Common Running Injuries - Causes, Avoiding Them, and Curing Them

Common running injuries


Your legs and feet take the strain of every running step and are consequently the most common site for running injuries. The chances are that if you get injured, it will be one of the following six problems. Here's how to identify the problem and treat it and, more importantly, prevent it happening in the first place.

Shin splints

Shin splints are a catch-all term for any injury to the muscles, tendons or surface of the bones in your shins. They start with shooting pains up your shins while you're running, but you may also feel pain when you're walking if the injury worsens.

Avoiding them

Shin splints are one of the most common injuries experienced by new runners. They are caused by increasing mileage more rapidly than your body can cope with. Running on hard surfaces, such as roads and pavements, wearing shoes with inadequate cushioning or wearing old shoes will only make the problem worse. Note that shin splints can also be confused with compartment syndrome, which is inflammation of the fascia, the thin covering over your muscle compartments.

Curing them

Shin splints are an overuse injury, so rest, ice and anti-inflammatory drugs will aid recovery. If you overpronate you will be more susceptible to the problem, so check that you are wearing the right running shoes. Stretch the muscles, tendons and nerves in your shins by lying on your back with your right leg in the air. Wrap a towel or belt around the ball of your foot, and then pull it with your left hand, bringing your foot down to the left. You should feel a stretch in the outside of your lower leg and ankle. Pull your foot to the right and you'll feel a stretch in your calf. If rest and ice don't improve the injury, visit a physiotherapist.

Plantar fasciitis

The plantar fascia (a thick band of tissue connecting your heel to the base of your toes) may become torn, inflamed or overstretched when you run. If you feel pain at the base of your heel when you step out of bed in the morning, it's possible you have plantar fasciitis, especially if the pain subsides as you walk around and the muscle warms up, losing its stiffness.

Avoiding it

Plantar fasciitis is often caused by tight Achilles tendons and calf muscles, which should be stretched after every run. High arches or flat feet, as well as wearing old running shoes that do not support your feet may also lead to this injury. Don't be fooled into thinking the injury is improving if it hurts less as you walk around on it - the muscle is simply warming up and becoming less stiff.

Curing it

Rest will help to heal plantar fasciitis, but you can also try this simple exercise: place a golf ball under the arch of your foot and roll it up and down, to the base of each toe and back. Put enough pressure on the ball that you feel a stretch, but not pain.

If the injury persists, see a podiatrist. They will examine your biomechanics and gait and make footwear recommendations. If overpronation is putting a strain on the plantar fascia, the podiatrist may prescribe orthoses, which are personalized insoles specially designed to correct biomechanical problems. Wear a splint at night to lightly stretch your Achilles tendon and plantar fascia while you sleep, or try acupuncture - new research suggests it can effectively treat plantar fasciitis by targeting points in the arches of the feet and calves.

Achilles pain

The Achilles tendon attaches the middle of the back of your heel to your calf. A sack of fluid, called a bursa, separates it from your heel bone to allow free movement. Place too much stress on the tendon - running uphill is a common cause - and it can become inflamed. The pain usually builds up gradually but can be sudden, and the tendon will feel sore above the heel when pressure is applied.

Avoiding it

You will be susceptible to Achilles pain when you are new to running if you train too intensively and overload the tendon. It can also affect experienced runners when they make a change to their training, such as adding more hill work, speed sessions on the track or wearing some new running shoes.

Curing it

Achilles pain is unpredictable - it may clear up rapidly in a matter of one or two weeks if treated early, or it can take months to treat. To alleviate the pain, ice the Achilles and elevate your leg - to prevent any swelling moving down into your foot. Heel lifts in your shoes - of no more than 1cm (1/2in) - can also relieve pressure on the tendon. One of the major causes of Achilles pain is a tight calf muscle putting pressure on the tendon. As soon as it is comfortable for you to do so, you should start stretching and strengthening exercises. Try the following exercise to strengthen your Achilles.

Stand on your toes on the edge of a step. Move your body weight to your injured leg and slowly lower your injured heel while keeping your knee straight. Use your uninjured leg to rise up again on your toes. Work up to three sets of 15 repetitions and repeat every day for three months.

RICE

This is the acronym for rest, ice, compression and elevation. It's an ideal first step for any sprain or strain that leads to inflammation. When you feel pain, the first thing to do is rest. Use ice on the injured area for no more than 20 minutes, at intervals of five hours. Wrap a bandage round the ice pack to hold it in place, taking care not to cut off the blood flow by pulling it too tight. If possible, elevate the injured area above your heart. If the injury doesn't respond in 48 hours, see your doctor.

Take it slowly

The single easiest way to avoid injury is to increase your mileage gradually. It's easy to forget this when you are new to running and want to pull on your running shoes every day, but by alternating your running days with rest or cross-training days, you will reduce your risk of injury and enjoy the benefits of a variety of workouts.