Running Related Injury Among Novice Runners

About 31% of the Danish population participates regularly in running. The positive health benefits of running have been well documented in the literature. Unfortunately, running has been connected with a high risk of injuries. Running related injuries can cause a long rehabilitation and may even force the runner to quit running permanently. To ensure that running can be practiced as a safe exercise activity prevention must be considered.

Training errors (i.e. excessive volume, sudden change of training routines etc.) are held to be the main reasons to running related injuries. Fortunately, training errors can be avoided as training characteristics (distance, duration, pace) can be controlled by the runner. In order to avoiding training errors, especially excessive volume many novice runners follow 0-5 kilometres type training programmes. However, limited research has been conducted on the training volume of beginner programs and the risk of running related injuries. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between the running volume the first 4 weeks of a running regime and the risk of running related injuries among novice runners. The relationship between running volume and running related injuries will be investigated in proportion to their body mass index (BMI).

Runners with a high body mass index are going to follow a training programme of 3 kilometres per week compared to a training programme of 6 kilometres per week. The amount of running will be increased with 10 % per week.

Runners with a high body mass index follow two types of training programmes: a running programme of 3 kilometres per week a running programme 6 kilometres per week The amount of running will be increased with 10 % per week.

An injury sustained on muscles, joints, tendons and/or bones during or after running. The injury must have caused a workout reduction (reduced distance, intensity, frequency etc.) for at least 7 days.

Inclusion Criteria: both gender between 16-65 years no running-training within the last year less than 20 hours of sports activity within the last year (in total) internet access and mail address body mass index between 18.5 - 25 or 30-35 owns a pair of running shoes Exclusion Criteria: do not want to use a GPS watch unable or unwilling to follow the running regime in 4 consecutive weeks previous injury in lower extremity within the last 2 years unable to read or understand Danish former heart surgery known heart surgery known lung disease diabetes current pregnancy known tendency to shortness of breath or chest pain with activity known tendency to leg pain when walking long distances