|
|
Running |
Click here to get
|
Injury-Proofing Your Body
Many injuries suffered by
runners are totally unnecessary
by Hal Higdon
Many injuries suffered by runners are unnecessary, totally unnecessary. If you want to experience fewer injuries than in the past, you need to learn from your mistakes. When you make a training error and suffer an injury, do not make that error again. Easily said, but it may take years to accumulate the wisdom to injury-proof your body. If you are new to running, here are some tips to help you shortcut the learning process.
1. Obtain proper equipment: Few sports cost as little as running. Our main item of equipment is a pair of running shoes, costing less than $100 for most people. Fashionable clothing and fancy watches definitely are icing on the cake. Don't scrimp on footwear. Acquire shoes that are appropriate for your biomechanics. And when the shoes begin to show wear, throw them away. Most running injuries can be traced to the point where the shoe touches the ground.
2. Train Intelligently: Don't just stumble from one workout to another, not knowing what you plan to run tomorrow, next week, next month, or even next year. Set goals, but give yourself time to meet those goals. If you don't have a coach, there are many training resources online: both schedules and answers to your questions.
3. Find your red line: Through trial and error determine the point (usually miles run) at which point you become overtrained and/or get injured. Then back your training down to a point below that red line. Sometimes you can nudge this point upward by pushing on it gently, but everyone has a red line beyond which they get hurt. Find yours!
4. Never get out of shape: This is the simplest secret for avoiding injury: Keep running. Maintaining a solid base level of fitness means that when you want to increase your training to achieve a specific goal, such as a marathon, you don't need to push too hard or too fast. Mileage increases should be made gradually.
5. Keep a diary: You don't need to record every workout in detail, but record trends, so that if you do get hurt you can look back and figure out why. Mileage trends are important, but so are activities around running. If you got hurt in a race, maybe it was because you jumped out of a car after a four-hour drive just before competing.
6. Utilize professionals: If injured and several days rest doesn't result in a miracle cure, seek medical intervention. The runner's best friend is often a podiatrist, but other sportsmedicine experts from orthopods to chiropractors to physical and massage therapists also offer healing hands.
Not all runners have bulletproof bodies. We all differ in our biomechanics and our susceptibility to injury. If you want to maximize your success and enjoyment as a runner, you need to give constant attention to avoiding injuries.
Hal Higdon is a Contributing Editor for Runner's World. The above article is excerpted from his latest book, Masters Running.
Click Here To Order Masters Running