is whether you’re wearing the correct shoes. Serious overpronators should look for motion control shoes or stability shoes with firm midsoles and control features to reduce pronation, and should avoid highly cushioned, highly curved shoes.Your problem

not absorb shock very well, and the shoes to look for should be more cushioned. Secondly, the layoff between the marathons may have caused (in conjunction with other problems you may not be aware of) your sciatic nerves to become tight and stiff

shoes fitted by a specialist. You need the right balance of cushioning and stability for your running style. Try new shoes at the first sign of an unexplained niggle: if it goes away, ditch the old ones. Worn-out cushioning and stability is not always

, but you can minimise the risk. Appropriate well-cushioned footwear is vital, and it’s important to renew your running shoes every three to six months, as over time they lose their shock-absorbing capacity. You should also undertake a regular stretching

protect your back by doing most of your runs on forgiving surfaces, such as grass, dirt, or cinder trails, and by replacing your running shoes regularly to maintain adequate cushioning (most last 300 to 500 miles). These strengthening exercises will also

high, rigid arch – both are at the limit of their elasticity) that is suddenly stretched when the whole length of the foot falls on uneven ground, can induce acute pain. New shoes or inappropriate orthotic support can also cause pain which will appear

. Avoid bed rest. Movement, even crawling on hands and knees, is better than inactivity. Backs: to the future. (Real-life solutions) Real-life stories: how two runners beat back pain Injury-Proof Your Back: five sets of everyday tips to stay pain

) or neglected (understretched, understrengthened), they’ll complain. And the result could be one of the two most chronic, hard-to-heal injuries a runner can face – namely, plantar fasciitis or Achilles tendinitis. To avoid the dreaded ‘itises’ it helps to first

) or neglected (understretched, understrengthened), they’ll complain. And the result could be one of the two most chronic, hard-to-heal injuries a runner can face – namely, plantar fasciitis or Achilles tendinitis. To avoid the dreaded ‘itises’ it helps to first