Injury-Free Running: How to Build Strength, Improve Form, and Treat/Prevent Injuries

We were not born to run. If we were, injury rates among runners wouldn't be so high. Of the 12 million runners in the United States, the annual injury rate is close to 50%. This translates into nearly 2 million stress fractures and 4 million sprains/strains. To run injury-free for decades, you have to be strong, coordinated and most of all, well informed. While various experts will give you advice based on anecdotal information (e.g., wear minimalist shoes, strike on your midfoot, and never stretch), with over 200 illustrations and 240 references, this book reviews the scientific literature to show you how to:

~Develop a running form based on your alignment, prior injuries, and desired running speed.
~Design a personalized rehab program you can do at home by evaluating your arch height, flexibility, strength, and coordination.
~Choose a running shoe that is right for you.
~Select the best preexercise warm-up routine.
~Treat 25 of the most common running injuries with the most up-to-date , scientifically justified treatment protocols available.

Praise for Injury-Free Running:

"Dr. Michaud's experience with athletes has been long running and highly praised. His vast knowledge of the human body and understanding of biomechanics will help you achieve your peak potential. This book is a great resource for athletes of all ages and abilities." -Joan Benoit Samuelson, world record holder in the marathon from 1983-1985, and gold medalist in the 1984 Olympics.

"From personal experience, I know that Dr. Tom Michaud is an expert on the biomechanics of this wonderful sport. If you love running, you will love this book." -Uta Pippig, Olympian and three-time winner of the Boston Marathon.

"Dr. Michaud kept me running through the toughest parts of my career. The information in this book can help runners of all levels remain injury-free." -Tegla Laroupe, women's world record holder in the marathon from 1998-2001

Injury-Free Running is written and illustrated by Dr. Thomas Michaud. Dr. Michaud has published numerous book chapters and dozens of journal articles on subjects ranging from the treatment of tibial stress fractures in runners, to the conservative management of shoulder injuries in baseball players. In 1993, Williams and Wilkins published Dr. Michaud's first textbook, Foot Orthoses and Other Forms of Conservative Foot Care, which has been translated into four languages and continues to be used in physical therapy, chiropractic, pedorthic, and podiatry schools around the world. His latest textbook, Human Locomotion: The Conservative management of Gait-Related Disorders, has over 1100 references and is one of the most detailed reviews of running biomechanics ever published.