Running, or running, is a sport that has been spreading in its practice, becoming more popular day by day. In addition to the fact that running is one of the oldest exercises in the history of mankind that serves as the basis for many other highly popular sports.

Although you might think that running is easy to practice, doing it with an incorrect technique can cause various injuries that, if not taken care of, can lead to severe problems later on. The most common injuries associated with running include injuries to the knees, feet, and ankles, as well as injuries to the back and leg muscles.

Knee injuries, such as patellofemoral pain syndrome and knee tendonitis, can be caused by poor posture or poor running technique. Foot and ankle injuries, such as ankle sprains and plantar fasciitis, are often the result of a lack of strengthening of the foot and ankle muscles, as well as poor shoe choices.

In general, to prevent running injuries it is important to have a good running technique, good footwear, adequate physical preparation and a balanced diet. It is also important to listen to our body and not exceed the intensity or duration of the running sessions. If you experience any pain or injury, it's important to seek treatment as soon as possible to avoid long-term complications.

That is why below we will talk to you in more detail about the most common injuries when running and how to avoid them, in this way you can enjoy all the benefits of doing this exercise.

What are the most common injuries when running?

There are many injuries that can be caused by falling, so we suggest you always do this exercise according to your physical condition and wear the right accessories.

The most common running injuries are:

Patellar tendonitis

It is also known as jumper's knee; since it is more common in athletes whose sports include frequent jumping. This injury causes inflammation and degeneration of the anterior knee tendon that attaches the kneecap to the leg and manifests as pain below the kneecap, mainly when the knee is flexed.

Achilles Tendonitis

This injury occurs when the tendon that connects the back of the leg to the heel becomes inflamed, the pain produced is near the bottom of the foot. This tendon is called the Achilles tendon and it is what allows us to push our foot down and thanks to it we can walk, run and jump.​

Fibrillar tear in the hamstrings

This injury is commonly known as a muscle tear and is usually caused by different reasons such as: sudden muscle contraction, excessive elongation or effort that exceeds the muscle's capacity.

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Plantar fasciitis

This injury is one of the most common causes of heel pain, it inflames a thick band of tissue that crosses the sole of the foot, this band connects the heel bone with the toes. It supports the arch of the foot and absorbs the impact when walking. This condition occurs, above all, in people who are overweight, who work standing up or who use inappropriate footwear when jogging.

Shin splints

This injury is also known as tibial stress syndrome and causes pain along the inner part of the tibia, that is, it is felt by the shin bone due to the inflammation of the membrane that surrounds the tibia. It is usually caused by running or other high-impact activity and usually improves with rest and does not cause lasting problems.

Iliotibial band syndrome

This syndrome is also known as runner's knee and is one of the most frequent injuries in people who run. It occurs when the tendon that connects the hip to the knee repeatedly rubs against the outside of the knee joint, causing discomfort on the outside of the knee.

Stress fracture of the metatarsals

These types of fractures are caused by overuse. When we run, the feet endure continuous pressure every time the ground is struck. This movement can cause weakness in some areas of the bones. It can cause intense pain in the front of the foot that forces you to stop walking.

Chondromalacia patellar

This condition is also known as patellofemoral pain syndrome and is used to describe pain in the front of the knee.
It appears when the cartilage that covers the kneecap erodes and softens. It generally occurs due to instability or malposition of the patella in its joint with the femur.

How do I avoid injuries when running?

There are a number of things you can do before, during, and after your run that will help minimize the chances of a fitness-impairing injury.

Heating

It is essential to prepare our body before doing any type of exercise, by doing it properly we can achieve our goal without so much effort and avoiding injuries to our body.

Warm-up exercises before running increase body temperature, blood flow, and heart rate through dynamic stretching and aerobic movements.

The warm-up must be done as a routine before starting our exercise, no matter in what modality. We will show you some warm-up exercises that will help you prepare your body for the demands of running.

There are creams that help warm up the muscles before doing physical activity, we recommend that you try one to avoid possible injuries.

Hamstring stretches

With this training exercise we stretch the back muscles of the thigh. It is done standing up, crossing the legs, and keeping them as stretched as possible, and bending the body forward and trying to touch the ground with the hands, while also pushing the weight of the trunk downwards.

