Running injury Prevention
New to running? Experienced, but looking to become more resilient?
As runners, we are very good at moving forward: Long runs, intervals, threshold work, track repeats.
However, the secret to both preventing injuries and improving running performance lies in taking some time to move in other planes.
The focus of this injury-prevention primer is to get you moving in different directions, activating and strengthening muscles that are key to making you more injury-proof and mobilizing commonly restricted areas.
Movement Prep/Injury Prevention Pre-Run
Focuses on core/gluteal activation pre-run or pre-workout.
First two weeks: 2-3 rounds of the following:
- Bear crawl forward and back x10 feet
- One leg bridge, foot on chair x10 per side
- Bird dog x5 per side, 5 second hold
- Walking lunges x8 per leg
Cool Down / Mobility Post-Run
Done after runs/cross training. Do 5/5/10 breathing throughout – 5 second inhale, 5 second hold, 10 second exhale.
- Spiderman lunge with rotation x10 per side
- Quadruped thread the needle and rotate x10 per side
- Bretzel stretch 1′ per side
- 1/2 kneeling hip flexor stretch (keep glutes engaged, back flat) 30 seconds per side.
Weekly Strength / Injury Prevention
Do this 3 times per week, separate from running session.
- One leg heel raise and lower, slow. 3×10 per side
- Hip hikes off step. 2×20 per side