Running is perhaps the greatest form of exercise. It costs little more to be a "runner" than a pair of shoes. No other special equipment is needed. No special fields or stadiums are required. Running is...simple! And contrary to popular belief, runners are 60% LESS likely to be injured than non runners! (Anderson, O, 'What's the Truth about Running and Bad Knees?' Running Research News, Vol. 11(8), pp. 10-12, October 1995). Even as simple and basic as running is, I see numerous running related injuries on a weekly basis that could have been avoided with a few easy steps.

1) Buy a good pair of shoes. Good doesn't mean expensive. Good shoes don't have to be endorsed by a celebrity athlete. "Good" means shoes that fit your feet and fit your body's biomechanics. Shoes are designed with wide toeboxes or narrow toeboxes, higher heels or lower heels, high arches or low arches, to support an orthotic or to be extremely flexible. Generally, a shoe should not flex in the middle of the arch. It should be well-cushioned without being thick like a platform shoe. Be sure to try on several pairs of shoes before you choose your model. You can get a lot of help with finding the right shoes at a specialty running store. And when all else fails, give custom orthotics a shot.

2) Replace a good pair of shoes. Depending on your weight and distance you run, you can expect 300-500 miles from a typical pair of shoes. Any more than this amount and the midsole is probably not offering you much cushioning or support. The midsole, that soft foam material sandwiched between the shoe's upper and the outsole, wears out long before the rubber bottom does. So if you see a lot of wear on the outsole, either turn those running shoes into gardening shoes, or donate them to a charity.

3) Warm-up, run, then stretch. You warm-up your car before you drive it, your barbeque before you grill in it and your shower before you bathe in it. Your running body deserves the same treatment. Some runners like to integrate a specific warm-up routine into every run, while others simply start the first 5-10 minutes at a slower pace than the rest of the run. Whichever you choose, be sure to ease into your running pace.

Stretching, probably the best way to avoid running related injuries, should be done at the end of the run. By stretching after the run, your muscles will be warmer and more pliable. Adding flexibility not only will help you to avoid some injuries, but it can improve your running by improving your gait.

4)When all else fails, treat the injury as soon as you can. We all have a tendency to hope and wish our aches and pains away. The sooner you seek treatment, the sooner you can be back out on the roads again. Treating an injury early on can reduce the treatment time by more than half.