How to Promote Healthy Running for Injury Prevention
PC: Timmy Howard, Indianapolis-based photographer
Cardiovascular exercise has incredible benefits for both the body and the mind!
Some of these benefits include a lower risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, dementia and Alzheimer’s, several types of cancer, and some complications of pregnancy! Additional benefits of cardiovascular exercise are:
Better sleep, including improvements in insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea
Improved cognition, including memory, attention and processing speed
Less weight gain, obesity and related chronic health conditions
Better bone health and balance, with less risk of injury from falls
Fewer symptoms of depression and anxiety
Better quality of life and sense of overall well-being
Now if that’s not a good enough reason to start moving your body, I don’t know what is! Running is one of the most common cardiovascular exercises, and is great for you! Unfortunately though, runners are the most commonly injured athletes we treat as Doctors of Physical Therapy.
If you have experienced a running injury in the past, you know just how devastating it can be, especially if you’re actively training for a marathon. Today I wanted to review my top tips for promoting healthy running and some tangible things you can implement immediately with injury prevention in mind.
1. Cross-train 1-2 times per week
Cross-training is one of the most important things you can do to improve your fitness and become a strong and resilient runner. Cross-training should be specific to running and should include single-leg stability work, plyometric training, and should include large muscle groups such as core, hip and ankle musculature.
2. Complete a dynamic warm-up prior to running
Don’t skip this part!! A proper warm-up should prime your muscles for your run, improve blood flow and help the muscles and joints move freely during your run. Remember the “dynamic” part of this, do NOT hold static stretches prior to your run. This will not be the most beneficial use of your pre-run time.
3. Work on joint mobility (different than stretching)
Joint mobility in a closed-kinetic chain, or weight bearing position, is crucial to promote full joint movement. Running is an activity that uses relatively minimal joint mobility compared to what we actually need, so you will have to supplement this through mobility work.
4. Fuel properly pre and post run (depending on mileage/time)
A registered dietitian who specializes in running, such as my friend Holley Samuel at Holley Fueled Nutrition, can be an integral part of your healthcare team when trying to optimize your health and running. If you are chronically underfeeding, you are at an increased risk for nearly all injuries, but especially stress fractures which can be detrimental to a runner.
5. Sleep well and manage stress
These last two are very important and seemingly have nothing to do with running. However, sleep is where we heal and recover! If you aren’t getting enough sleep you may not be recovering properly, and your body will be at risk for injury. Quite literally, we won’t have energy unless we re-charge at night, so prioritize your sleep by getting around 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep. Stress management in runners is underestimated. Running is usually a stress relief for most runners. In the event that you become injured though, you want to have some other tools in your toolbox to help manage stress so your mental health does not suffer.
I hope these tips were helpful and if you have any questions about how Physical Therapy can help in your running journey, please reach out to us! Happy running!
Struggling with a running injury? Not sure where to start? Schedule a complimentary injury screen with Wildflower Physical Therapy & Wellness today to learn how our qualified Physical Therapists can help you improve your health and strength and get back to running pain free!