You're about to go for your first run in a while, you like to grab your smartphone and run, you like to fly around the track or stop and take a selfie It's not just because you drop your expensive gadgets so easily

Running is very good for your mental and physical health It builds muscle, improves cardiopulmonary function, helps you lose or maintain a healthy weight, and helps you sleep better It is also relatively inexpensive All you need is a good pair of running shoes (we have selected the best running shoes on the market here) and a decent sports bra if you are a woman (we also found the best sports bras here) and you are good to go

Nevertheless, running with incorrect form can quickly lead to common running disorders such as plantar fasciitis and runner's knee Overstriding can easily injure the shins, knees, and hips Landing on the heel increases the impact on the bones and joints

For most runners, improving form means shortening strides, getting the legs under the body, and strengthening the core However, running with a smartphone in your hand may unintentionally disrupt your form and increase your risk of hip and shoulder injuries

You may not feel the weight when you pick it up, but running with a smartphone in one hand puts you at risk of hip and shoulder injuries Alexa Duckworth-Briggs, a British track and field running coach, says, "Holding something in your hand has a subtle effect on your gait It creates muscle imbalances, affects weight distribution throughout the body, and generally makes you a less efficient runner"

Duckworth-Briggs explains that adding a small amount of weight to one side of the body may cause the other side to overcompensate in an attempt to maintain balance

"By adding weight to one arm, the momentum of the limb is altered The body then tries to compensate for the imbalance by making certain muscles work harder than others," Duckworth-Briggs noted 'That's where repetitive strain injuries occur You would expect the problem to manifest on the side of the body opposite the one holding the phone"

Additionally, as the phone gets bigger and heavier, this problem is likely to occur more frequently 'It is possible that this is happening every training session, every week, every month It's especially easy to strain the legs, hips, and shoulders," adds Duckworth-Briggs

A better idea is to invest in a running belt, or a cell phone holder, or running leggings with pockets large enough to hold a cell phone (check here for the best leggings for running) Duckworth-Briggs recommends running with a belt rather than one that secures the cell phone to your arm Some types of cell phones are available that secure the phone to the arm, but they are still unbalanced

If running with a belt doesn't appeal to you, there are many of the best running watches on the market, including the Garmin Forerunner 245, Garmin Forerunner 945, and Apple Watch 7 They all connect to GPS, play music, allow you to pay for your post-run coffee, and have safety devices that allow others to track your location from your wrist Why not leave your cell phone at home on your next run?