Running injuries are a significant concern in Australia, where running boasts one of the highest participation rates among sports and recreational activities. According to Ausplay studies, it consistently ranks within the country’s top 5 recreational activities. Additional research indicates that one in five Australians experiment with running or jogging at some point in their lives. This popularity is easily understood, as taking up running requires minimal investment and can be done virtually anywhere and at any time.
However, its popularity can also have its downsides. People often do too much, too soon, causing injuries due to overtraining and overuse. The numbers tell the story – up to 70% of recreational and competitive runners experience overuse injuries annually.
The most common running injuries are to the knees with 42%; 17% to the ankle or foot; 13% to the lower leg; and 11% to the pelvis/hip.
Overuse injuries may be caused by errors in training such as running frequency, duration, distance, and speed, and the lack of leg stability and strength. These can also be due to wearing the wrong kind of footwear or running on inappropriate terrain or surfaces.
10 Most Common Running Injuries and Ways You Can Prevent Them
Reducing the distance, frequency, and duration of your run as well as stretching and strengthening your muscles are all good strategies to prevent injury.
Here are the most common running injuries and ways you can prevent them:
1. Runner’s knee
the most common beginner’s running injury as well as the most prevalent injury among all runners is the Patellofemoral syndrome, more known as Runner’s knee. This occurs when your kneecap is out of alignment. Your kneecap can wear down over time; this can cause pain especially when you do movements such as going up or down the stairs, sitting with bent knees for a long duration, or squatting.
Recovery/treatment strategies:
- Using ice or cold packs
- Elevation
- Compression
- Doing stretching exercises for the quads, hamstrings, calves, hip flexors, iliotibial band, and glutes
- Performing strengthening exercises such as squats, lunges, calf raises, deadlifts, and planks
2. Shin splint
also known as medial tibial stress syndrome/MTSS, manifested in pain at the front or inside the lower leg along the tibia or shin bone. This is commonly felt after implementing a change in your running program too soon and too quickly such as logging in longer distances or running more frequently.
Recovery/treatment strategies:
- Decrease running distance
- Slow down your pace
- Do stretching exercises
3. Stress fracture
increasing your intensity too soon can cause a crack in a bone, usually the shin or feet which, in turn, can lead to pain and discomfort.
Recovery/treatment strategy:
- Rest as continued activity can lead to more serious injury
- Consult with a healthcare provider if you feel pain, tenderness, or swelling on or near a bone, especially after an activity or training
4. Achilles tendinopathy
A degenerative change to the Achilles tendon, this used to be termed as tendinitis. The Achilles tendon attaches the calf to the back of the heel. The injury is caused by repetitive stress and tight calf muscles, felt as stiffness or a painful or burning sensation in the Achilles tendon in the morning or when running.
Recovery/treatment strategies:
- Rest
- Ice
- Calf stretches
5. Pulled muscle
This can be caused by overstretching a muscle such as the quads, hamstrings, groin, or calf.
Recovery/treatment strategies:
- Rest
- Ice
- Compression
- Elevation (RICE)
6. Iliotibial band syndrome
This can cause pain on the outside of the knee. The iliotibial band (IT) is a ligament that runs along the outside of your thigh. IT band syndrome occurs when the ligament thickens and rubs the knee bone.
Recovery/treatment strategies:
- Reduction in exercise volume
- Pre-workout stretching
- Heat before workout
- Ice after running
7. Blisters
A friction between the skin and shoes or socks can cause fluid-filled sacs or blisters that can be painful, especially when these repeatedly rub with the skin or when they break.
Recovery/treatment strategies:
- Wear double-layered socks
- Break in new shoes gradually
- Use petroleum jelly on blister-prone areas
8. Sprained ankle
This is caused by the tearing of ligaments surrounding the ankle usually occurring when the foot rolls inward or twists.
Recovery/treatment strategies:
- Rest
- Ice
- Compression
- Elevation (RICE)
9. Plantar fasciitis
The inflammation of the plantar fascia, the thick band of tissues at the bottom of the foot. Individuals with tight calf muscles or high arches may be more prone to this.
Recovery/treatment strategies:
- Calf stretches
- Rest
- Ice
- Wearing proper footwear
This include hypothermia, sunburn, heat exhaustion, and frostbite
Recovery/treatment strategies:
- proper hydration
- wearing proper clothing
- avoiding activity during the hottest times of the day when running outdoors
- running in cooler/properly ventilated venues
Note: It is best to see your healthcare provider or doctor if you experience any of the following:
- Persistent pain, tenderness, or swelling
- Your injury persists for more than a week
- Your injury does not improve after applying recovery strategies or first-aid techniques
If you do incur an injury, consult your doctor, physiotherapist, or other healthcare professional for advice before resuming your running regimen.
Achieve better health and prevent running injuries
If you’re eager to improve your health and wellbeing, running can be a good way to achieve your health goal. Running has a lot of benefits: helping build strong bones and muscles, improves your cardiovascular health, burns calories, and helps you maintain a healthy weight.
Running also has great mental benefits as it has been shown to help improve cognitive function and reduce episodes of anxiety and depression. If you run outdoors, this popular recreation can also help forge a connection to nature and allow you to see new places – certainly a lot better than staying cooped up and training indoors.
However, you should also take precautions and seek the guidance of an Accredited Health Professional such as an Exercise Physiologist before starting a running regimen. This is especially important if you’ve been sedentary for a while or have limited to no experience with running or exercise.
Your Exercise Physiologist will first make a thorough assessment of your health condition before creating an optimal program tailored to your condition and goals. This can help you avoid the pitfall of doing too much too soon, which is common among beginners, and injuring yourself, which can stall your health gains. Our Exercise Physiologists at Healthstin are just a phone call or click away. Call 1300 090 931 or click this link now.
Disclaimer: The information presented above is general in nature and does not take your personal condition or situation into consideration. It is intended to show the correct exercise technique and should not be used to self-diagnose or self-treat any medical condition. If your pain persists or you experience difficulty in performing an exercise, see your experienced Exercise Physiologist for guidance.
