There is no way to know who will be harmed while jogging in advance. Many people believe that running less than 20 miles a week is better for your health. However, this guideline is based on only a tiny number of studies, and it is no longer widely accepted. The following are some intriguing findings from a recent meta-analysis of research into running injuries, which looked at many articles on the topic.
- It’s hard to predict who will get hurt because lower-extremity injuries ranged from 19.4% to 79.3%.
- Knee injuries were more common.
- Four high-quality studies found that being older increased your risk of getting injured while running, yet two other studies found that getting older protected you from getting injured while running. As a result, the research is inconclusive as to whether or not running as an older person will cause or protect you from harm.
- On the contrary, it appears to be protective against injury when one increases one’s weekly mileage during the week. Because only strong runners increase their mileage, they may be less likely to suffer an injury as a result. Further research must be done before judgments can be reached concerning increased mileage and the risk of injury.
- Lower-extremity running injuries are more common in men than women who run more than 40 miles per week, but this may be because men tend to weigh more than women.
- The usage of a warm-up does not appear to be associated with lower-extremity injuries. This suggests that pre-workout stretching may not be as beneficial as previously thought. The lack of evidence that extension prevents any injury is not a surprise.
- More than half of the lower-extremity injuries (7.2 to 50.0 percent) were caused by knee injuries, followed by lower leg injuries (9.0 percent to 32.22 percent), foot injuries (5.7 percentage points), and upper leg injuries (5.7 percentage points) (3.4 percent to 38.1 percent ). Ankle (3.9 percent to 16.6 percent) and hip/pelvis (3.9 percent to 16.6 percent) injuries to the lower extremity were less common (3.3 percent to 11.5 percent ).
- Running injuries are more likely to occur if the runner has a history of previous injuries. Avoid overtraining (e.g., running more than 40 miles a week) and allow yourself time to recover from any prior injuries fully.
Injury risk increases with weekly mileage, and previous injuries increase your likelihood of getting hurt again. Additionally, knee injuries are the most common type of injury.
Exercises that strengthen the muscles to avoid running-related injuries
- If you’re looking to build leg strength and protect your knee from injury, I recommend doing straight leg lifts.
- Lie on your back, knees bent and straight, palms facing down under your buttocks, and perform these stretches.
- As you stand with your leg straight, tighten your quadriceps and lift it to the height of your other knee.
- Slowly lower your leg but do not allow it to come to a complete stop on the floor.
- Three sets of 10-15 repetitions, one after the other.