If you're a keen runner, it can be hard to see your own mistakes.
Gregory Holtzman an assistant professor of physical therapy and director of the newly opened running clinic at Washington University in St. Louis outlined the five most common issues his patient’s face.
1. Asymmetrical running pattern
Landing harder on one side of the body than the other is a running style that can lead to pain.
"I think it's an overlooked component of running," Holtzman said as reported on www.msnbc.com. "You can get a lot out of the sound."
2. Inward knee collapse and weak hips
When you run, your knees are supposed to stay in line with your hips. When a runner’s hip muscles are weak and aren't supporting their body weight, that weight will go to their knees and cause them to bow inward.
Holtzman recommends doing exercises to build up the posterior gluteus medius and the gluteus maximus, two of the key muscles in the buttocks.
3. Running on your fore-foot when you're really a rear-foot runner (and vice versa)
The director who diagnoses movement problems to improve runners' techniques and lessen their pain said rear-foot runners have a higher amount of force exerted on their feet when they strike down compared with forefoot runners.
For rear-foot runners that are having problems, subtle changes in the running mechanic can be made to reduce pain.
4. Over-striding and over-swinging
The two main causes of back pain from running are caused by over-striding and swinging your arms.
Over-striding occurs when the steps you take are too big for your body size, which can cause the pelvis and spine to move toward one direction more than the other.
Swinging one arm further back than the other like a relay sprinter can also contribute to the spine misalignment.
5. Being unaware of your foot type
Wearing the wrong shoes can lead to hip, back and knee pain, said Holtzman.
People who have flat feet should go to a specialty running-shoe store to buy special shoes for these types of feet.
Your say: what's your biggest mistake whilst running or jogging?
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