Improving Chicagoans' Running Form with Illinois Bone & Joint Institute

With warmer weather comes the beginning of running season for Chicagoans. Before long, the lakefront path will be filled with runners of all ages and experience levels as they train for Chicago's upcoming races, from the Ricky Birdsong Race Against Hate in June to the Chicago Triathlon in August and more.

To help runners prepare for the summer season of races and outdoor exercise, the Illinois Bone & Joint Institute (IBJI) recently held its semi-annual Running Clinic. In late April, the IBJI Avondale Clinic invited runners to work with some of Chicago's top physical therapists to analyze form, strength, flexibility and gait. By running properly, runners have a lower risk of injury and are able to run more efficiently - being able to train longer and run further.

In case you missed it, here are some of the most valuable pieces of advice from IBJI's Running Clinic:

Flexibility is key to avoiding injury: You don't have to be able to put your legs behind your head to be a good runner. However, stretching before and after runs is incredibly important to avoiding injury. Some of the best stretches are a standing quadriceps stretch, hip flexor stretch, calf stretch and lying hamstring stretch.

Take more strides per minute: Many people hold the misconception that long, wide strides allow for a faster run. The truth is, taking more steps per minute reduces the impact on your ankles, knees and back - allowing your steps to work for you, not against you. One of the most common issues that come from too wide of a stride is a heel strike, which is when your heel is the first part of your foot to hit the ground after each step. The impact not only sends a wave through to your knees, but also causes your body to lean and propels you backwards. The ideal steps per minute is about 180 - depending on your height. One way to help achieve that goal is by finding songs and playlists that have the same BPM and running to the beat.

An incline can help reduce knee pain: Knee pain is a common complaint from both new and active runners. Each stride puts stress on the bones, joints and muscles and in many cases, that impact finds its way to the knees. Running against an incline helps to slightly reduce impact. As an added benefit, running on an incline also helps switch up the muscles used to run and hones in on the muscles that are typically neglected on a flat road-run.

Think light to land light: Runners should strive to land like a bunny, not an elephant. Oddly enough, runners will find when they think about landing softer, the body often follows suit. Landing softly further reduces the impact of each stride, which reduces pain and injury.

Feet tell the story of form: Most people don't consider feet when running efficiently. Legs, arms and torso are frequently top-of-mind, but the feet often don't make the list. However, the calluses and bunions on feet can say a lot about running form. Calluses coating the inside of the feet likely indicate rolling in when the foot is lifted off the ground, while calluses on the outside could mean just the opposite - feet are rolling out. Finding the right shoes and inserts for running shoes can help correct this and better distribute body weight across the entire foot.

Finally - and most importantly - the key takeaway from the IBJI Running Clinic is that working with a trainer to improve running form is the best way to become a better runner and avoid injury. For runners training for an upcoming summer race and weekend warriors seeking more cardio, IBJI's highly knowledgeable doctors and physical therapy staff can help runners take a step in the right direction.