Tips to Prevent Running Injuries

1. Change Your Shoes!

Depending on both your body type and the way your foot rolls over the ground (pronation), a pair of shoes should last somewhere between 300 and 500 miles. Lightweight trainers or running shoes worn by heavier individuals will probably end up on the low end of the mileage spectrum. Heavily cushioned running shoes or those worn by lighter runners will tend to last longer.

One of the ways to determine if your shoes need to be replaced is to set them on a flat surface. A new pair of shoes will sit flat on the surface. A new pair of shoes will sit flat on the surface. For people whose feet roll inward or outward while running, the shoe will lean to that side from the excess wear on that side. If your running shoes lean inward or outward, you need new shoes.

If the midsole of the shoe begins to crack or looks otherwise damaged, the shoes should be replaced immediately.

There are many things you can do with old running shoes, the following article outlines many things you may not have thought of.

2. Lift Weights

The act of propelling yourself forward while running causes imbalances in the muscles of the legs. The hamstrings and calves on the back of the leg do the majority of the work, while the quadriceps and shin muscles on the front of the leg are not used as vigorously. This can cause muscle pulls in the muscles of the front of the leg, and it can also cause shin splints. Lifting for all areas of the legs helps to eliminate these imbalances.

One-legged squats strengthen all muscles of the leg, and also work the balancing muscles, which increases running efficiency.

It can also be helpful to strengthen the upper body, as the legs only moves as fast as the arms pump, while you run. Having a strong upper body will help you have a stronger sprint at the end of a race, or help drive you up a hill. A very specific exercise you can do is to pump your arms as if you were running, with dumbbells in your hands.