I njury -F ree R unning
ceiling just over your head as you run. You aim to avoid bumping your head by maintaining a consistent distance from the ground.
THE KEY LIES IN FORM
HUNCHING Many people have bad posture, so it’s no surprise it carries over to their running form. But it’s a problem worth correcting. Hunched shoulders and leaning forward while running make breathing harder and prevent proper hip extension. It’s also bad news for your back. Dr. Guthmiller urges runners to imagine a string pulling their spine toward the sky. At the same time, avoid standing too straight. Proper posture involves a slight lean with a straight spine and squared shoulders. Developing proper running form takes time, and no one eliminates all errors immediately. But you’ll reduce your risk of developing an injury and see more progress if you can reduce your mistakes. Try to focus on one part of your form at a time — you might be surprised how much better you feel.
Running is one of the most effective cardiovascular exercises, but it’s also among the most likely to cause injuries. However, many problems runners face aren’t inherent to the sport — they result from bad form. Improper running form can put unnecessary stress on your joints, spine, and neck, potentially causing long-term damage. Here are some of the most common errors that can lead to injury — and how to correct them. OVERSTRIDING Many runners mistakenly think they’ll improve their speed by increasing their stride or making each step bigger. But your body has a natural stride length, and extending your legs too far in front of your center of mass is one of the fastest paths to an injury. Overstriding stresses your joints unnecessarily, so focus on shorter, quicker steps instead. You’ll feel lighter and run more efficiently. BOUNCING Running should move your body forward, not up. Many runners push themselves off the ground and into the air, producing a bouncing motion that sends them up and down. It’s bad for your legs and will make you feel tired more quickly. To correct this problem, physical therapist and running coach Dr. Casey Guthmiller recommends imagining a low
M eet A manda H orsley , a D edicated P aralegal A CONSTANT SOURCE OF ENCOURAGEMENT AND SUPPORT
insisted that she would argue with a wall. While working on her degree in business administration at University of North Georgia, Amanda got an opportunity to work in a law office.
She started as a receptionist, but the attorneys at that firm felt she would do well in a paralegal role and encouraged her to get her paralegal certification. She complied and has been working as a paralegal for the past 15 years. When she heard our team was growing, she jumped at the chance to join our staff. Amanda has a knack for making clients feel at ease throughout their cases. She’s an open book who shares personal stories from her own experiences to connect with her clients. She has a blended family, with her husband having three sons from a previous relationship while she has two daughters of her own. She knows firsthand that there is life after divorce and works diligently to help clients overcome the initial shock and heartbreak that often comes with divorce. What Amanda enjoys most about her career is helping children, wives, and husbands get out of abusive relationships and difficult situations. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, and Amanda helps our clients find it. Amanda stays busy when away from work. She loves to travel to tropical and historical destinations, spend time on Lake Lanier, and attend college football, ice hockey and soccer events with her family. She also enjoys watching murder mysteries to see if she can solve the case on her own before the show ends.
One of the most significant things we consider when hiring someone new to our team is the level of passion they have for family law. It can be a difficult industry to work in, so we want to ensure those we hire can handle it and are going to take the best possible care of our clients. At the beginning of the year, we added Amanda Horsley to our team as a paralegal. Throughout the past nine months, she has put her experience and expertise to work, effectively helping our clients with whatever they need. Amanda has had a passion for law ever since she was young. She participated in debate teams throughout high school, and her mom always
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