Running is a great form of exercise that can help you to prevent serious health problems related to weight gain and heart disease. It’s an easy habit to incorporate into your lifestyle if you are hoping to become healthier. However, there are a few things that you should remember while running in order to stay safe and uninjured.
Warm-Up and Cool Down
When talking about running and exercise, you have probably heard of the importance of warming up and cooling down. Stretching keeps the muscles healthy, strong, and flexible. Without stretching prior, your muscles will shorten and will be tight. If you call on those muscles for activity without stretching, the joints will be unable to extend fully, putting you at risk for strains, joint pain, and muscle damage. The muscle damage very well may be permanent if there is a constant lack of warming up and stretching. Warming up will increase the temperature and flexibility of your muscles. Your muscles will work more effectively. Cooling down after your workout or run helps keep the blood flowing in your body. Stopping abruptly can cause dizziness in some due to the sudden drop in your heart rate and blood pressure.
Be Cautious on the Road
In order to avoid getting hurt while running on the road, it’s important that you stay visible, be on the lookout, listen, and follow the rules of the road. Pay very close attention to your surroundings, such as cars backing up and other runners, or people walking with children and pets. When running on the road, make sure that you stay close to the sidewalk so that you don’t get too close to cars driving by. Also, make sure that your shoes have plenty of traction so that you don’t slip and fall when the road is wet. If the road is icy, make sure that you are extra observant of your surroundings so you can avoid slipping on icy patches.
Wear Visibility Gear
There is a lot more to practicing safety when running than most people realize. Along with stretching, warming up and cooling down, wearing visibility gear is also important for on-road activities. This practice applies to any exercise like running and bike riding. Reflective gear and safety lights are an absolute must when running, especially at nighttime. Reflective gear and safety lights ensure that you will be visible to both vehicles and other people on the road. If you are not visible, you run the risk of getting hit by a vehicle.
Running is a great way to exercise, but By practicing basic caution and simple warmups including stretches, you will be able to exercise and run in a way that will keep you healthy as you stay fit while avoiding injury.