Every year, hundreds of runners hit the pavement after a winter of hibernating or occasional treadmill running. Joints aren’t accustomed to the impact on pavement and common injuries present themselves. Injury prevention is multifaceted from proper footwear, to muscular balance, myofascial release, rate of distance increase. Fitness expert, Brent Bishop shares four things to keep in mind to prevent injuries and shares three exercises to reduce the risks.

4 things to keep in mind:

1. Proper warm up: Lunge before you run.
2. Proper progression: Dial back your distance/implement walk-run.
3. Strength training is key: Strong muscles, ligaments, and tendons guard against impact, improve form, and lead to a consistent gait. The glutes and core contract to steady the pelvis and leg. Muscular balance is important because if one stabilizer isn’t strong enough or isn’t recruited, other muscles get overworked, and the entire chain of movement is disrupted.
4. Prehab: Shift from the need for injury treatment to injury prevention instead.

3 common injuries:

Foot & Lower Leg

• Plantar fasciitis &

Cause:

• Increasing mileage by no more than 10 percent a week
• Often linked with Achilles tendonitis

Exercise:

• Rolling feet & stretching/strengthening calves
• Demo: Calf release with ball

Hip Weakness

• Patellar Tendonitis & PFPS

Cause:

• Tight quads and poor muscular balance & weak glutes (weak or underdeveloped thigh or hip muscles can cause the patellofemoral joint to bare a larger stress burden with activity)

Exercise:

• Stretch/release quads, strengthen VMO & glute med
• Demo: Drop lunge with hip abduction using band

ITB & Lateral Leg Pain

• ITB Syndrome

Cause:

• Poor hip mobility, tight quads, poor flexibility and mechanics
• Weak VMO

Exercise:

• Foam rolling lateral quad and ITB area & strengthen VMO/adductors
• Demo: Myofascial release of lateral leg with foam roller