How to Prevent 5 Common Running Injuries

Too much running on the street can be tough on the joints! Credit: lululemon athletica

3. Snapping hip. Snapping hip is a condition that results in an audible snapping or popping feeling around the hip joint when the hip is flexed and extended. This sensation can either be felt externally or internally. Athletes are at special risk for developing this syndrome as a result of the repetitive and physically demanding movements they do. With runners, snapping hip is attributed to extreme thickening of the tendons in the hip region. “Pain can be reduced through rest and inactivity, but symptoms can last for an extended period of time, causing it to eventually become very painful,” says Dr. Jimenez.

How to Prevent Snapping Hip

• Avoid running for an extended period of time to alleviate pain and prevent recurrence.
• Maintain good flexibility and strength by lightly stretching the muscles around the thigh, hip and pelvis.
• Before engaging in running again, have a specialist assess your running technique to determine if that is causing the ailment.

4. Neck pain. Stress tends to accumulate in the neck area, and neck ailments in runners are common. “As the neck balances a 10-pound head and compensates for deficiencies in imbalances in the arches of the feet or the curves of the back, the neck takes on a lot of physical burden,” Dr. Jimenez explains. And for runners, sometimes the ailment is coupled with poor running form or tense muscles during the run.

How to Prevent Neck Pain

• Take breaks when standing or sitting for a long period of time.
• Adjust your desk, chair and computer so that your computer monitor is at eye-level, your knees rest at a point slightly lower than hips, and you have chair armrests available for additional support.
• Slowly introduce yoga postures for neck and back pain to strengthen muscles.
• Concentrate on standing with correct posture. Keep your head centered over your spine, so gravity works with your neck rather than against it.