Running offers a range of benefits for both physical and mental health and wellbeing. However, it is important to be mindful of the demands it places on the body too. In this blog, we take a look at the most common running injuries and what you can do to prevent them.
Benefits of running
Running regularly is a brilliant way to improve your overall physical health and brings with it a number of physical benefits including:
- improved heart health
- improved lung health
- increased joint strength and stability
- reduced risk of chronic illnesses like heart disease and type 2 diabetes
But it’s not just good for your body, it’s good for your mind and mental wellbeing too, helping to reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression and stress.
High impact sport
That said, it is also a high-impact activity that can place significant stress on the body, particularly the lower limbs and spine. Furthermore, if you increase mileage and intensity in preparation for events, there can also be an increased risk of overuse running injuries.
Common running injuries
As a result, whether it’s for pleasure or more serious, running can unfortunately result in injury. Some of the most common running injuries include:
Runner’s Knee (Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome)
Characterised by pain around the kneecap, runner’s knee is often caused by biomechanical issues such as muscle imbalances and running gait.
Achilles Tendinopathy
This condition involves pain and stiffness in the achilles tendon (the tendon connecting the calf muscles to the heel) and is often due to overtraining, excessive load, inadequate footwear, and poor running form.
Shin Splints (Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome)
Shin splints cause pain along the inner edge of the tibia (otherwise known as the shin bone) and are typically associated with overuse or improper running mechanics.
Plantar Fasciitis
This manifests as heel pain due to inflammation of the fascia, a thick band of tissue that supports the arch of the foot. Factors such as tight calves, poor foot strength and sudden increases in training volume can contribute to this condition.
How to prevent running injuries
The good news though is that runners can implement various strategies to help minimise the risk of running-related injuries, maximise their performance and generally help promote musculoskeletal health – see below for details:
1. Gradual Progression
Whether you’re training for an event or training for fun, avoid sudden spikes in mileage or intensity and adhere to a structured training plan that allows for gradual adaptation. If you’re new to running, start with a low mileage at first. Track your weekly progress using an exercise app like Strava and try not to increase your mileage by more than 10% on a weekly basis to avoid injury.
2. Proper Footwear
Invest in running shoes that provide adequate support and stability based on your foot type and gait mechanics. Most importantly you need a pair of shoes that are comfortable to run in. And if you do have an event coming up, make sure you wear your shoes in before running the race.
3. Listen to your body
Some discomfort when training is to be expected, especially in your legs and feet. If you have significant pain though, it’s important to listen to your body and rest the injury rather than trying to train through it. Training through the pain can further stress an injury, causing it to potentially become much more significant and result in you having to stop running for longer. So if you’re in pain, give your body a break – a few days rest can make all the difference.
4. Cross-Training
Whether training for an event or not, try to incorporate activities like swimming or cycling into your routine to improve overall fitness and reduce the repetitive strain on specific muscle groups.
5. Strength-Training
This is arguably the most important way to prevent injuries. This is because the stronger your body, the more prepared it is to manage the loads you place on it.
6. Stride length
Research shows that overstriding – essentially taking stride lengths that extend too far in front of the body – can increase your risk of injury.Common injuries from overstriding include shin splints and lower leg and lower back problems. So if you want to improve your running pace, forget taking longer strides and try reducing your stride length and increasing your steps per minute instead.
7. Prioritise Sleep & Nutrition
Quality rest is key to allow your body to recover from training and allow you to train more frequently. Fuelling should be a priority, giving your body the energy required to train and get stronger.
8. Dynamic Warm-Up and Cool Down
Prioritise dynamic stretches and mobility exercises before running to prepare the body for activity and post-run to aid in recovery and prevent muscle tightness.
Post event tips
But even if you’ve followed all of the strategies above, it’s also important to know how to look after your body after you’ve given your all in an event. Read on for some top post running event tips:
1. Keep Moving
Keep gently mobile post event e.g. regular walks for 5-10 minutes. It is the last thing you feel like doing but remaining static should be avoided at all costs.
2. Ice
For specific injuries such as problems with joints, applying ice is recommended. This is most effective when done immediately but still works when applied in the days following the race.
3. Heat
A hot bath is ideal for strained muscles and overall rejuvenation. After all, running a race is physically and emotionally draining, so it makes sense to relax and literally bathe in your glory.
4. Re-fuel
Snack regularly on food, ideally that is high carbohydrate, low fat, contains some protein (e.g. tuna sandwich) and drink lots of fluids. Refrain from drinking alcohol until fully rehydrated.
How we can help
By incorporating injury prevention strategies and listening to your body’s cues, there’s no reason you can’t enjoy your hobby as a runner pain free. But it’s also important to seek professional guidance when needed. Chiropractors and osteopaths can assess, diagnose and treat any aches and pains you may have, and also help improve your mobility which can in turn help with performance. So if the above tips don’t help keep you running pain free, or you’d just like to have an MOT to make sure your body can perform at it’s best, then please don’t hesitate to book an appointment.