Running is an injury-prone activity

For such an innate human movement, more and more runners find themselves sidelined by injuries ranging from pulled muscles and shin splints to runners knee and tendinitis. It is a jarring sport that affects the joints of the knees and the shock absorbing intervertebral discs in the spine. But it is worth noting that many of these common overuse injuries can be avoided completely by applying proper technique and adding a little variety into your running routine.

Preventing running injuries 

• Evaluate your stride: an efficient stride helps to minimize the chance for injury and maximize your chance for maintaining good posture. Aim to strike the ground under your hips rather than in front of your body 
• Check your cadence: 180 steps per foot per minute is an ideal cadence 
• Analyze your posture: staying upright is critical to preventing injury. 
• Change up your running surface: move from concrete to trail, to rubber track and back again. Concrete is the most jarring on your joints. 

If you are running regularly, it is worth placing a premium on minimizing repetitive stress. The above tips along with regularly replacing your running shoes can help you to minimize damage to your joints. Another way to minimize your risk for injury is by strength training the muscles which support you on your run. At Family Chiropractic & Natural Healing Center, we have years of experience helping runners adjust their body mechanics to avoid injury and stay on their feet. Give our office a call to schedule an appointment today.