No, carrying a phone in your hand is not a safe way to bring it along on a run. “Holding your phone in your hand for a long run can cause your arm and shoulder to tighten up, and even lead you to change your gait on one side of your body, which can potentially lead to injury,” Ronto says. It’s also an unnecessary distraction: “Being able to focus on the run and not on the object in your hand is important to staying safe,” he adds. If you have to run with your phone in your hand, keep the run short and put your phone in a sturdy case, so it’s less likely to break if you drop it. Try to keep the charger port or any cracks in the screen away from your hand so that sweat doesn’t seep into the phone. Be sure to alternate hands every five minutes or so to avoid straining your muscles.