Running is a popular pastime in Australia, and is an affordable and fun way to stay fit, explore your surroundings and get that famous ‘runner’s high’. To ensure you aren’t kept off the track due to soreness, it’s important to know how you can prevent new injuries from developing, andexisting ones from getting worse. Most people who take up running will encounter an injury sooner or later, so it would benefit you to know what causes them.

• Where do running injuries usually occur?

Most running injuries occur in the knee, ankle, foot, hips and legs. They are usually caused by the wrong footwear, running on the wrong surface, not warming up before and cooling downafter and not training properly. It’s common to get an injury due to minor training errors, and major injuries are less common than you think. This is actually good news, since it means that with a tweak or two to your approach, you can prevent any injury from occurring.

• Preparing for a run

When you decide to pursue running for any reason, it’s a good idea to prepare for it first as this will determine the ideal speed, duration and distance you should be covering in every session.Seeing a professional coach or personal trainer will help you identify any problems you might be susceptible to, so that you can make the necessary adjustments. This is especially crucial if you have pre-existing conditions regarding your heart, knees or other related areas.

It’s also important to have the right footwear. The right shoe will counteract both pronation and supination (unnatural movements of your feet during running) by providing stability and adjustment, as well as increasing the shock absorption.

• Running injury prevention tips

With the right footwear and an appropriate running schedule, you can hit the road with confidence. Just remember you’ll still need to do several things before, during and after each run.

Always gently warm up and cool down before and after each session. Stay hydrated and leave a couple of days between vigorous session to allow for recovery time. Try running before and/or after the sun is at its hottest, and always wear sunscreen and reflective clothing. Most importantly, if you develop abnormal pain or discomfort beyond the usual burn from muscle exertion, stop right away and get medical attention.

Should you find that you’re getting muscle soreness, swelling or inflammation during or after exercise, then it might be best to apply a topical pain relief to the affected area. Contact us for more information.