Knee to chest

Standing, we cross our legs, keeping them as stretched as possible, and bend our bodies forward to try to touch the ground with our hands, while also pushing our weight downwards.

Hip flexor extension

For this warm-up exercise, step one leg over the other. The lead leg should be bent, with the knee in line with the ankle and the thigh parallel to the ground. The other leg should be fully extended but with the foot touching the ground.

We repeat several sessions per leg, placing our hands on the flexed knee to help us better maintain balance. This will warm up our legs and hips, which will help the stride.

Knee raise

This warm-up exercise before running must be done very quickly, and arms and legs are warmed up, in a space of 40-50 meters, since it is done as if we were running with very short strides.

We raise our knees as much as possible, and with short running steps, we accompany the movement with our arms. The more the knees rise and the arms move, the better the warm-up and the longer the running stride.

Warm up with twists

In this exercise, speed is also a better warm-up. It consists of moving with the feet crossed towards lateral directions. Cross feet alternately, turning the hip to the opposite side of the crossed front foot, moving outstretched arms in the same direction as the hip, and turning. It is a good warm up for all muscles.

Choice of terrain

There are several types of terrain on which you can run, but we advise you to avoid asphalt at all costs. Because it is a very hard surface, the joints take a lot of effort and are more likely to get injured.

In case you have no other option, you should look for shoes with excellent cushioning, in this way the impact will be less and you will be able to help your joints suffer less.

Soft terrain such as dirt or grass cushions and protects the joints. You can also do this activity on a synthetic track, these are specially made to avoid injuries to athletes.

Keep hydrated

When running, water is lost due to sweating, our physiological mechanism by which the body expels heat during exercise. But in addition to this liquid, important minerals such as sodium, potassium and magnesium are lost, which can increase the probability of a cramp. To avoid this it is very important to drink water before, during and after running.

A fluid loss of 2% of body weight is enough for physical performance to decrease significantly. Depending on the intensity of the race that you are going to do will be the amount of water to ingest, what we recommend is never to wait until you are thirsty and always hydrate a little before starting physical activity.

Choice of footwear

We need to choose running shoes that adapt well to our foot and our type of footprint, which is not as simple a task as it might seem.

One of the first things to take into account is the pronation of your foot, that is, the inward rotation of the foot at the moment it comes into contact with the ground when running or walking.

Depending on your pronation, it will be the type of footprint you have and the type of running shoe you should choose. To find out for yourself the type of footprint you can review your current tennis shoes and see the wear of the sole.

Neutral footstep

Si el exterior de las suelas presentan un desgaste en forma de S desde el talón hasta la punta es bastante probable que tu pronación o pisada sea neutra. Gracias a esto tienes mayor facilidad a la hora de elegir unos buenos tenis de correr ya que prácticamente cualquier modelo te será de utilidad.

Supinated footstep

When the rotation of the foot is excessive outwards we would be talking about supination. Your weight is supported on the side of the running shoe when you land on your foot, affecting the efficiency of your stride.

The impact of the foot against the ground causes a greater vibration that affects the upper part of your legs. People who run and have a supinated foot strike are more prone to injuries and fractures due to the impact of their footfall. If this is your case, choose running shoes with good cushioning.

Pronator

This type of footprint occurs when the rotation of the foot is excessive inward. The weight of the body tends to be transferred to the inside of the foot, which causes contact between the ground and the inside of the shoe, instead of the metatarsals.

This causes an imbalance, causing the foot to rotate inward to regain lost stability. You will be able to tell if your footprint is pronating if your tennis shoes have excessive wear on the inside of the heel and in the area of the big toe. The tennis shoes that you should use are those with good cushioning and support.

Progression in the exercise

When running it is advisable to start from less to more, going for a run does not mean doing a 100-meter dash or completing a marathon in the first week of training.

The rhythm and distance will always be linked to our physical capacity and we must not force our body to carry out an activity to which it is not used or prepared.

A good method to progress when we begin to practice this activity is to carry out training that combines a brisk walk, continuous running and jogging.

Heart check

This point is only necessary for very specific cases, if you are over 40 years of age, are overweight, have a chronic illness or have not exercised for a long time, it would be best to have a medical check-up to find out if there are risks of suffer some cardiovascular discomfort and thus perform the exercise with all possible precautions.

