During COVID-19 running has become a very popular form of exercise. Simple, easy and no special equipment needed. However, the high impact nature of running can sometimes sneak up on the body and cause some annoying aches and pains. It is very important to ensure our bodies are adequately prepared. Here are some straight forward tips to ensure your runs remain pain free.
- Always include a warm up before and a cool down after
- An adequate warm up of 5-10 minutes prior to a run helps prime the body for and reduces the shock and stress to your joints and tissues
- A lower intensity cool down of 5-10 minutes helps flush out any lactic acid in the body post run and helps prevent soreness the next day
- Maintain and improve your flexibility
- Stretching 4-5x/week is necessary to maintain the flexibility needed for regular running
- Stretching could be included in your cool down and will be better received when the muscles are already warmed up
- Include Strength training in your routine
- Strength training is an effective way to create better resilience in muscles, thus reducing injury risk
- Strength training should focus on all major muscles of the upper and lower body and core
- Drink plenty of water
- Remember to drink 5-8 ounces of water or fluids every 20 minutes of exercise
- It is important to rehydrate post run with at least 20 ounces of water per pound of body weight
- Start off slow and increase mileage gradually
- If you are new or returning after a long hiatus, remember to progress your running workouts slowly and gradually.
- We want to ensure our bodies are able to handle the stress of running so incremental increases in distance will go a long way in preventing injury
- See a physiotherapist to receive expert advice
- Most injuries are the result of an ineffective approach or program
- A good physiotherapist can educate you on the proper exercises for warm ups, cool downs, flexibility and strength. They can also construct a safe and gradual running program catered to your individual needs
