How To Avoid Falls When Running – Running Tips
How often do you fall while running? If you’ve ever fallen while running, then you know how painful it can be—falling while running is especially dangerous because it can cause serious injuries or even death.
Running is great exercise, but it can also be very challenging. There are several things that you should consider before starting out.
For example, you should always wear proper shoes and clothing. Also, you should choose a route that is safe and flat.
How Can You Avoid Falling While Running?
Running is great exercise, but it doesn’t come without risk.
Whether you’re training for a race or simply enjoying a leisurely jog around the neighborhood, you’ll want to make sure you’re staying safe while doing it. Here are some things to keep in mind to avoid falling or getting injured while running.
Know Your Limits
Before you start jogging, take a moment to assess how far you can comfortably travel.
If you feel like you’re about to pass out, slow down. This way, you won’t overdo it and end up injuring yourself.
Watch Out For Obstacles
There are many obstacles that could lead to tripping or falling while running. Keep an eye out for objects such as trees, cars, curbs, and even other people.
Be aware of where you’re walking and look both forward and behind you to see what might trip you up.
If you’re running along a paved road, you don’t need to worry about tripping or hitting your head on a curb. But if you’re running on unpaved roads, watch out for potholes and uneven pavement. You never know when one of those holes might pop open and send you flying.
Mind Slippery Surfaces And Rocks
While keeping your head up and looking around is important during trail running, it may be necessary to alter your strategy on certain types of terrain.
If there are steep inclines or rocky trails, for instance, you may want to keep your eyes focused downward. You don’t want to miss anything that could cause injury.
During trail runs, for example — especially over rough ground — you should pay attention to what is just a few steps ahead of you.
Smaller holes, tree branches, slippery rocks, and other hazards may not be apparent until you are close enough to fall into them.
Tie Your Sneakers Correctly
If you’ve ever tried tying your shoes, you know how difficult it can be. Many people struggle with making knots that hold up over time. And even though most shoe laces are extra long, you don’t want to waste too much time trying to figure out what works best.
If you’ve ever watched someone tie their shoe while walking down the street, you know how annoying it can be. There’s no way to tell whether a person ties their laces correctly unless you ask them.
And even then, it’s hard to say for sure. But what if we told you that tying your shoes could actually save lives?
To help prevent such accidents, experts recommend wearing properly fitted footwear and tying your laces securely. Experts also advise against tying your shoes too tightly.
Instead, make sure your laces are snug enough that you can slip your fingers underneath the knots. This ensures that you won’t trip over your laces.
Proper Gear
If you want to avoid injuries while running, it helps to choose the proper gear. Running shoes are one of the most important pieces of equipment you can wear while training. They provide protection against impact forces and excessive pressure points.
For example, if you are training on snow, you’ll want to look into buying some trail running shoes.
These types of shoes feature extra padding and support around the toes to protect your feet during long runs. You might even consider wearing ankle braces while running on icy ground.
Another piece of protective gear is called an ice cleat. Ice cleats offer traction on slick surfaces without affecting your stride or gait, making them ideal for runners who train on pavement and sidewalks.
Other accessories include knee pads, elbow pads, wrist guards, helmets, and headlamps. All of these items can help reduce the risk of injury while running.
No More Headphones
Headphones are great for blocking out noise and getting work done, but it’s important to take precautions while wearing them.
If you wear headphones while exercising, you could potentially damage your hearing. You might even be able to cause permanent tinnitus.
If you’ve ever been caught daydreaming while walking down the street, you know how dangerous it can be. You might not realize it, but your brain is actually telling your body what to do.
When you’re distracted, your brain stops sending signals to your muscles, making it harder to move. This makes it hard to dodge objects like cars, and even harder to avoid being hit by drivers.
If you want to stay safer, ditch the headphones and turn up the tunes.
Face The Traffic
Running on the road isn’t always safe. In fact, there are times when it’s downright dangerous.
Running on roads without sidewalks or designated paths can lead to serious injuries and even death. But what do you do if there’s nothing else nearby? You run on the street.
The good news is that you don’t necessarily have to be aware of all traffic to make sure you’re visible to drivers. Instead, run facing traffic.
This gives you more time to get out of the way of cars that might otherwise hit you. Plus, it makes you more likely to avoid getting clipped in the event of a collision.
What Are The Best Road Safety Tips?
Passing safely is important during road races. Although it’s good practice to run alongside people, don’t assume everyone else knows how to pass.
And always make sure there are no cars coming up behind you. If you do decide to pass someone, try to keep to one side of the road and give the person plenty of room to pass.
Good Hydration
Athletes are often warned about drinking too much during exercise. But what happens when you drink too little? You could end up dehydrated, especially if you’re exercising outdoors in hot weather.
Dehydration is one of the most common causes of heat illness among athletes. When you don’t replenish fluids lost through sweating, you lose electrolytes like sodium and potassium, which help regulate body temperature.
As a result, dehydration can cause headaches, cramps, dizziness, nausea, fatigue, muscle weakness, confusion, irritability, and even seizures.
The best way to prevent dehydration is to drink enough fluid to replace what you sweat out. If you plan ahead, you’ll know how many ounces of liquid you need per hour of activity.
Begin With Caution
When you run a race, there are many things to keep in mind. You want to make sure you don’t fall, you avoid tripping over obstacles like trash cans and puddles, and you watch out for people running alongside you.
And while it’s easy to blame yourself for falling, the truth is that most falls happen because a runner trips over something.
Runners often stumble when they attempt to pass slower runners, get jostled by the crowd, or trip over a discarded item. If you notice a runner stumbling or tripping, wait until the crowd has cleared before trying to help.
Final Thoughts
Dehydration is a severe problem for runners, but it’s also a big problem for anyone who exercises outside. The good news is that you can easily avoid this condition by keeping hydrated.
Just be careful not to get so focused on staying safe that you forget to stay healthy. Something as simple as this can help you avoid falling or tripping while you run.
