flexibility and mobility in preventing injury, there continues to be a debate about stretching. We advise runners to warm up before any activity. Try brisk walking or a light jog beforehand and hold off on the static stretches until afterward. A tight, worked muscle should always be stretched.

Kids and Exercise

For children, strength training should not be a priority. However, there is a safe amount of exercise to help them learn to move and control their bodies. Teaching children the big picture about movement, repetition and practice, and how it impacts their long-term health, is important.

Overuse injuries are common, especially with children who play for multiple competitive teams. Children should also feel comfortable admitting pain or fatigue, which can signal an overuse injury. Sometimes, kids don't tell parents or coaches when they're hurt, so it’s important to encourage open communication.

Work Out at Work

A desk might seem like a pretty safe place, but physical therapists see plenty of patients whose pain can be traced back to inactivity. We're not made to sit for long periods. Unfortunately, the most comfortable position can be the most damaging.

As humans in the digital age, so much strain is placed on our necks, whether it's a strain from leaning forward at a desk monitor or tilting forward to gaze at a phone. Here are a few general tips to create a safe workstation:

• Sit against a backrest with your feet on the ground and your knees at a 90-degree angle.
• The computer monitor should be below eye level, so you don't have to move your head to see it.
• Your arm should be resting on an armrest, even or nearly so, with your wrists and hands.

Standing desks are quite helpful, too. You can also take steps to avoid injury without getting up. Here are a few:

• Neck stretch: Sitting with your feet on the ground and shoulders back, grab your chair with your left hand. Then, slowly bring your right head toward your right shoulder until you feel a gentle stretch. Hold this for 10 seconds and repeat on the opposite side.
• Shoulder rolls: Rotate your shoulders in a circular motion, forward and backward.

Stretches repeated a few minutes one or two times a day can help in the long run.

How To Avoid Knee Pain

Knee pain is quite common in runners but can be avoided with improved muscle strength. Most of the time, knee pain originates from the hips. That's because our glutes and other muscles play key roles in stabilizing our knees. Try targeted exercises at the hip. A good place to start is with clamshells, which are performed while lying on your side with your knees bent. Slowly raise and lower your top knee.

A more advanced version of this exercise involves planking — holding your core and legs straight. On your side, place your right forearm along the ground and lift your hips in the air so your body is straight. Then, lower your hips to the ground and lift them back up in the air.

Get Motivated

At AdventHealth, our physical therapists believe uncommon compassion means empowering patients to work toward recovery and prevention. Taking control of your health will help you feel better and brighten your outlook. After all, CREATION Life tells us that our body, mind and spirit work together to shape our whole health.

To schedule an appointment with AdventHealth Sports Med & Rehab, call 407-303-8080 or schedule an appointment online.