Running is a great way for kids to get active and participate in sports. Cross country and track are two of the most popular sports in middle school and high school.

But injuries in young runners are common, often are caused by improper technique or lack of strength and conditioning training. Another cause of injury is increasing mileage too quickly.

Common injuries include patellar tendonitis, Osgood-Schlatter disease, illiotibial band syndrome, and shin splints.

In this “Mayo Clinic Q&A” podcast, Dr. Angela Mattke, a Mayo Clinic pediatrician and host of #AskTheMayoMom, discusses injury prevention in young runners with Dr. David Soma, a Mayo Clinic sports medicine specialist and pediatrician; Dr. Luke Radel, a Mayo Clinic pediatrician; and Dr. Stephanie J. Lopez, a Mayo Clinic sports physical therapist.