Running is an excellent way of keeping healthy and maintaining a low weight. However, it doesn’t come without some problems. Regardless of whether you are running a marathon or running in your local gym, it can have a negative effect on your joints. The biggest complaint you will hear from runners is that they are constantly experiencing knee pain. Running itself doesn’t cause joint problems – the issue is often incorrect running techniques. As a specialist in knee surgery in London, we have a few tips on how you can avoid any damage to your knees whilst out running!
Wear The Correct Shoes
It’s essential that you’re wearing the correct type of footwear whilst out running. In fact, this is important when carrying out any form of exercise. The first thing is to make sure that they actually fit your feet – running in trainers that are too small is definitely not good for your feet. You also need to be buying footwear that has the right amount of support. A lot of people injure their knees by attempting to run in shoes that offer no type of protection.
Warm Up
You should warm up before any type of exercise but especially before going for a run. It might be tempting to just set off at full speed, but running without warming up will most certainly lead to injury. A warm up will loosen your muscles and joints, as well as get your heart rate going. A brisk walk is the best type of warm up – adding longer strides as you go on.
Stretch
After you’ve adequately warmed up, you should follow up with some stretches. Any professional runner will tell that stretching the muscles is very important before doing any length of running. You should concentrate on your hip, quadriceps (front of thigh), hamstrings and calves.
Don’t Just Do Cardio
A lot of runners only concentrate on running – they don’t add any other form of exercise to their regime. This is the reason why a lot of runners suffer with joint pains – especially the knees – because they have trained some muscles a lot more than others. You should add core strengthening to your workouts – this will work out the whole body instead of just certain parts.
Don’t Do Too Much
If you’re not used to running long distances, don’t suddenly start pushing yourself to run further. Whilst it’s good to challenge yourself, it shouldn’t be at the expense of your health. You shouldn’t ever just increase the amount that you run; you need to build it up steadily. It’s also important to have several rest days – don’t go out running every single day. Your body needs time to recover.
If you’ve suffering from joint pain that is affecting your daily life and doesn’t seem to be going away, it’s time to consult a professional.
Here at Joint Replacement Surgery, Miss Samantha Z. Tross is an experienced Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon. She has years of experience, so you can be assured that you are in safe hands. For more information on joint replacement surgery, or to request an appointment, please don’t hesitate to contact us. You can give us a call on 07943 947 639 and a member of our friendly team will be happy to help.
