Friday 8 February 2008

Joint Pain and Running

Do you love to run, but worry about the future of your knees? You are not alone. If you take care of your body, it should take care of you and keep you running for life. Here are a few suggestions on how to make sure you are keeping your knees in top condition for life.

Don't run through joint pain. Listen to what your ankles, knees and hips are telling you! Deal with injuries quickly to prevent long term damage. Make sure to allow any injury to thoroughly heal before upping your running regimen.

Here are a few tips to help keep you in top running condition.

Stick to soft surfaces whenever possible. Choose asphalt over concrete and grass over asphalt.

Wear good supportive running shoes.

Replace your running shoes when they wear out. It is recommended that you replace your sneakers every 300 to 350 miles. Give those shoes the twist test to see if they are still supporting your feet.

If you are training for a long race, respect your rest days. Give your muscles and joints time to repair themselves from the wear and tear of your training.

Keep the muscular strength of your legs balanced and keep your hamstrings, quads and calves flexible. Tight leg muscles can put unnecessary pressure on your knees and create misalignment issues.

If you do get injured or suffer from joint pain, try to keep as mobile as possible through the recovery phase.

Check out this link for information on other pain like migraines

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