Q&A: Ready for a run? There’s much to know before you go. According to recent statistics, U.S. participation in running and jogging has grown 70% over the past decade. In 2017, it was Farah Tejpar, MD estimated that over 60 million Americans were involved in the sport. The number of people running in non-traditional events like warrior and color runs has increased dramatically in the past five years. Running properly is of utmost importance, regardless of whether you’ve been running for years or just getting started, or if you’re running just for recreation or are serious about the sport and have goals to break personal bests. And sometimes it requires some trial and error to figure out what will work best for you. We asked Farah Tejpar, MD, Medical Director for the Fort Lauderdale A1A Marathon and Half Marathon, to answer key questions about running, and how runners of all types can prepare.
Q. Is running good for everyone? A. Running is a great way to boost your metabolism, burn calories and improve your cardiovascular health. But it’s important to run with proper technique and incorporate warm up and recovery exercises. Q. Are there different types of runners? A. Runners can fall into two groups. • Endurance athletes who are always training for their next marathon or striving to improve their performance • Weekend warriors who enjoy running for recreation and fitness Q. What are typical running injuries? A. Runners typically present with overuse injuries. Overuse injuries result from increased demand over time on the muscles, bones and tendons. Q. Is running bad for your joints? A. Running can help with weight maintenance and weight loss. This actually decreases the load on your joints and helps to prevent arthritis.
Q. How can a sports health specialist help? A. During your consultation, a sports health physician will address structural and functional issues that can lead to injuries. These include your individual capabilities; such as muscle strength and flexibility, as well as external factors; such as environmental conditions, running surfaces and shoe wear. For an appointment with Dr. Tejpar or any other Cleveland Clinic Florida sports health specialist, call 800.639.DOCTOR or visit clevelandclinicflorida.org/sportshealth.
April
29
Upcoming Event
4th Annual Cleveland Clinic Florida 5K Run/Walk Sunday, April 29, 2018 Onsite Registration: 5:30 am Start time: 7:00 am 2950 Cleveland Clinic Blvd. Weston EVENT REGISTRATION: clevelandclinicflorida.org/CCF5K
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