What do you think of our tips to avoid injuries when running? Do you think we missed any important advice? Leave your opinion in the comments and do not forget to share with your friends if you think this article will be useful to them.

It is always a good time to start getting fit and start a healthy life, and when we think of an exercise that is ideal for this task, running will always come to mind. And even if we're right, it's not a good idea to just grab your sneakers and go for a run.

It is best to carry out this activity with a work plan and with objectives in mind, in order to know how to progress naturally. Of course we can start running for something more than just having a healthier life, maybe we want to improve our physical condition, lose weight, run a race or simply look for a healthy hobby.

What is running?

Running or jogging, as we can usually come to know this exercise today, is the physical activity in which a person performs a continuous run, generally outdoors. It is a complex and coordinated process that fully involves the entire body. An act by which the feet touch the ground alternately at a speed greater than when walking.

Practical tips to start running

Start with a good warm up

Warming up is very important as it helps us prepare our bodies for intense physical activity, as well as helping us to avoid injuries. That's why we recommend starting each training session with at least 5 minutes of warm-up.

Do short intervals at first

If you are a beginner or have not done any physical activity for a while, what we suggest is that you do not run a full distance in your first sessions. Intersperse walking and running, depending on what your body tells you.

You can start by alternating 2 minutes of running and 2 minutes of walking. Increase the length of your running intervals by one minute until you can run without stopping to walk. Of course you can alternate longer intervals, but without pushing your body too much.

Don't start too fast

For our body, this physical activity is new, so it is not used to the stress it generates or the demand it needs. It is a common mistake among beginners to want to run very fast from day one, but this can lead to injury.

Run at a moderate pace in your first days of training, so the body can get used to this type of exercise and little by little you will be gaining the necessary physical condition to increase the intensity.

Matter of technique

To progress adequately in running, we advise you to implement these keys in your running technique:

• Try to avoid that your heel is the first part of the foot that contacts the ground.
• Do not take sudden strides when running: the ideal is that your footsteps do not make noise.
• Keep your shoulders relaxed and avoid letting your hands go past them.
• Relax your hands: do not clench your fists.
• Use the force of gravity as an ally to generate forward momentum.
• Try to make your strides land below the line of your hips.

Choose the right surface

There are several types of surfaces that you can use to start running, among them are:

• Asphalt or pavement:
  • It is quite useful to go fast and with little danger of sprains, although it has a problem and that is that it can cause injuries to the joints and knees. It is recommended only for light runners and those who are in shape.
• Park or forest:
  • It provides better cushioning for your joints and is not as hard on the knees. It is likely to suffer injuries due to irregularities, we advise you to always be careful to avoid obstacles such as roots and stones.
• Sand:
  • This surface is excellent for training the muscles, although it could overload them, so training must be carried out with great care.
• Tartan:
  • It is the synthetic surface of athletics tracks, it is soft, spongy and elastic, therefore it does not overload the joints although it can make the Achilles tendon work a lot.
• Treadmill:
  • It allows you to train at all times and with excellent cushioning, but it can become monotonous and boring..

When choosing one of these surfaces, assess its pros and cons, we believe that it is best to run in a park or forest, since in addition to having good cushioning it will help you to be in contact with nature and it will not seem a boring activity.

Don't eat heavy before training

Avoid solid food about two hours before each workout and drink small amounts of fluids. This will help you avoid soreness or flatus. If this pain happens to you during a race, it is best to take a deep breath, walk and apply a little pressure on the part of the body that hurts.

Do not start the race again until the pain is completely gone.

Do cross training

If possible, vary the exercise you do a few days a week, so you give your body a chance to recover and get used to another type of stress. Another benefit is that it becomes more fun and stimulating to train and we introduce different motor patterns to our body, which means that our muscles and joints will not get used to a single movement and will be better prepared for a race.

Don't forget to do a good cool down

After your run, cool down by walking or jogging slowly for 5-10 minutes. Your breathing and heart rate should gradually return to normal. It is also good that you stretch for another 5 to 10 minutes, in this way we predispose our body to a better rest and better recovery.

