Running is a great sport! You can do it anywhere almost anytime. It takes no special equipment but good shoes. It is the most natural of all exercises. But almost every new runner will suffer some type of running injury. One of the reasons for this is fact of just how simple the sport is. Humans are made to run. It is one of the few sports everyone knows how to do without practice. Just lace up those brand new running shoes and take off! The fact that it is so easy to do and get started also makes it easy to over do it and suffer a running injury.

But in most cases running injuries will occur in a short amount of time for the new runner. And in many cases this will signify the end of their motivation for the sport. Having a running injury is a way of the sport. They will happen now and then, but there are ways to minimize them.

1. The number one way to prevent a running injury is to train with moderation. If you are a new runner, do a search on the Internet for running schedules and find one for beginners. Then FOLLOW IT! Even if the early workouts seem too easy, don’t be tempted to go farther than what the schedule says. And if at any point in the schedule you do suffer any type of running injury, lay off for a few days until it is healed and then start the schedule back where you left off. After a running injury is when most new runners quit. Don’t let yourself do that!

2. Make sure you have the correct shoes. Another leading cause of getting a running injury is wearing the wrong shoes. Never buy your running shoes at a discount store. Those stores may sell Nike and New Balance “running shoes”, but they are NOT RUNNING SHOES! You must go to a REAL running shoe store where the sales staff KNOW about running and can help you. This is VERY important in preventing a running injury down the road. The Athletes Foot shoe stores offer a FREE foot scan. I did this after my first year of running and found out a running injury I had been having reoccur was due to the wrong shoes. Even though I had been paying over $90.00 for my running shoes, they were wrong. The new ones all but prevented the running injury from coming back. Buy your running shoes from a store with a knowledgeable sales staff!

3. Be a creature of habit. If you are used to running on the road, don’t get a whim and decide you are going to take off on the trails…or visa versa. This is a perfect recipe for a running injury! For example, if you are used to running on the road, every muscle used for this running is used to it and has gotten stronger. The minute your hit the trails you will start using other muscles which have not been used. The terrain is uneven and it will require more balancing. This balancing will require the use of other muscles which have pretty much just been along for the ride while running on the road. A running injury can happen when these newly worked muscles fatigue. If you want to incorporate trail running into your workouts, ease into it slowly to prevent a running injury.

4. Another injury which is common is caused by running hills when one is not used to it. If you usually run on flat terrain and then read about how running hills builds speed and strength and decide to go running repeats up hills, you WILL suffer a running injury unless you do it with moderation. The injury will occur somewhere on the back side of your leg where those muscles will be stretched farther than they are used to. Remember, if you want to start running hills, TAKE IT SLOW to prevent a running injury!

5. Be sure to take into account the other parts of your life during your training. Here is a good example: If you spent 3 or 4 hours on a ladder yesterday evening painting your house, don’t go for a hard run the next morning. This could very well result in a running injury! If your running schedule has you running a hard run Wednesday, be sure your house painting is scheduled for Friday or Saturday in order for your muscles to recover before running hard. Likewise, if your hard run was this morning, don’t plan to roof your house this evening!

Running has to become a way of life to prevent a running injury. You must prepare yourself and put thought into your training in order to stay injury free while running. Few sports will reward you as much as running does so long as you are careful and listen to your body! A running injury will happen at some point in your running career, but it can be minimized with thoughtful training.