The Running Episode with Peter Francis- Real Health with Karl Henry

This week we’re going to talk about running injuries and how to avoid them. Running has become one of the most popular ways to improve fitness, and to stay in shape. Especially during lockdown when gyms, team sports and swimming pools were off limits. But most runners must deal with injury at some point. Most injuries are caused by repetitive stress, but sudden injuries like a sprained ankle or a torn muscle can happen, too. I’m joined by Peter Francis author of Running From Injury. Why Runners Get Injured And How To Stop It. “Put simply, runners get injured when they change anything too quickly. Changes in running distance or speed, surface, footwear, stress levels, environment and non-running activity can all precede a running injury.” “Humans are born to run. Your Achilles tendon (the cord at the back of your heel) is around 10 times longer than that of our ape-like cousins and combined with the arch in our feet, it means our feet and ankles can act like springs. We have big bum muscles on the side of our hips that stop us falling over and we have a big ligament that runs down the back of our neck that keeps our head still as we bop along (watch a ponytail swinging to see this ligament in action while restraining the head).”This episode is jam-packed full of tips from Peter on avoiding injury and maintaining longevity in your running career.