Over the years, I’ve had my fair share of running-related injuries. It’s inevitable. It will happen. It builds character and I believe it’s also a reminder that you’re accomplishing something most people don’t and can’t do!!! I’ve had endless injuries over the years, and yet only one friend of mine can relate, because she’s also a runner. It’s a reminder that we are CHOOSING to push our bodies, CHOOSING to wake up early to train, and CHOOSING to challenge ourselves. I believe everyone should run a marathon…it teaches discipline, dedication, it inspires others, and it proves that you can do ANYTHING you set your mind to.
Ok, back to the topic. Over the years, I have found many extremely amazing inventions that help me avoid injuries or nurse injuries back to health so I’m here to share some of my tips/tricks I wish I had known early on.
1.) Best Product for Chaffing- Body Glide
Do you ever get chaffing in between the thighs when you’re wearing shorts? What about under the arms when you’re sweating? No matter how thin a person is, we all get chaffing!!
I use Glide religiously every time I run because I don’t want a semi-bloody, painful rash after a beautiful run! It’s cheap and all you do is rub it (kind of like a deodorant stick) onto the areas where you experience chaffing. The product will work its magic and your skin won’t rub against itself and create a rash! Genius!
Believe it or not, I sometimes use this on my stomach because I was wearing yoga pants during a marathon in pouring rain about a year ago and the rubbing of my pants mixed with the heavy rain caused a massive, painful stripe of chaffing across my stomach. However, if I had used glide on it, that would have never happened!! Now, I always put some on my stomach since it took almost a year for that scar to go away!
2.) Best Product for Nursing Injuries- Rock Tape/KT Tape
I can’t even tell you how many painful injuries I’ve had where I thought I wouldn’t be able to run my marathon last minute, only to be saved by rock and KT tape (AKA Therapeutic Kinesiology Tape). This stuff truly works!! There’s a reason there’s always a line for it at the expos. It may be a tad pricey to buy up front, but it is so worth it to run without pain or to be able to run in general! Their websites (Rock Tape and KT Tape) do a fantastic job of explaining how to tape based on the injury, and provide videos as well.
For example, I got a calf strain 3 weeks before the NYC Marathon (a race that took me 5 years to get into due to the lottery system). I thought I wasn’t going to be able to run considering the first week, I couldn’t even week (Think: Penguin Waddle). However, after using rock tape/KT tape daily in the weeks leading up to it, I was able to nurse the injury so that it could heal and then I used the tape to run with and finished the marathon without stopping!! I absolutely swear by this stuff as it’s truly amazing!!
Rock Tape: I personally like this brand the best because it seems to stick better on my skin, but I know KT Tape (linked below) is a fan favorite by many!
KT Tape: They are the original creators of this type of product and it comes in many different fun colors like pink, green, blue, purple, etc!
3.) Best for Muscle Stimulation- Biofreeze
This stuff is no joke! I remember the first time I tried it (at a running expo). I had a nagging back of the knee injury. They put it on me at the expo and I was sold. Instantly my knee felt better! It’s kind of like icy hot, but in an easy-to-use roll on format. It works almost immediately to relieve muscle soreness and pain.
You’ll often see this during a marathon course around mile 16 or 17 for use (when runners are hurting most). It got me through the Chicago Marathon one year where both of my calves went out at mile 16 (yes, the same one I reference above). I used Biofreeze to get me to the finish! The price is pretty low on Amazon, but you can see the most accurate pricing at the link here.
4.) Best Product for Shin Splits/ Calf Injuries- Compression Socks
Used for: Shin splints, Calf Injuries, Pre and Post run recovery, Airplanes, Pregnancy
Compression socks are an amazing invention! I’ve had mine for 10 years and I worship them! (Sounds silly, but when you’re a runner…you worship weird things…like your Garmin, good ice packs, and a solid knee brace) Compression socks can be worn while running to help avoid an injury.
For example, when I was prone to shin splints, I was wearing them to prevent shin splints from occurring. Another time, I had strained calves so I wore them around the house and at work for a few weeks. After my calves healed, I wore them on my runs for a few months for extra support so that my calf strains didn’t return. They are also great for knee injuries as they provide extra strength to your calves to have more stability for your knees!! I wear them while running if I have an injury and then post run, I always keep them on for a day or two. They should absolutely be worn before and after a marathon for extra support for a day or two to assist with recovery.
These socks also have another great purpose! They can and should be used when on an airplane. Many people can experience deep vein thrombosis when on an airplane. You should definitely wear them on an airplane if traveling to or from a race. However, I bring them with me on business trips and wear them under my suits on the plane so that when I land, my legs are still getting good circulation. These are also used for pregnant women as well as compression for their legs is extremely important. This is another product that you buy once and can keep for a lifetime! So many uses and such a good investment. My favorite ones are linked here!
5.) Best Product for Knee Injuries- Knee Brace
This is a product I know very well. Both my husband and I have knee injuries that we are constantly nursing. Like I said, it comes with the territory. You learn to live with it and how to manage it. I swear I have tried every single knee brace on the entire market!! I am very particular with my knee braces because my criteria is strict:
a.) Needs to have extremely good compression
b.) Needs to stay in place. I mean this. I don’t want to have to pull it up AT ALL even when I’m running 26.2 miles. I don’t want to worry about it or think about or have anything to do with it. It needs to just do its job. Period. Running 26.2 miles has enough other things to be thinking about…the last thing I want to be bothered by is my knee brace.
c.) Needs to not move with both shorts (bare skin) and yoga pants
d.) Needs to stay in place while sweaty or in rain
e.) Cannot dig into my skin and cause chaffing
f.) Knee needs to not be in more pain after the run. This one is interesting because I think many people think running with a knee brace will still cause pain. However, if you have the right one, it shouldn’t for most people! The right knee brace will keep your injury at bay and not allow it to get worse. I should know because I’ve spent hundreds of dollars on knee braces that have the best reviews or are recommended by doctors. Wah, wah…let’s just say they didn’t pass my criteria.
The one I’m recommending is hard to find online since it seems they don’t make it in mass amounts anymore. (Now, many of these companies make much cheaper quality knee braces and yet charge way more for it!! They seem to all be flimsy these days!) I swear by this one and love it! I know it’s in a beige color so it can get dirty, but I don’t care because its the ONLY ONE that has passed my criteria all these years. If you are able to find it in black or you find another knee brace that fits my criteria, please LET ME KNOW!!! I’d love to see what others are using!!
6.) Shoe Insoles
After finding a great running shoe, shoe insoles are important as well! However, you want to make sure to get something that supports your needs. Extra cushion is always helpful for all of your joints. It helps you avoid getting injuries and overall makes the runs much easier/smoother!
Insoles also help with odor as you can take them out and wash them after a few weeks of stinky training! Try a couple to find what works best for you as what works for one person may not work for the next person. I’m not the biggest fan of the custom insoles they do at expensive running shops. I’ve done it twice and had bad results both times. It’s very expensive, and in my opinion, makes your runs worse and even promotes injuries. It’s a vicious cycle. I’d recommend staying away for those and finding cheaper options that actually work for you! A few that have worked for me are below!
I hope these recommendations can help you avoid injuries during your training runs so that you can conquer that finish line on race day!! Let me know if any of these have helped you or if you know of other things that have helped you as well! The running community is amazing and we all learn through each other! Thank you for your support and happy running!! =)
My knees have been killing me and I’ve always been hesitant to use KT Tape, but I think I’ll give it a try. Hope it helps!
Great tips! Thanks for sharing..
Look forward to reading your articles from a fellow runner
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