Eau Claire, Wis. – Runners in Wisconsin are coming out of winter hibernation, anxious to get back on the trails, sidewalks and race circuit as the weather turns to spring. Acclimating to outdoor activities again doesn’t come without a little work and tips from health experts. 

Prevea Sports Medicine and Family Medicine Physician, Dr. Berkin Ulgen says it’s important to ease into outdoor running because conditions are so different from indoor treadmills and ellipticals. 

“Whether you are new to running or training for a marathon, transitioning to outdoor conditions can present new challenges such as uneven terrain, especially if running on grass or trails which can lead to many ankle sprains,” says Ulgen. “Many injuries occur in the first couple weeks of returning to exercise so it’s always important to gradually increase your weekly mileage to decrease your risk of stress and overuse injuries.

“Also, it’s good to cross-train keeping in mind several focus areas such as core and abdominal muscles, hip abductors, glutes, and stretching  your quad, hamstring and calf muscles.”

Dr. Ulgen says one of the most important things to check often, and replace every 300 to 500 miles, are your running shoes. 

“Properly fitting shoes are essential because they can help prevent shin splints, plantar fasciitis, stress fractures and knee pain that may cause you to miss training time or disrupt your running routine,” he says. “Everyone’s feet are shaped differently so there’s no one shoe fits all.”

A few other tips from Prevea orthopedic and sports medicine experts include:
• See a provider annually for a physical 
• Stay hydrated with water
• Eat foods such as bananas and peanut butter, granola, oatmeal or a protein bar before running
• Do stretches and a five to ten minute  warm-up before a full run
• Keep posture in mind while running, which includes balance, cadence, mid-foot strike and arm swing
• Ice an injury or soreness as soon as possible after it occurs; see a provider if the injury is serious or the pain doesn’t ease within a couple of days.

Prevea also offers video gait analysis for runners who have a history of recurrent ankle, foot, knee or hip issues. This analysis will help determine if one’s running form can be altered to decrease the risk of recurring strain and pain.

Dr. Ulgen offers sports and family medicine services at the Prevea Chippewa Falls Health Center, 2509 County Hwy I in Chippewa Falls and the Prevea Altoona Medical Office Building, 3119 Woodman Dr. in Eau Claire or you can schedule  online. 

Many additional running tips and resources are available at: https://www.prevea.com.

About Prevea Health
Founded in Green Bay, Wis. in 1996, Prevea Health is a health care organization that provides high-quality, primary and specialty health care in 80+ locations across Northern, Eastern and Western Wisconsin in clinic and hospital settings. It is partnered with six Hospital Sisters Health System (HSHS) hospitals across Wisconsin to provide patients a system of highly-coordinated care, close to home: HSHS St. Vincent Hospital and HSHS St. Mary’s Hospital Medical Center in Green Bay; HSHS St. Nicholas Hospital in Sheboygan; HSHS St. Clare Memorial Hospital in Oconto Falls; HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital in Eau Claire; and HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital in Chippewa Falls. For more information, visit www.prevea.com.