. These will also help to reduce your risk of injury by fortifying your joints and protecting your legs from the repetitive pounding of training. If you are looking for a non-weight-based programme to build leg strength, head for the hills. Hill intervals are also

, according to a recent study at the University of Missouri-Columbia in the USA. In a test of 10 brands of socks, researchers found that nylon socks caused fewer blisters than cotton ones.Bunions Bunions are an inflammation of the big toe joint, caused

- with your head held high and chest and your shoulders open - should ensure fluid movement.Flex for successRegular stretching increases the range of movements that your joints can perform, as well as creating strong, flexible muscles. "Many runners try yoga

exercises twice a week is the best way to build leg power. Try squats, leg extensions, thigh curls (for the hamstrings and buttocks), leg presses, toe raises and heel raises. These will also help to reduce your risk of injury by fortifying your joints

where a vertebra that is out of position is causing nerve irritation, the brain (via the nervous system) will not be able to successfully send vital messages to the joints and muscles, in Mills’s case her hip. The result is reduced strength and reflexes

, which causes excessive internal rotation of the thigh. The result is pressure on the hip joint, which tilts the pelvis forward. "This increases the angle where the spine joins the pelvis and is a very common cause of lower back pain," says Clifton

functions, including nourishing cells; carrying food through the body; eliminating waste; regulating body temperature; cushioning and lubricating joints; and maintaining blood volume and pressure. Unfortunately, unlike camels, we aren't good at holding