Three of the most common running mistakes that may lead to injury include;

1.) Over striding - taking too big of a step will increase the ground reaction force back up through your leg. This places more stress on the heel, knee and hip. This can place you at a higher risk of sustaining a stress fracture of the heel or shin, earlier onset of osteoarthritis of the hip or knee or other various hip injuries.

2.) Medial Knee Collapse - This occurs when your foot hits the ground and your knee drifts inwards. This running error leads to increased stress at the ankle and knee. It may lead to various injuries such plantar fasciitis, achilles tendinopathy, patellofemoral pain syndrome and/or Iliotibial band friction syndrome.

3.) Crossline or Contralateral Pelvic Drop - This occurs when your feet are almost running in a straight line. When your foot hits the ground and your opposite hip dips or you tend to bump your knees together between strides. This running error places an uneven stress at the hip. It can lead to similar injuries as medial knee collapse, with a higher incidence of hip pathology including, lateral hip pain, femoral acetabular impingement and/or piriformis syndrome.

Practicing good running technique is important and may reduce your risk of sustaining a running related injury. Don’t forget about the importance of load management because even with perfect running form you may sustain an injury if you do too much too quickly. Stick to the 10% per week rule. Give yourself appropriate rest between sessions. Its always good to take part in alternate forms of exercise such as weight training, cycling or swimming to reduce the amount of stress placed through your weight baring joints while running.

Try these simple tips to improve your running technique;

• Practice good running form
• Let your foot strike just below your body and not too far in front.
• Increase you step frequency instead of your stride length
• Lean forward slightly as you run, but don't bend too far.
• Run tall, with your head upright as if you were running with a book balanced on your head.
• Watch for any side-to-side arm movement. Your arms should move forward and back.
• Stay relaxed. Avoid tensing your shoulders or clenching your fists while you run.
• Keep your hips level, you can practice this on a treadmill with a mirror. Focus on the waist line of your shorts and try to keep it level.
• Practice. Training your body to run with proper form may take practice.