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7 common running injuries (and how to prevent them)
Running’s great. You don’t need to commit to a gym membership nor invest in an eye-wateringly expensive bike. With running, you just need a good pair of shoes and you’re all set.
Running may be the ultimate lockdown-friendly exercise choice, taking you out into the fresh air to run through the local streets or parks.
The only drawback is that it’s surprisingly easy to injure yourself when running. Here are 7 of the most common running injuries and the best ways to prevent them.
1. Runner’s knee (patellar-femoral pain syndrome)
What is it?
Runner’s knee involves pain around your kneecap. It may feel tender to touch, hurt when you’re active or sit for a long time with bent knees. You may even feel grinding, rubbing or popping in your knee.
What causes it?
Runner’s knee has several underlying causes including:
- Biomechanical problems such as a high kneecap, feet that roll in (while the thigh muscles pull the kneecap outward)
- Tight or weak quadriceps, hamstrings and Achilles tendons
- Poor footwear that doesn’t properly support your foot
- Overuse in excessive training
- Injury.
How can you prevent it?
The best way to prevent runner’s knee is to ease the stress on your knees by:
- Losing weight if necessary
- Seeing a podiatrist or visiting a good sports shoe store to get running shoes that suit the biomechanics of your feet
- Gradually increasing your activity rather than suddenly upping your exercise levels
- Doing regular stretches to improve your hamstrings and quadriceps
- Seeking advice on your running style to reduce stress on your knees.
2. Stress fracture
What is it?
It’s a small crack in a bone, also known as a hairline fracture. The most common symptom is pain that worsens during weight-bearing activity. You may also notice swelling and tenderness.
You’re most likely to experience a stress fracture in your leg or foot because those bones absorb a considerable amount of stress during activities like running and jumping.
What causes it?
Usually, a stress fracture is the result of repetitive overuse which does small amounts of damage to the bone each time until, eventually, a stress fracture occurs.
Overuse injuries may happen when you:
- Start a new sport
- Increase the intensity of your exercise
- Increase the duration of your exercise.
How can you prevent it?
Preventing stress fractures involves:
- Making only slow changes to your exercise program so your body can adjust to an increased frequency, intensity or duration of exercise
- Wearing proper footwear when you run – if you have flat arches, see a podiatrist to get some arch-support orthotics
- Mixing up your running with some low-impact physical activity like swimming
- Eating a healthy diet that nourishes your bones with vitamin D and calcium.
3. Shin splints (medial tibial stress syndrome)
What are they?
Shin splints are a painful inflammation of the muscles, tendons, and bone tissue around your tibia (shinbone). The pain may be sharp or dull. It might happen during or after exercise. Sometimes touching the sore spot makes it worse.
What causes them?
Shin splints are another overuse injury and very common among runners. They can be triggered by changes in the frequency, duration, intensity or type of exercise you do. If you’ve recently started running or decided to start long-distance training, you might find yourself nursing shin splints.
Your feet also contribute to shin splints. If you’ve got flat feet, you may need supportive orthotics. Good running shoes are essential. You also need to replace them regularly as they do wear out.
How can you prevent shin splints?
Prevention involves:
- Wearing proper footwear when you run
- Alternating running with lower impact exercise
- Building your fitness level slowly.
4. ITB syndrome
What is it?
The iliotibial band (ITB) is a thick band of tissue that runs from your hips to your knee down the outside of your leg. Its job is to stabilise your knee when you’re moving.
The main symptom of ITB syndrome is a sharp pain on the outside of your knee when your heel strikes the floor. The pain may be worse when you’re coming down stairs or running. Swelling may happen on the outside of your knee.
What causes it?
Weak glutes, abs or hips may contribute to ITB syndrome. It’s very common in runners.
How can you prevent it?
Preventing ITB syndrome (or reducing its recurrence) involves improving the flexibility and strength of your lower back, hips, knees and leg muscles.
5. Achilles tendinitis
What is it?
Your Achilles tendon is a strong cord that connects your calf muscles to your heel bone. You use it every time you walk, run, jump or rise up on your tippy toes. Achilles tendinitis is an overuse injury that causes ache, pain or stiffness at the back of your ankle.
What causes it?
Overuse is the main culprit. Every time you move, really, you use your Achilles tendon. With every step you run, you place pressure on the Achilles tendon. Over time, the tendon begins to complain. Hill running can be a particular problem as it places extra strain on your tendon.
Your age is another factor as the Achilles tendon degenerates as you get older.
How can you prevent it?
The same familiar prevention advice comes into play. Increase your activity gradually, wear the right footwear, cross train with low-impact activities and stretch regularly.
In addition, strengthen your calf muscles as they support your Achilles tendon, helping it manage the stress it encounters when you exercise.
6. Plantar fasciitis
What is it?
Your plantar fascia is a ligament that connects the front of your foot to your heel. It becomes irritated in plantar fasciitis, causing significant heel pain that can really get in the way of running (or even walking).
What causes it?
Plantar fasciitis doesn’t always have an obvious cause. However, it is more likely if you’re middle aged, overweight, on your feet all day or have poor foot mechanics (flat feet or high arches).
Running, dancing or any other activity that places a lot of stress on your heel can also contribute to plantar fasciitis.
How can you prevent it?
Preventing plantar fasciitis involves maintaining a healthy weight, wearing the right shoes, running on grass not pavement, stretching your calves and staying active without overdoing it.
7. Torn meniscus
What is it?
The meniscus comprises two c-shaped pieces of cartilage that sit like a cushion between your shinbone and thigh bone. A torn meniscus causes pain, swelling and stiffness and makes it hard for you to fully extend your knee.
What causes it?
Meniscus tears usually happen when you’ve forcefully twisted or rotated your knee, for example, through sudden stops or turns or an accident. Sometimes, a tear can happen through squatting, kneeling or heavy lifting.
The other big culprit is age. As your knee degenerates, your meniscus may tear with very little external force.
How can you prevent it?
You can’t prevent accidents but you may be able to reduce the risk of tearing your meniscus in other ways by:
- Strengthening your thigh muscles through regular exercises
- Warming up properly before you run
- Resting between workouts to give your knees time to recover
- Wearing supportive running shoes
- Improving your flexibility
- Making only slow changes to your exercise routine.
How can The Brisbane Spine Clinic help?
As you can see, there are a few running themes in the causes of these common running injuries and the best ways to prevent them. Those themes include your:
- Biomechanics (how your musculoskeletal system handles force)
- Running style
- Footwear
- Muscle strength and flexibility.
These are all things that a skilled physiotherapist can help you with.
At the Brisbane Spine Clinic, we start with a review of your symptoms and a full assessment of your movements, muscles, joint mobility and biomechanics. We can then provide you with treatments to relieve your symptoms and a program of exercises to reduce the risk of recurrence.
Please make an appointment today.
Disclaimer
All information is general in nature. Patients should consider their own personal circumstances and seek a second opinion.
