Runner injury prevention tools

Mires places a bottle of water in the freezer and then takes it out to roll under her foot for arch relief. For a deeper massage, try using a rubber ball. Find the tightest spot on the side of the thigh and roll the ball side to side instead of up and down.

Middle-distance runner Hannah Fields favors a lacrosse ball to roll out her hips and glutes. Using the ball for a deep acupressure massage under your foot while standing also has its perks.

Runners are often lax when it comes to stretching. Just taking five minutes of your day, however, has its benefits and can even guard against injury. According to Sach, using these items will help lengthen the soleus muscles in your calves. To modify, rest your weight on your knees instead of on your toes. Lie face up with your feet flat on the ground. Lift your hips and contract your glutes so you form a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.

Straighten one leg, hold for 2—3 seconds, and repeat on the other side. Place the forearms on the ground with the elbows aligned below your shoulders and arms parallel to the body, about shoulder-width apart. Keep your back straight and hold. In addition to consistent strength work and smart training, here are some other aspects to consider:. Foam Rollers and Massage These can all be part of your injury-prevention tool kit. Studies in the Journal of Health and Conditioning show foam rolling tight muscles can help increase blood flow and relieve tension.

Nutrition While nutrition is too broad a topic to address in-depth here, generally speaking, runners should stick with real, whole foods and avoid refined, processed ones. Make sure you take in sufficient calories to fuel your body and help it recover efficiently. MapMyRun provides users with the ability to map, record and share their exercise routes and workouts with each other. Turn on MapMyRun desktop notifications and stay up to date on the latest running advice.

Share it:. Tags injury prevention running training tips. About the Author. MapMyRun MapMyRun provides users with the ability to map, record and share their exercise routes and workouts with each other.

Never Miss a Post! In fact, the Hypervolt recently won our percussive therapy face off. Think of this tool as the mutant offspring of a highly evolved foam roller. Using varying hardnesses, this compact foam roller has ridges that allow it to get deeper into hard-to-reach spots think along your spine, in your shoulder blades, or in your glutes.

Skip the cheap foam noodle foam roller and go straight for a multisport multitool. With a host of technical features accessible from a Bluetooth-connected smartphone app, you can control the level of compression, which zones compress, and more.