Running basics for injury-free exercise

Running is meant to be natural to humans, but we don’t live naturally anymore. Prolonged daily sitting at a desk and in the car creates muscular imbalances that affect our posture and running technique. For example, our hip flexors become too tight, and glutes and lats become too weak, causing issues with pelvic stability, which can lead to sore knees and lower back while running. If this is your case, forcefully fixing your technique could cause more harm. Instead, you must start by improving your posture, stability, and strength. Download our City2Surf Training Guide for strength and running training guidance.  

 

Although running with proper form can help prevent injuries and enhance performance, individual differences, natural adjustments, and the joy of running should be considered. If your technique isn’t perfect but you don’t experience any pain or injury, there’s no need to change anything besides paying attention to your cadence. Don’t try to fix what’s not broken! Even some best runners in the world don’t have perfect technique. On the other hand, if you face persistent discomfort or injury or have specific performance goals, gradual, personalised adjustments with professional guidance can be beneficial.

 

Running cadence

As mentioned, running cadence, or the number of steps a runner takes per minute, is crucial for injury prevention. It’s the one thing you should fix to become a better runner. A higher cadence typically results in shorter, quicker steps, which can reduce the impact forces on joints and muscles, particularly in the knees, hips, and lower legs. This reduction in impact helps prevent common running injuries such as shin splints, stress fractures, and a runner’s knee. Additionally, a higher cadence encourages a mid-foot or forefoot strike rather than a heel strike, promoting better running form and reducing overstriding, leading to a more efficient and safer running posture.

 

How to improve running cadence

To improve running cadence, gradually increase your step rate by about 5-10% at a time to allow your body to adapt. A metronome or cadence-specific music can help maintain a consistent rhythm, aiming for around 170-180 steps per minute, commonly recommended for most runners. Focus on taking shorter, quicker steps rather than trying to cover more ground with each stride. Additionally, keeping proper posture with an upright stance and a slight forward lean from the ankles will help ensure your feet land under your hips, promoting a more efficient and safer stride.

 

Properly fuel your body

When running any distance, it is important to fuel your body correctly to support your bones, joints, muscles and optimal recovery. Research has shown that supplementing with 5 g–15 g/day doses of collagen at least 1 h before exercise for over 3 months may aid in reducing functional joint pain and improving muscle recovery. The beneficial effects of collagen supplementation take effect after three months or longer, and compliance with the supplementation period is critical. It is also important to ensure that you're hitting your daily protein requirements, to support lean muscle mass. Hit your collagen goals easily by adding a scoop of our Collagen Powder to your coffee or chowing down a Collagen Bar before your workout. Read our blog 'Top 10 Facts You Need to Know About Protein and Exercise' to calculate your daily protein requirements. 

 

Running technique for dummies

Rather than attempting a complete overhaul, focusing on fundamental aspects like posture, foot strike, and cadence can lead to significant improvements. Simple cues like leaning forward, landing softly, and increasing step frequency can yield positive results.

 

Here are our top technique tweaks to keep in mind as you stride towards victory…

1. Your feet should land straight under your hips or even slightly behind you. Overstriding creates a lot of impact on your legs as you hit heal first (this also slows you down)! Your forefoot/midfoot should contact the ground first, not your heel. However, don’t run on your toes to prevent calf and Achilles strain.
2. Land softly and quietly. If you can hear yourself thumping, it’s a sign of high impact forces going through your body, which is the perfect recipe for developing sore joints and injuries over time.
3. Actively lift your knees at the start of your stride and ‘push off’ the ground a little as you land. Think of your legs as ‘shock absorbers’.
4. Switch on your core, particularly your lower abs – forget this step, and you’ll end up with a bad back!
5. Lift your chest up and keep your eyes elevated – you want to see the horizon, not your feet!
6. Drop your shoulders away from your ears and relax them.
7. Make sure your elbows swing forwards and backwards, not side to side across your body.
8. Keep your head steady; don’t let it rock from side to side or front to back as you tire.
9. If you’ve mastered the above and your technique is good, assume a slight lean forward from the ankle joints. Be very careful not to collapse at the hips again, though!

 

Here is a video of what it looks like in the practice.

 

References

Khatri M, Naughton RJ, Clifford T, Harper LD, Corr L. The effects of collagen peptide supplementation on body composition, collagen synthesis, and recovery from joint injury and exercise: a systematic review. Amino Acids. 2021 Oct;53(10):1493-1506. doi: 10.1007/s00726-021-03072-x. Epub 2021 Sep 7. PMID: 34491424; PMCID: PMC8521576. 

 

 

 

If this is too overwhelming, you can book a session with our Chief Exercise Physiologist, Veronika, to assess and fix your technique.