Preventing Marathon Training Injuries #2

Preventing Injuries When Preparing For A Marathon Part 2

Written By Gregory Haughton: Three Time Olympic & World Champion

Injury prevention should be a priority for athletes that run regularly, especially when preparing for a particular marathon event. Injury disrupts an athlete training schedule and result in the runner not being properly prepared for the race or event.

In every instance, injury prevention helps the runner avoid a painful injury and potentially long recovery period.

Well designed equipment which also fits properly can go a long way towards injury prevention for runners. One of the most important pieces of equipment that prevent or increase the chance of injuries is using the wrong running shoes. Using the appropriate running shoe for training can be beneficial because it give the athlete the ability to stay healthy and compete at his/he best.

Not all running shoe was designed to fit you base of on foot type such as instep and arch. When buying running shoes, you should choose one that is well cushioned, stable and can absorb most of the inevitable cushion. If you select the one that is designed for you base on foot type, it will increase your athletic longevity because it will save you a lot of unnecessary pain and stress on your joints.

Running shoes should fit properly, not be overly worn and should also ideally be designed to accommodate the runner's style of running With proper shoe selection, you soon realized that it would compensate for bio-mechanical abnormalities and decrease injuries rates. Most running related injuries are among the most frequent reasons for primary care visits. Athletes who wear the proper foot gear may well have fewer running related injuries if they are discipline enough to ovoid highly over rated shoes. Some athlete select their running gear based on consumer demand, marketing and the complexity of running shoe design, celebrity endorsement, brand loyalty, style and impressive looking features. In doing so, they had unwittingly contributed to their own injuries. This leads to lower back, hips, joints and knee problems.

Never purchase footwear that are not appropriate for your foot type and training intensity, and avoid shoes that are appealing to you for cosmetic purposes, celebrity endorsement, or cost. Avoid washing your running shoe in the cloth washer. This will deform their shape. Also, never leave them out in excessive heat; this will degrade the component of the shoe. Let them dry naturally after exposure to water.

Stretching regularly the different muscle group before and after training and competition can help runners to avoid injuries. When you stretch after a run, you help the muscles to cool down properly, therefore aid in the recovery process of the muscles. One worthwhile recommendation for stretching is to stretch each muscle gradually until the range of muscle increases. This is important because the muscles can tighten considerably during the course of the run. Stretching them afterwards will help to prevent a long term shortening of the muscles.

Runners should never increase their mileage quickly. Those who have not been running regularly should start out gradual, with a few miles a day