Physical therapist’s advice for runners: strengthen muscles

As many as 70 percent of runners who do not prepare properly with warm-ups, stretches and other techniques will have to endure some sort of injury pertaining to exercise, according to the published work of a woman who holds a physical therapy job.

An estimated 30-million-plus people in the U.S. go running but they also press the risk of hurting themselves, Leah Jensen's column in The Augusta Gazette states. Keeping the body safe is the key to enjoying a good run, staying healthy and preparing to enjoy many more such jogs.

Runners need strength and the ability to endure repetition of the same act because otherwise they might overuse some body parts. The knee, lower leg and foot are the prime suspects to buckle from overuse.

Though the cause of the injuries differs, it typically can boil down to weakness. For that reason, Jensen recommends strengthening the various muscles that are most often used via a quality strength program.

One task of a physical therapist is enhancing patients' movement following injuries or illnesses, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.