3 Most Common Running Injuries and How to Avoid Them

3 Most Common Running Injuries &

How to Avoid Them

Have you picked  up running this summer and noticed pain or discomfort  in your body? A large majority of runners get an injury at some point during their training, but the good news is many of these injuries can be prevented with the right programming. Below are the 3 most common injuries and ways to prevent them! 

Shin Splints or Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome

Shin splints aka medial tibial stress syndrome is a common injury that usually occurs in new runners or the start of your running program. It is usually associated with lack of control in your running form,  poor shoe ware and weakness in your leg muscles. 

The best ways to prevent this is to make sure you are wearing appropriate supported sneakers, slowly ramp up your running and build up strength in your hip and core muscles. 

Achilles Tendinitis

Achilles tendinitis is a very common overuse injury that occurs in runners who have weak and tight calf muscles, limited in ankle mobility and flat arches. It can also be caused by an increase in volume of running in a short period of time or wearing an supportive shoe . Inflammation in the tendon can be painful and can slow you down. You want to address any tightness and discomfort in your calf and Achilles as soon as you start to feel it to avoid it turning into a more severe inflammatory response of the tendon. 

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The best ways to prevent Achilles tendinitis is to ensure you have full range of motion in your ankle which can be improved with foam rolling, stretching and mobilization. However it is important to know that stretching a muscle that is already inflamed can make it worse. You want to make sure you have a very strong posterior chain that includes your glutes, hamstrings & calf to improve your control with running and landing. Whether you are casually running or training for a race, your runs should always be accompanied with a strength program to prevent overuse injuries.

Patella-femoral Pain Syndrome or Knee Pain

Knee pain is the other most common overuse injury that runners complain about. Knee pain in runners is associated with poor running mechanics, lack of control in your hips, quads and ankles. Since your knee joint is smack in the middle of your you hip and ankle joint, it follows them. This means if you have a lack of mobility or lack of strength in your hip and ankle- compensations and stress will occur at your knee joint leading to an injury. Lateral hip weakness, pelvic instability and poor single leg balance can contribute to knee pain. If your quadriceps are tight and weak they can pull on the fibers attached at your knee which causes abnormal tracking of your patella. This in time can lead to inflammation and pain around the entire knee joint.

An appropriate training program that addresses muscle length, flexibility, strength and balance together will help prevent the chances of acquiring patellafemoral knee pain.

If you are new to running or training for a race and want to make sure you have the appropriate program to work with to avoid injuries give us a call today! We can help make sure you are doing the right things to avoid an injury! And of course if you are battling an injury that just won’t go away on its own we can fix that too! Schedule a FREE Discovery Session to learn how to help your body run free of injuries!