5. Your Skin May Need Special Attention

Doctors may also be able to give runners specialised advice about skin treatment. Being active can mean being outside a lot, which increases your risk for skin cancer. Bolin frequently reminds all his athletes to wear sunscreen, even in the wintertime, and thinks it’s incumbent that all doctors who work with athletes do the same.

Runners with diabetes need to pay special attention to the skin on their feet. Some diabetics develop neuropathies so they don’t feel blisters or pebbles in their shoes. If you are diabetic, Bolin advises examining your feet as soon as you come back from your run. “Make sure there are no blisters, cuts, bruises, or anything like that because, in the setting of diabetes, it could get more serious much more quickly,” he says.

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