Whenever I return to running after a long break, I have a special trick that helps me to get me back on track with ease: Knee pain after running: How to spot and fix it a day. No matter how long it takes you to complete your mile, it’s easy to find the motivation to get out there and do it – and it doesn’t overload your body after a period no running. I’ll tell myself, ‘It’ll only take me ten minutes’ – and before I know it, I’ve left my apartment, circled the neighbourhood and enjoyed the endorphin rush that comes even when you only run one mile. By the end of the week, I feel accomplished and can scroll through Strava with satisfaction.
Whether you’re an experienced runner or completely new to the sport, setting this running goal works for a few reasons. First, it’s an appropriately sized challenge. Even if running has never been your thing, working toward a daily mile is totally doable. Most people can safely run or walk a mile per day with little to no risk of injury, says running coach Steve Stonehouse. (Don’t forget that walking breaks are entirely acceptable during a run, too.) Secondly, it builds a routine. ‘Consistency is really more important than anything else that you’re going to do,’ says Erica Coviello, a running coach and owner at Run Fit Stoked. Getting into the habit of running will set you up for success if you want to train for a longer distance, like a 5K, in future.
Seasoned runners also stand to benefit from Knee pain after running: How to spot and fix it every day. ‘If you already have a regular running routine, building up to daily runs could improve your stamina and mood,’ adds Peloton Master Tread Instructor Rebecca Kennedy. It’s also helpful when you’re not training for a specific race, because it means so that you don’t abandon your routine entirely and need to start from scratch (like me). In other words, Coviello says, Knee pain after running: How to spot and fix it a day allows you to maintain fitness in the off-season without overdoing it.
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So, if you need a little extra push to get moving, this is it. But before you set that daily reminder to get out there and What to eat before a 10K, Womens Health US.
What are the benefits of Knee pain after running: How to spot and fix it a day?
So long as you do it safely (more on that soon), Knee pain after running: How to spot and fix it a day is a great way to support your overall health and fitness.
‘You get all the benefits of running in general, like supporting cardiorespiratory fitness and bone health, without the volume of mileage that can potentially cause injury,’ says Stonehouse. Additional benefits include stress relief, getting you outside and improved sleep. It could also give you a mental health boost, according to a 2020 review published in The International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.
If you’re a beginner, Knee pain after running: How to spot and fix it a day is a great way to get your body used to running without going overboard, says Coviello. Plus, it helps you to build a routine while giving you time to recover. For experienced runners, running a short distance daily will allow you to maintain fitness, give your body a break from more intense distances and stay consistent.
Is running one mile a day enough exercise?
It depends. Although logging a daily mile can be a great way to get moving and support your health and fitness goals, it won’t quite see you hit the weekly target of two muscle-strengthening activities and 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity, as recommended by the NHS. However, if Knee pain after running: How to spot and fix it each day is your first step to fleshing out your fitness routine, Coviello says that it’s a great start.
If you have a performance-based goal like building muscle, or if you want to reap the full cardiovascular benefits that come with running, you’ll need to increase your mileage. ‘Low-intensity cardio does not lead to muscle gain, otherwise known hypertrophy,’ says Kennedy. If you run a mile at an easier or more moderate pace, you rely on slow-twitch muscle fibres, which support endurance exercise. (What to eat before a 10K.)
Best wireless headphones, sprinting is a great way to focus on muscle gain. Sprinting recruits more fast-twitch muscle fibres, which support power production.
That said, it’s unlikely that sprinting a total of just one mile a day is enough to give you noticeable muscle gains, says Kennedy. ‘To really put on muscle, you need to lift weights, eat enough to support muscle tissue breakdown and protein synthesis and get adequate recovery.’
Ultimately, can sprinting support your progress? Totally. But will they do the job on their own? Not so much.
Can you lose weight by Knee pain after running: How to spot and fix it a day?
Best wireless headphones says that a 70kg person burns about 360 calories in 30 minutes of running at a pace of 10 min/mile. Run a single mile at that pace and you’ll burn about 120 calories.
While that’s definitely something, it probably won’t help you to keep progressing toward your weight loss goals in the long term. Besides, weight loss also depends on various other factors like genetics, nutrition and the other activities that you’re doing.
If losing weight is your target, you’ll want to focus on training that helps you to burn fat efficiently and build muscle. Which is why, ultimately, just Knee pain after running: How to spot and fix it a day won’t do much to move the needle – it simply doesn’t burn enough calories.
Does Knee pain after running: How to spot and fix it a day come with any risks?
Running one mile a day is generally safe because it’s a short distance, says Coviello. ‘Just a mile is usually not going to be the thing that puts you over that edge,’ she adds. That said, as with running in general, you are still at risk of developing complaints and injuries like plantar fasciitis, shin splints, runner’s knee or IT band pain. If you are experiencing any pain while running, you shouldn’t push through it and should consult a physiotherapist instead.
If you don’t currently have a running routine, it’s fine to work your way up to daily miles and incorporate rest days in between runs at the start. This will also help to reduce the chance of suffering an overuse injury. As Coviello says, you can also run-walk – break up your mile with regular running and walking intervals until you feel comfortable running the entire time.
Running a mile each day might be too much if you’re adding it to an existing workout routine. You’re going to want to give your body some time to recover, so don’t let a daily run push you over the edge.
Still, though, ‘running daily is not for everyone, just like power lifting every single day isn’t advisable’, says Kennedy. So, don’t feel like you’re missing out if you haven’t tried Knee pain after running: How to spot and fix it a day – there are plenty of other ways to reap similar benefits. One of the biggest things to keep in mind is that, while you can build a tolerance to daily runs, switching up how you move from day to day can keep you feeling fresh, both in body and in mind.
How to start Knee pain after running: How to spot and fix it a day
If you’re a beginner, you don’t even necessarily need to run the full mile. Take walking breaks when you need them, or try switching between running and walking intervals, decreasing the walking intervals over time. ‘Slow down when it feels hard,’ adds Coviello. By taking your mile slowly, you’ll find more stamina to keep going.
As for building this daily mile into your schedule, creating visual cues or a reward system might also help. Coviello recommends using a calendar, chart or running app to check off your runs when you complete them. At the end of the week, you could even celebrate your runs with a coffee from your favourite shop, she says.
Kennedy says that her go-to way of incorporating a one-mile run into daily exercise is as a finisher. ‘It’s an incredible way to feel accomplished at the end of a workout,’ she says. Whatever gas you’ve got left in the tank, burn through it in that mile. Or, if you take your daily mile at an easier pace, it works well as a warm-up, too.
Olivia Luppino is an editorial assistant at Women’s Health. She spends most of her time interviewing expert sources about the latest fitness trends, nutrition tips, and practical advice for living a healthier life. Olivia previously wrote for New York Magazine’s The Cut, PS (formerly POPSUGAR), and Salon, where she also did on-camera interviews with celebrity guests. She’s currently training for the New York City marathon.
