| When people take up a new sport, it is common to get | | | | of the midsoles is gone, you are running unprotected |
| some training from an expert so that they can learn | | | | and this can cause injury not only to your ankle and |
| the rules, and become familiar with the various | | | | knee joints, but also your shins and calves. It is far less |
| strategies and tactics employed to try and win. Usually, | | | | painful just to go and buy a new pair of shoes than to |
| every training session starts out with warm ups and | | | | undergo keyhole knee surgery to fix a joint problem. |
| stretching in order to guard against unnecessary | | | | Some people figure that they will be okay, because |
| physical injuries. With joggers however, this crucial | | | | they run on grass or dirt tracks rather than concrete. |
| warming up and stretching phase is all too often | | | | This is where problem number three rears its head, as |
| missing - any fool can buy a pair of sneakers and go | | | | most people continue to wear their normal running |
| running! | | | | shoes rather than switching to running spikes. So they |
| Doing any kind of physical exercise can be tempting | | | | may well prevent joint injuries to their ankles and |
| fate, and pulled muscle injuries and various other | | | | knees, but are now running on more slippery surfaces |
| strains and sprains can very rapidly put a stop to your | | | | and risk pulled and torn muscles. The way to guard |
| fitness regime. So always - even if you are just going | | | | against this is to get a pair of cross country running |
| out for a short run around the park - take the time to | | | | spikes. These are an ideal way of preventing the |
| warm up your muscles, jogging on the spot for a while. | | | | rather unpredictable slipping of the feet when running |
| Stretch your muscles carefully and slowly to prepare | | | | on wet or muddy ground. |
| them for the more explosive running that is in store for | | | | Cross country running spikes are different from the |
| them later on. | | | | other types of spiked running shoes in that they have |
| If you only make this small change to your routine, it will | | | | small spikes in the side of the soles as well as on the |
| help to avert a lot of minor problems that can all too | | | | base. The spikes themselves are also removable and |
| quickly add up to a situation where you do not want to | | | | can be swapped for longer or shorter ones depending |
| exercise any longer. However, there are two other | | | | on the conditions. Muddier courses require longer |
| major areas to address when trying to minimize the | | | | spikes in order to maximize grip. They will prevent |
| chances of picking up injuries, and both of them relate | | | | slip-related injuries, but also happily help to improve your |
| to your equipment - specifically, your footwear. | | | | times if you are racing, so it really is a win-win situation. |
| The first area of concern is the age of your running | | | | So if you are keen on running and do not want to |
| shoes, and the second is your type of running shoes. | | | | nurse injuries all the time, do three simple things: firstly, |
| The age is important because the older your sneakers | | | | warm up and stretch before running; secondly, buy |
| get, the less they are able to cushion your joints at | | | | new running shoes often; and thirdly, if you run off |
| each footfall, especially if you run on hard surfaces | | | | road, use cross country running spikes instead of |
| such as concrete. This means you need to change | | | | normal running shoes. These will help to keep you |
| your shoes often, preferably every 500 miles or so, | | | | notching up the miles for years to come. |
| depending on your weight. Once the cushioning ability | | | | |