Don't get too bummed out if you've had a running-related injury during the past 12 months. After all, you're in the majority. Scientific studies show that about 60-65 percent of all runners are injured during an average year (By definition, an "injury" is a physical problem severe enough to force a reduction in training).

When compared to many other endurance sports, the risks associated with running are higher. For example, runners miss about 5-10 percent of their workouts due to injury, while racewalkers are absent just over 1 percent of the time, and step-aerobics participants go AWOL with a frequency of less than 1 percent ("Incidence and Severity of Injury Following Aerobic Training Programs Emphasizing Running, Racewalking, or Step Aerobics," Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, vol. 25(5), p. S81, 1993).

Still, running is far from being the most injury-producing sport. In recent study in the Netherlands, running ranked fourth-behind outdoor soccer, indoor soccer, and volleyball - in the total number of injuries produced per year, and whne injuries were expressed per hour of actual activity, running was well down the list - in 14th place (Sportblessures breed Uitgemeten, Haarlem, DeVrieseborch, 1990).

 In addition, running's 65-percent-injury and 5-percent-absence rates could be significantly lower - if runners knew more about the actual causes of injuries and made a few simple adjustments in their training schedules. In fact, research suggests that running injuries could be cut by around 25 percent (Sport for All:Sport Injuries and their Prevention, Council of Europe, Netherlands Institute of Sports Health Care, Oosterbeek, 1989).

Lets identify where injuries are likely to occur. The five anatomical "hotspot" for running injuries are: (1) The knee (25-30 percent of all running injuries occur ther) (2) The calf and shin (20 percent of all injuries) (3) The ilio-tibial band - a long sheath of connective tissue which runs from the outside of the hip down to the lateral edge of the knee (10 percent) (4) The Achilles tendon (8-10 percent) (5) The foot - the focal point for hobbling injuries like plantar fasciitis (10 percent)

To learn how to minimize your injury risk (the full article can be read by purchasing Vol.9 Issue 5) and many more running related topics. Simply enter What You Don't Know About Running Injuries Can Hurt You, in the "search archives" box, or enter any subject you wish to learn more about. A subscription to Running Research News is another way to receive valuable information. SIGN-UP NOW

[-] Comments - 0

Post your comment:

*Name

*E-mail (will not be published)

website

*Your Comment

type the numbers you see above
(click refresh if you can't read them):


Please do not click submit more than once.
By posting a comment, you affirm that you are 13 years of age or older