Runners Beware!

Do you love to run past the point of exhaustion? If so, look out. When tired, we change our running form, which can up the risk of injury.

Runners, take note.
If you’re the type of person who likes to keep chugging along even after fatigue has set in, you could be raising your risk of injury. According to a small study published in the Journal of Biomechanics, runners unknowingly alter their form when they’re tired — and not for the better.

Once exhaustion strikes, runners tend to display increased motion in their hips, knees and ankles. This kind of excessive movement in the joints, say the study’s authors, is generally associated with overuse injuries. Every year, up to 70 percent of runners develop injuries — often because they try to do too much too soon.

To reduce your risk, alternate difficult days with easier ones, and never increase your mileage by more than 10 percent per week.