Running Feet: Injury Prevention

Summer is here and more people are on the move. Unfortunately it is very common in this time for people to get injured, which can sideline you for weeks to months. If you are looking at getting in shape here are some handy tips to keep you injury free over summer:

Listen to your body:

Don’t ignore pain. A little soreness is OK, however if you have consistent pain in a muscle or joint that doesn’t get better with rest, see your podiatrist or health practitioner.

Warm-up and stretch:

Many injuries occur as a result of inadequate or complete lack of stretching. Before and after you start your run, stretch your muscles well — especially your calves, hamstrings and quadriceps.

Build strength:

Add weight training and ab exercises to your routine or warm up. This develops core strength and helps strengthen muscles.

Look after your feet

As podiatrists we commonly see the feet being overlooked when a person is preparing for a training regime. The following points include the best ways to look after your feet when starting to build up exercise.

Be shoe smart:

Wear appropriate, well-fitting shoes with good support. If the soles of your running shoes have worn thin or have worn down in a particular area, it’s time to get a new pair. Important properties of a shoe to note when looking for a new pair include; firm heel counter, good arch support, can bend shoe only at ball of the foot etc. If in doubt our Melbourne podiatrsists can give you footwear advice and recommend the right shoe to suit your feet and biomechanics.

Be lace smart:

Another handy tip for runners is finding the right lacing technique to best suit you. The following website has a variety of lacing techniques for all foot types: http://katierunsthis.com/2011/10/04/running-shoe-lacing-techniques

Be foot Smart:

If you have soreness in the lower limb icing is a good way to speed up the recovery process and reduce any inflammation in muscles and tendons. Any foot problems that are causing you excessive pain when you run and are affecting your everyday activities are not normal. If this is affecting you, please visit one of our Melbourne podiatrists for full assessment and diagnosis. This will often involve gait analysis and some people may require orthotics to help resolve their pain.