How To Prevent Injury When Jogging or Running

With spring right around the corner, more and more people are getting outside to enjoy the warm weather. Before you lace up those sneakers and hit the pavement for a jog around the neighborhood, though, you should first educate yourself on preventive measures to reduce the chance of injury. Each year, millions of people injure themselves while jogging and running. And while most of these injuries are minor and heal on their own, others are more severe and can significantly impact one's quality of life.

Common injuries associated with running and jogging:

• Plantar fasciitis
• Stress fractures
• Achilles tendonitis
• Shin splints
• Muscle tear
• Joint point
• Bursitis
• Hamstring strain
• Sciatica
• Spinal stenosis

Shoes Matter

Are you still running in the same pair of sneakers that you purchase 5 years ago? There's nothing wrong with trying to stretch your dollar, but athletic tennis shoes will gradually lose their support over time. A good rule of thumb is to replace your running shoes every 500 miles for optimal support and comfort.

It should go without saying that wearing proper-fitting shoes is essential to injury prevention. If your shoes are too big, your foot and heel will slide around freely, resulting in painful blisters. On the other hand, wearing shoes that are too small can lead to irregular bone growth and the formation of bunions. When you're shopping for a new pair of running shoes, take a few minutes to walk around the store in them and see how they feel.

Pre-Jog Stretching

In addition to wearing the right shoes, you should also perform a light stretching routine before hitting the pavement. Start by stretching your arms high above your head and down to your toes. Next, perform some lunges to stretch your leg muscles and some standing twists to condition your core muscles. It only takes 5 minutes to perform these stretches, but doing so will help protect you against injury.

Sports medicine specialist Dr Pornthep Mamanee said the following:

"Doing stretching exercises before running really counts. To reduce the chance of injury, runners should stretch every day — even on rest days. Make sure you stretch your muscles thoroughly. Always listen to your body. Don’t push yourself too hard beyond your level of fitness. Try to increase the distance and speed of your run gradually over months to avoid injury."

Have you suffered an injury as a result of jogging or running? Let us know us in the comments section below!