Take note of your runs

It is advisable to keep a diary in which you record the times made during your races. To keep a good record of each session add the following information:

• Duration
• Kilometres
• Surface
• Effort required
• Food and drink consumed before and after the session
• Climate conditions
• Your feelings after training.

It will help us meet our goal and it will be a load of extra motivation because we will have a simple and easy way to see our progress.

Don't get discouraged

The results do not come from one day to the next, everything is a matter of perseverance, perseverance and patience. That is why you must continue training so that in a couple of weeks you begin to see the first advances in your exercise.

What items do I need to start running?

Without a doubt, the most important thing is to choose good running shoes, but here we leave you a simple list.

• Technical T-shirt
• Sports pants or leggings
• Socks
• Tennis
• Earphones
• Sports phone case

Training plan

The training plan to start running that we suggest is 6 weeks, you will exercise three times a week, resting the other days. You can do another type of physical activity to complement during those rest days, but taking care that you do not overload your body.

What did you think of our training plan? What was your training plan when you started running? Do you think we are missing some advice or that we have missed something important? Leave your opinion in the comments.

No matter what time of year we are in, it is never too late to decide to start an active and healthier life.

To start activating the body, nothing better than going for a little run every day. Before doing it and thinking that the exercise is as comfortable as possible, there are several things that we must consider within our equipment. In this way our experience will be as optimal as possible.

What is running?

Running, also known as jogging, running or jogging; It is an outdoor activity in which a continuous race is carried out at a speed greater than that of walking.

It is a type of exercise that can be practiced by anyone and has many health benefits.

What benefits does running have?

• Helps lose and control weight
• Helps reduce cellulite
• Regenerates muscle mass
• strengthens the bones
• Fight stress and anxiety
• Improves the cardiovascular and respiratory system
• Improves the immune system, so it helps prevent diseases

What do I need to start running?

It is easy to think that any shirt, pants or sports shoes is more than enough, but it is not. We can consider aesthetic or health issues to analyze a little better what we will use before going for a run.

It is not a matter of getting carried away by the latest fashions and color trends, nor of spending a fortune on a hobby that we do not know if it will end up convincing us. It is more a question of fabrics, cuts and comfort. All these aspects are fundamental for a correct running practice in which injuries can be the order of the day if we do not take care of ourselves.

For this reason we propose a series of products and accessories that every novice runner needs to consider to practice this activity.

Technical T-shirt

Regular T-shirts made of cotton absorb sweat so they end up being a heavy and uncomfortable load to run on.

At first you can opt for simple shirts, the key is that they are made of polyester because they do not weigh too much, and that they are as breathable as possible.

Sports pants or leggings

Tights are a good option for runners. They are comfortable, flexible and better keep the heat in the legs.

In colder seasons you can choose ones that also cover the knees or even the entire leg.

What you should keep in mind is that the more comfort and fewer restrictions a garment offers, the better its performance will be. Light fabrics and wide, seamless waistbands are the best choice. Perspiration and freedom of movement are the key to enjoying a good experience.

Sports socks

If we talk about running, everything that helps foot care is essential. So you should keep in mind that it is better to use specific technical socks for running.
The option of compression stockings is more recommended if you do an endurance race, but there are those who also use them for shorter training sessions.

Tennis or sports shoes

It is probably the most important point and the one that should have the greatest investment, not only economically but also in time. It is forbidden to buy the first sneakers you see, no matter how good they look.

There are several issues to consider, among them are the one that is designed for running, that it fits our foot correctly, is light, firm and safe. This choice is essential to run with guarantees, avoid injuries and not abandon the practice prematurely.

We must also take into account when choosing footwear if we will go for a run on asphalt or through the countryside or mountains. Each surface requires a different shoe design.

Earphones

Sometimes we can feel that running is boring, so we need a good motivation and without a doubt music is essential to run at the desired pace.

The best headphones for running should be attached to your ears and resist movement without dropping or bouncing excessively.

As for the shape, there is no perfect design, it depends on each one, so you will have to try until you find those that are most comfortable for you.

Sports phone case

If we want to listen to music and be aware of our cell phone, it will be necessary to get a case to be able to carry it comfortably.

Today the cell phone has become something essential in our day to day, so we advise you to get a case that fits your arm correctly and that is the right size for your cell phone.

Do you think that some article is needed for those who start running? Leave your opinion in the comments.