Exercises That Help Prevent Injury When Running

James Ambrose Meyer is a Dallas entrepreneur who leads Nebulr and provides next-generation cloud storage solutions. A fitness enthusiast, James Ambrose Meyer enjoys lifting weights and running in his free time.

With the ankles and knees particularly vulnerable, one of the keys to safe, injury-free running is building up muscles that promote stability and balance. A key to maintaining power and single-leg stability is to work out the glutes, which add to dynamic stability. A particular focus should be on the gluteus medius, which prevents the knee from collapsing inward through hip abduction and moves the leg outward from the center of the body. Simple exercises that strengthen the glutes include squats, lunges, and single-leg bridges.

Another essential involves building up core strength, which helps maintain an upright and balanced posture while running. Exercises that effectively strengthen the core include leg extensions, push-ups, and side and forward planks.

One warmup strategy involves performing five minutes of glute workouts and five minutes of core workouts before every run, along with a full stretching routine.