How to Run Injury Free
You might think running would come quite naturally, given that we learn to do it so early in life. However, if you have not done any running in a long time, it can feel anything but natural.
The way you run (known as your running gait) is unique to you, and you won’t be able to change it that much – nor should you try to, unless you want to create a whole host of other problems for yourself – but there are some general guidelines on form and technique which may help you run more efficiently and comfortably.
Head – Your head weighs approximately 10 pounds, so where you hold it greatly affects the stress it places on your joints, and the effort it takes to hold your head there. Runners often look down, taking their whole head with them and forcing the spine out of alignment. This is particularly the case when going downhill. So don’t drop your head – but equally, don’t pull it back. Try to keep it neatly balanced between the two extremes.
Shoulders – Tense, tight shoulders are a common sight in runners. One of the key causes is clenched fists – easy enough to rectify – but fatigue or even a muscle imbalance, which leaves the shoulder retractors weak and the shoulder protractors short and overtight, can be to blame. To redress the balance between the shoulder retractors and protractors, try the exercises below:
a. First, stand in a doorway and lift your right arm so you are holding the frame with your hand at head height. Keeping your thumb pointing upwards, your arm straight, and your shoulder blade back and down, slowly rotate your trunk away. Hold for 20 seconds, then repeat on the left. Do this exercise daily, especially after long periods of working on a computer.
b. Now sit with your legs outstretched, take a resistance tube and wrap it around your feet a couple of times taking an end in each hand so that when your arms are straight, there is some tension in the tubing. With arms extended at chest height, draw your shoulder blades together, resisting the pull of the tubing to do so. Repeat ten times slowly.
Back – Your torso should be perpendicular to the ground, your back straight. Try not to arch backwards or lean forwards, which will put your body out of alignment and restrict your breathing.
Hands – Clenched fists are not conducive to relaxed running. But then again, hands flopping around like a rag doll’s won’t help either. “Relaxed control” is the way to go here: it can help to imagine you are holding a wave between each thumb and forefinger – tight enough to keep hold of it but not so tight that you crush it.
Face – Unless you’re neck and neck with Derartu Tulu on the home stretch of the Boston Marathon, relax your face. Try smiling, even. If your jaw is relaxed, it sends the right signals to the rest of your body to relax, too. Your eyes should be focusing on the ground 11 to 22 yards in front of you, not looking at your feet. Remember, your eyes do move independently of your skull, so you can look around without waggling your head. Try it!
Arms – Picture your arms as pistons firing you forward, like a machine. That should give you the correct arm position, with elbows bent somewhere close to 90°. But don’t try too hard – the effort needs to come only when you’re bringing the arm back, and it’ll come forward on its own. Moving your arms faster makes your legs move faster, so use more arm power when you’re running hard, less if you’re jogging.
Hips – Imagine you’re growing taller with every stride – rising up from the pelvis rather than sinking down into it. This requires a certain amount of muscle strength and stability.
Knees – Try to get a reasonable knee lift with each stride but don’t worry about reaching your heels to your bottom (unless you’re sprinting), but also don’t just skim the ground with your feet.
Ankles – One of the best pieces of running advice comes courtesy of Malcolm Balk, an Alexander Technique teacher and running coach. He said, “Relax the front of your ankles.” It sounds strange, but consciously releasing the muscles at the front of the ankles really makes your stride feel more relaxed and smooth.
Feet – Don’t clench your toes. Land on the heel and roll smoothly through to the forefoot. Don’t deliberately “flick” off the toes as your foot leaves the ground.
Are you a runner who would like help training, or someone who wants to start running but not sure how? Join our 11 Week Run for Success Race Prep Group beginning June 20th to prepare for this year’s Women’s Four Miler! Fill out the interest form below to get all the details- spaces will be limited and are open to both members and non-members!