If you have just joined the runner phenomenon, you are likely to feel a whole catalog of muscle aches and pains. It is very normal for the body to suffer when starting to practice a sport or physical activity to which it was not used. Most of these pains are completely natural and do not involve any problems, but it is good to learn to distinguish their origins and reasons. There are discomforts that appear during exercise, and others that appear later. In this article we are going to focus on the muscle pain you feel while running. Keep reading!
5 reasons why pain appears when running
Like everything, the fact of starting to run makes your body need to adapt to the rhythms and many times this translates into pain or discomfort during the training session. Here we explain some of the main causes that could explain these pains when running:
1. Incorrect technique and / or posture
If you feel pain in your back or shoulders when you have been running for a few minutes, you are probably not maintaining good posture. It is common to think that we all instinctively know how to run properly, but the reality is different. Always run keeping your back as straight as possible, and move your arms in a natural, relaxed and fluid way, without dropping them to dead weight.
This is especially important when you are tired, as exhaustion invites poor posture. In the same way, try to control your legs in each stride, being aware of the movements of your knees and ankles. You don’t need to run like a pro, but adopting proper running posture from the start will save you a lot of injuries.
2. Inadequate breathing
Inadequate breathing can end up causing pain, strangely enough. Even if you are tired, it may be the case that your breathing rate is too fast. To avoid the so-called flatus when running, try to carry a natural breathing rhythm and in accordance with your running rhythm.
In addition, it is good that you get used to inhaling through the nose and releasing the air through the mouth. In this way, the air is heated in your nose before passing through the pharynx, and you protect yourself against throat discomfort.
3. Excessive pace and speed
Moderate your speed. If you’ve just started running, it’s easy to get excited and want to go too fast. Running very fast supposes a greater muscular punishment and, above all, articulation. This, coupled with a lack of technique, can lead to pain that can lead to injury if not monitored. In addition, exhausting yourself in 15 minutes to return home in pain will not help you improve your physical condition, quite the opposite.
If you usually train with a heart rate monitor, keep your heart rate below 130-140ppm. A good way to measure this without gadgets is that your running pace allows you to carry on a conversation without choking.
4. Route too long
In the same way that you should moderate your speed, try not to exceed the duration of your sessions. If you are still a beginner and your body is not used to physical exercise, forcing yourself to run for too long will not benefit you. Muscles and tendons need time to adapt to new efforts and you must be aware of these to run without injury.
If you feel pain in your joints or muscles after running for a while, it’s probably time to stop. Pay attention to the type of pain and learn to listen to your body: muscles do not hurt in the same way when they are simply tired as when they are hurt by overexertion. Also, plan your running route carefully: choose a short route, close to your home and gradually expand the kilometers to be covered and the training radius.
5. Warm-up and stretch
This is never said too many times. It is very common for beginners to skip the warm-up and stretching sessions. This error ends up assuming most of the injuries suffered while doing physical activity.
Performing a gentle warm-up before exercising prepares the muscles and oxygenates it. Similarly, stretching after the session helps recovery and the elimination of waste in the muscle. Spend about ten minutes warming up and stretching before and after your training sessions.
