NYC Marathon Tips: Preventing Running Injuries

The marathon countdown is ON! Three more days and more to prep for =) 

Here are some tips to help you prevent injuries.

Lisa Elaine Held wrote an incredible article highlighting a few great tips. She knows all the best health and wellness beats in NYC and is an expert when it comes to fitness, healthy food trends, health advice, beauty and style tips, and more.

 I sweat my way through boot camps in city parks, dingy dance studios, and swanky gyms.

When it comes to the marathon she shares on Well + Good:

With the New York City Marathon training season in full swing, runners focused on hitting their 26.2 miles in record time might forget the role injury prevention plays in getting to starting line, let alone the finish, says Dr. Mark Klion, a NYC orthopedic surgeon (and triathlete).

Dr. Klion, who specializes in sports medicine, says that this time of year his practice sees a huge increase in patients with running injuries.

So I’m sure you’re wondering what the most common injuries are. Most are caused by muscle overuse:

• IT (Illiotibilal) Band Syndrome
• Patellofemoral Syndrome (runner’s knee)
• Stress fractures
• Plantar Fascitis

Even going from 2 to 5 miles is a deviation away from what the body is used to,” says Dr. Klion. “Runners with years of training are able to withstand fluctuations better than a first-time athlete.”

First time marathoners have a higher chance of being exposed to the likeliness of these injuries. But not to worry! Held advises for first time runners to put some injury prevention into their training program.

Held shares three great tips from Matt McCulloch, a master Pilates instructor and co-founder of Kinected.

McCulloch was inspired by his own knee injury and now specializes in helping others avoid the same fate.

Here are McCulloch’s three key tips for steering clear of running injuries:

1. Focus on the core.

McCulloch says that it’s hard for runners to engage their abs while running, but a strong core—plus low back and hips—is key to keeping the rest of your body in balance. “The lumbopelvic region stabilizes everything,” he says. “If it’s strong, then you have a better shot at injury prevention.” Tip: Try incorporating some pre- or post-run planks into your routine.

2. Don’t ignore the treadmill. 

When the weather gets warm, New Yorkers abandon the gym for the pavement, but that’s not always the best strategy. Running on city streets “is almost a full contact sport,” says McCulloch. If you occasionally switch to the controlled environment of the treadmill, you can focus on technique, address interval pacing better, simulate inclines, and correct postural problems by watching yourself in the mirror.

3. Bone up on lower-body strength and flexibility.

Weak or tight muscles from your core down to the soles of your feet can contribute to all of the most common running injuries. To improve strength, try simple leg lifts or balance with one leg raised, the knee slightly bent. For flexibility, loosen your quads and your IT band with a foam roller. Give your feet some love by rolling a golf ball under the arch (for flexibility) or strengthen the ankle joint by alternately flexing and pointing while holding a resistance band around the bottom of the foot. 

There are many ways to prep and nothing should be overlooked. I hope this helped and if you have any extra advice please do share! Lots of love!! xoxo

Read the full article here.

Matt McCulloch has more advice click here.