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Before you make those marathon strides, take these small steps to prevent injury

FEATURE — There is no doubt that running a marathon is a huge accomplishment. It requires months of training and eating right. However, when pushing your body to its limit, it is most susceptible to injury, and while preparing for the pounding the body takes during that 26.2 miles, it is important to take steps to prevent injury.

Runners often suffer from injuries typically known as "overuse" injuries, meaning they are not caused by an acute incident but rather they are the result of many miles of running.

Dr. Todd Parry with Revere Health Coral Desert Orthopedics shares his insight on knee overuse injuries.

Strength training and cross-training are essential to prevent overuse injuries

"During the training phase, I too often see people who are only focused on the running aspect and not on building and conditioning the supporting muscle groups that optimize performance and prevent injury," Parry said. "Strength training and cross-training are essential to prevent overuse injuries."

By building the supporting muscles, your body maintains proper form and absorbs impacts better. Cross-training also allows continued cardiovascular conditioning while allowing the muscle groups and soft tissues used during running to recover.

"There are also certain people, myself included, who shouldn’t attempt to train for and complete a marathon," Parry said. "Old sports injuries to knees are the primary limiting factor. Some of us should be content with only training for shorter distances."

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