Did you know that the annual injury rate for runners is higher than it is for professional football players?
It seems insane, but some estimates claim that three out of every four runners will get injured this year. Injuries are the bane of consistent training and the enemy of progress, destroying your ability to string together months of good running that result in new personal bests.
Most runners don't understand the best ways to stay healthy and prevent injuries. They follow the same prevention advice like: "Don't increase your mileage too quickly," or "Wear more cushioned shoes."
But what can you do proactively, today, to help you stay healthy? There are two distinct ways to lower your injury risk dramatically and finally achieve more consistency in your running.
Together, these strategies form the cornerstone of sound, effective training that will help you prevent more running injuries.
More: 3 Ways to Build an Injury-Proof Foundation for Running
Warm Up Before Every Run
Thirty years ago that might have meant some good old-fashioned static stretching (holding a particular stretch for a period of time). But recently we've learned that not only is static stretching ineffective at warming you up to run, but it can also actually increase your injury risk. Avoid static stretching when warming up.
More: A Better Pre-Run Warm-Up
