As per the study, more than 30% of runners end up with some sports injury each year. Not to mention you must have had sometimes been hurt too if you are a runner too. Does that mean running and injury go hand in hand? Obviously, it should not be the case if you follow a tailored running practice that suits your individual needs. But what are those bad runners habits which you must avoid and necessary preventive measures for those?
In this blog, we will discuss on 10 most bad runners habits and ways to break them.
Related post – How to Stay fit in your 30s/40s/50s
1. You run more than your body can handle
50% of running injuries occur due to the repetitive motion of the sport. It means you ramp up mileage very quickly and running more miles, which your body can not handle. It causes injuries such as shin splints and stress fractures.
Based on the duration of your time off from running or the intensity of your injury, it is advisable to return to exercise in a run-walk-run way. Gradually build mileage, and in this case, there are different theories based on which you can add mileage per week. No worry, you can sustain 5 – 10 miles per week in this way. Don’t think much of quality miles. Instead, wait few weeks to improve gradually.
2. Unfinished Hip-Strengthening exercises
Supplementary strength work along with running can make a world of difference. Hip strength is of utmost necessity while running, which also helps in balancing your body during running. If the hip muscles are weak, adjoining muscles pick up the slack, which causes overwork on those muscles. As a result, it causes inflammation and injury to those muscles. In particular, research has shown that hip strength is of the utmost importance.
3. Always running on the same surface
If you always do running practice on the same surface, it increases your chance of skirt injury when you run on uneven surfaces. It overloads your muscle.
Hence, it is better to practice running on various terrains. Practice on different surfaces like pavement, grass, trail, etc.
4. Using trendiest and not the necessary shoe for running
Studies show that comfort is one of the significant factors during running. Hence, choosing the right shoes and insoles is required. Moreover, it would be best if you did not go by ad instead of on your comfort level. More interestingly, practice on the different sets of shoes. Also, replace them with a considerable amount of miles as the stability and cushioning may break down over time.
The best solution is to swap pairs every alternate day to reduce the risk of injury.
5. Overtraining and skipping rest days kill you
Being a passionate runner is good. However, overrunning and skipping rest days can burn you both mentally and physically. You must divide and categorize your training days as hard days and easy days. Do all strenuous activities like weight lifting on hard days and relax on easy days. This way, you can avoid chronic muscle inflammation, fatigue, and many other issues.
6. DIY medical prevention
Runners often treat themselves as doctors! They use preventable measures like ice-pack, anti-inflammatory medicines to get immediate relief from the injury. However, it turns problems even worse.
Hence, runners should seek proper medical attention and rest days if necessary.
7. Starting too quickly
Many runners consider themselves like a bullet that shoots out from a gun! Starting swiftly eats up your energy in the long run and put extra stress on your nerve.
8. Avoiding stretch work
Constant running makes your muscles stiff. Hence it is of utmost necessity to stretch your muscles post-run to loosen them.
9. Bad Refuelling affects muscles
A high-carb snack and then a meal with carbs and protein is necessary after a hard run to rebuild muscle.
10. Not using SPF
A runner spends a lot of time outdoor and gets exposed to the sunlight rather harmful rays. Hence, there is an increased chance of malignant melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers for athletes’ specific age and sex groups.
Using SPF sunscreen on the exposed skin areas during running can reduce the risk of skin cancers.
Conclusion:
There is more advice available on bad runners habits and proposed prevention on them. However, try to focus on what’s best suitable for your perspective. The goal of running is to feel better and not stressed. Share your idea and help others to improve as a runner.