Running Injuries - How To Avert Them?

Running is something which has an unparalleled ability to give people a boost of energy and make them feel good for the rest of the day. So, it is fair to say that running injuries can be just so disappointing! After all, being prevented from doing a thing you love is never a nice situation to be in!

But, all that need not be the case, as long as a person is willing to spend a little time on learning to reduce the chances of running injuries, a lot of free and enjoyable time spent running is just awaiting him or her!

The first thing which can go a long way in preventing running injuries from occurring is making sure the body is strong. There are quite some ways this can be done but among the most common is to perform exercises which are targeted to help the areas and muscle groups which are made use of when a person runs.

The wall press is a fairly well-known exercise and with good reason! It simulates the impact of the process of running on the gluteus medius, which is a muscle but without the risk of injury. To do this, a person would need to stand with one side close to a wall. Then, the knee is to be bent at a ninety-degree angle so as to prepare the muscle for activation prior to pressing it against the wall for a time period of somewhere between 20 and 30 seconds. This exercise can do wonders! However, the person doing it should make sure that his or her shoulder does not touch the wall while doing the exercise.

Keeping in mind the fact that the entire leg is a unit which is supposed to move smoothly so as to avoid injury, strength needs to be built to bring about uniformity. Remember, it is the imbalances which cause a lot of injuries! Another exercise to be done is the single-leg balance on the forefoot.

The effects of this exercise have a beneficial impact all the way up to the hip! The exercise is pretty simple and it is to be done preferably barefoot. Three to four repetitions are recommended, for as long as possible, with the heel off the ground.

Standing jumps may seem to be quite simple, but they really can have a significant impact! Jumping onto a step of medium height and enough width increases the elasticity of the muscles involved and can even burn some calories!