A study published by the Orthopedic Journal of Sports Medicine suggests runners who are older, weigh more, and have an easygoing personality are more likely to incur running injuries; as opposed to runners who are younger or slimmer.
Danish researchers surveyed 930 new runners for one year, focusing on runners who hadn’t run more than 10 kilometers total in the past year. Of the 930 new runners, 254 runners suffered a running injury in the study. The injuries that were reported were soft-tissue, bone injuries of the legs and or back. According to the study, age was a primary factor with new runners getting injured, and body mass secondly.
If you believe you’ve sustained an injury while running or need assistance on how to further prevent injury, you should seek out the advice of a podiatrist such as Dr. Bryant Tarr of Sudbury & Westford Podiatry. Dr. Tarr can diagnose any injuries you may have as well as provide you with treatment and prevention options that work for you.
How to Prevent Running Injuries
Many common running injuries are caused by overuse and overtraining. Runner’s knee is a condition where the back of the kneecap starts wearing out and causing pain in your knee. Runner’s knee involves a decrease in strength in your quadriceps and can occur if you’re not wearing properly fitted or supporting shoes. Runner’s knee usually is treated with strengthening exercises focusing on the quad muscles and sports orthotic.
Best Ways to Prevent Running Injuries
- Running shoes are the only protective gear that runners have to safeguard them from injury.
- Make a training schedule. Adding strengthening exercises as well as regular stretching can help keep you strong and limber and can lessen the possibility of injuries.
- Stretching keeps muscles limber, this will help you gain better flexibility.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact one of our offices in Sudbury and Westford, MA. We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot care needs.
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