It’s only 15 days into the New Year and we are already seeing some injuries from the increased activity level. It is awesome to get going on a new exercise regimen. There are a million reasons to get active and almost a million ways to have it go awry.
Preventing Injuries When Exercising
One of the easiest things to do as we get into a new regimen is to make sure we don’t go too quickly. If you haven’t gone for a run in a few months it is time to go for a walk, not a jog. Make sure you warm up and stretch and then go for a brisk walk. If it’s been months since you last ran take it slow, meaning if your last walk was 3 miles, let’s start with 1 today. Almost all injuries occur when we push our bodies and especially our feet beyond what they are ready for. Another easy thing to do is to make sure you have good shoes. Solid supportive shoes almost always are better for your feet. The new trend is for minimalist shoes that are designed for the runner who runs 10 miles a day and has perfect feet. If you don’t fit that bill, consider a more stable shoe with terms like “stability” or “motion control.”
Orthotics Prevent Running Injuries
My favorite tip of the New Year is to use orthotics. Most overuse injuries can be prevented with a good orthotic. An orthotic is the term I use for arch supports that go in your shoe. They run the gamut of $10 insoles from Wal-Mart to the $100’s of dollars at some of the specialty stores. We carry a number of good options at our office that work great for walking, running, or any other sport that you are interested in. We also offer custom orthotics that is the gold standard for support of the foot, specific to your issues and your pain. So this year as you gear up for some additional exercise makes sure you go slowly, and go with some additional support.