By University of Oregon  

It’s the Shoes,  It’s the Shoes! One of the easiest ways to avoid injury is to train in new, well-designed
running shoes. Buy from a store that specializes in running (Run Pro and Pace Setter Athletic carry good
shoes and have a knowledgeable sales staff). Wear your shoes for running only, and save the old ones for
the yard work or the mall. You may eventually want to buy a second pair of shoes and alternate between the
two. Most people can get 300-500 miles from a good pair. If you feel an injury coming on and your shoes
are old, go shopping for new ones.

Who Makes the Best Shoes? There is no one “best” brand of shoe. They (Nike, Asics, Adidas, Reebok,
Saucony, New Balance, etc.) all make shoes that will allow you to run well and also shoes that will make
you feel like a wreck. Your mission is to find the right shoe for you; one that feels good and is appropriate
for your foot.

What Shoe is Right for Me? Generally, if you have flat feet and pronate excessively, you will do well in
a “motion control” shoe. These have an arch that is “filled in” (as opposed to an arch that is “cut away” or
“cut out”). The shoe may look straight as opposed to curved or “banana shaped”. If you have normal feet,
and your arch is well maintained when you stand, you should do well in a “stability” shoe. If you have
high arches and a relatively rigid foot, you probably need a “cushioned” shoe. This shoe will be flexible
and have shock absorbing capabilities. To determine your foot type, observe the imprint made on a towel
when you step out of the shower with wet feet. If the print looks something like a duck’s foot, you have
flat feet and may over pronate. Normal feet will be somewhat half-moon shaped, with the presence of an
arch on the inside of the foot. A high arched foot will be banana shaped, with very little to no contact
made in the arch area. A sports physical therapist or knowledgeable salesperson can get you into the right
shoe.

Am I Running Too Much, Too Fast? To avoid overtraining, don’t increase your running time or
mileage by more than 10% per week. Another method to avoid overtraining is to monitor your resting
heart rate (RHR). To determine RHR, take pulse at carotid (neck), or radial (wrist) artery before getting
out of bed in the morning. (When taking pulse, do not count the first beat; count 0, 1, 2, etc.). If your
RHR has increased by more than 5 beats per minute, you’re probably due for a day off. If you seem to be
getting sick frequently, or have a hard time sleeping well, you may be overtraining. A simple way to
determine if you are running too fast on a long training run is the “talk test.” If you can’t carry on a
conversation while running, you’re going too fast. Another (more complicated) way to monitor pace is to
check your target heart rate (THR) while running. The formula for THR is 220 - (age) X .6 if you’re just
starting a running program. If you’re somewhat conditioned (have been running for several months) THR
= 220 - (age) X .7.

Stay Loose - Be sure to stretch both before and especially after running. It’s also a good idea to stretch
before bed. Hold a gentle stretch for 15-20 seconds, don’t bounce, relax, try to enjoy yourself.

Start Slowly - When beginning your workouts, take it easy. Mark Allen, winner of 6 Ironman Triathalon
competitions, walks 2 blocks and then runs the first mile of his training runs in about 10 minutes. Starting
at a very slow pace may be a better warmup than stretching.

Keep It Covered  Resist the urge to rip off those sweats till it’s at least 65 degrees, especially if your legs or knees are sore.
Keeping warm is helpful in avoiding injury.

Drink, Drink, Drink During training runs and road races, drink at every available opportunity. Drink
before you’re thirsty. By the time you start to feel thirsty it’s too late to replenish the fluid you’ve lost.
Practice drinking before and during your runs. Alberto Salazar reportedly drank approximately 1 quart of
water just prior to the 1984 Olympic Marathon in L.A. As you might guess, this was not the first time
he’s done that type of thing before running; he had worked up to that amount during the course of his
training. It takes some practice to get water where it’s supposed to go while running or breathing heavily
so practice doing it. Monitor the color of your urine. It should be nearly clear the day after workouts.
Good: color of chardonnay or kerosene. Not good: color of apple cider or motor oil.
I’m Hurting, Should I See a Doc? Seek medical attention if you notice any of the following. 1) Pain
which increases with activity. 2) Swelling, especially in or near a joint. 3) Persistent joint pain, or locking,
giving way, or buckling of a joint. 4) Painful popping or snapping in or near a joint. This list contains
general guidelines only; if in doubt call your physician. You are also welcome to call us at University
Health Center Physical Therapy, 346-4401, and we’ll do our best to get you headed in the right direction.
Heat or Ice for Injuries? Apply ice, in 15 minute sessions, as long as pain and swelling persist. Heat
can be used for muscle stiffness, for 20 minutes maximum, prior to exercise. Use ice in Ziploc bags, a
large bag of frozen peas, or commercial ice packs. Be careful with the instant ice packs, they can be well
below freezing and damage the skin. If necessary, place a thin cloth (pillow case) or moist towel between
body surface and ice pack for skin protection. Ice massage is also a good technique for pain and swelling.
Take a paper or styrofoam cup, fill with water, freeze. Peel off about half the cup and massage affected
area with your giant ice cube for 10 minutes.

And Finally Below is an excerpt from Runner’s World magazine, November 1997, by Ben Kibler, M.D.
Runner’s Guide to Pain
Level 1 - Pain that surfaces after your run but then goes away, either that day or by the next morning.
Treatment - Stretch gently after exercise, apply ice and take anti-inflammatories such as aspirin,
ibuprofen, or naproxen sodium.
Level 2 - Pain that comes on during running but does not interfere with your ability to continue.
Treatment - Follow Level 1 treatment, plus consider taking a day or two off to reduce risk of further
injury.
Level 3 - Pain that occurs throughout you’re run and interferes with your ability to complete the session.
Treatment - Stop running for a few days and consider seeking medical attention. Meanwhile, apply ice
and take anti-inflammatories.
Level 4 - Pain that severely restricts your ability to run and persists even when you aren’t running.
Treatment - Stop running for a few days and seek medical attention immediately. Meanwhile, apply ice
and take anti-inflammatories.
AGAIN, IF IN DOUBT CALL YOUR PHYSICIAN
(P.S. Good luck and don’t give up!)

The material contained on this website is in no way intended to replace professional coaching or medical advice and should not be used as a basis for diagnosis or choice of treatment or training