5 Tips to Prevent Running Injuries

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Running injuries can turn a healthy pastime into a frustrating setback. Yet many injuries are avoidable. Here are some tips from the performance experts at Endurance Rehab to help you.

Always Warm Up

Before running, do a warm-up routine that includes basic movement and stretching. This habit will improve your range of motion and add lubrication to your joints. If you are taking a longer run, keep the first couple of miles at a slower pace to help your body warm up completely.

Build Slowly

If you want to increase the length of your runs, start slow and work your way up. Gradually increase the speed, which is the intensity of your run, as well. Giving your body time to adjust to what you’re asking it to do will mean better results and less risk of injury.

Use Good Form

The form you use when running will impact how much injury risk you face. Some tips for form include standing tall, using good posture, and placing your feet under the center of your body when you land. Our running gait analysis service can help you fine-tune your form.

Give Your Workout Variety

Several types of running injuries are repetitive use injuries. When you perform the same exercise, on the same route, with the same shoes every day, you increase your risk of this type of injury. Vary your distance, speed, terrain, and even the shoes you use, and consider adding other workout types to the mix to reduce this risk.

Get Enough Rest and Fuel

Both the food you eat and the sleep you get at night impact your injury risk. Sleep is when the body restores and recovers, and that includes the restoration and recovery of muscles. Food helps keep both muscles and bones strong, and under-fueling increases the risk of injury.

Are you looking for more injury prevention tips? Endurance Rehabilitation can help. Schedule an appointment today.

What Materials Are Used in Joint Replacement?

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Arthroplasty, also known as joint replacement, is a treatment that involves replacing a damaged joint with a prosthetic joint, commonly called a prosthesis. These prostheses are designed to replicate the movement of a normal, healthy joint, as your physical therapist in Phoenix, AZ, can tell you.

Metals

Stainless steel, cobalt-chromium alloys, and titanium alloys are used because of their strength and durability. They’re often used in parts of the implant that need to withstand the most stress, such as the femoral component of a hip replacement.

Plastics

High-density polyethylene, a type of plastic, is often used for the socket part of hip or knee replacements. It’s durable and provides a smooth surface for the metal components to move against.

Ceramics

Ceramic materials can be used on a joint replacement’s ball and socket parts. Ceramic components can be made of alumina, zirconia, or a combination of these materials.

Composite Materials

Some joint replacements use composite materials, which are a combination of two or more different types of materials. For example, a metal-on-metal (MoM) hip replacement uses a metal ball and a metal socket. Other combinations include metal-on-polyethylene (MoP), ceramic-on-metal (CoM), ceramic-on-polyethylene (CoP), and ceramic-on-ceramic (CoC).

The choice of materials depends on several factors, including the patient’s age, activity level, and the specific joint being replaced. Each material has its own advantages and potential drawbacks, and ongoing research continues to improve the materials used in joint replacement surgery to increase their longevity and effectiveness.

Often, physical rehabilitation in Phoenix, AZ, can restore joint movement so that a joint replacement isn’t necessary. But if you need a joint replacement, at least now you’ll know what materials are most commonly used. To book your next physical rehabilitation appointment, contact us today.