You don’t have to be a professional athlete to experience these running injuries. Even if you run occasionally or on a certain schedule, you’re bound to come across running injuries that may really affect your ability to perform this activity with the same frequency and intensity that you usually do. So if you like running and don’t want to be held back by an injury, learn about these common running injuries and how you can prevent them as well as treat them in case you suffer from one.
Runner’s Knee
This injury means your kneecap is out of alignment. This is usually the injury most runners get because it’s your knees that absorbs the impact when you run so the cartilage on your kneecap wears down over time.
Prevention
· Run on softer surfaces.
· Keep mileage increases in less than 10% per week.
· Make sure you’re wearing the right shoes.
Treatment
· Cut back on mileage or take a break from running for a while.
· Avoid knee-bending activities.
· See your doctor if the pain persists.
Stress Fracture
People usually suffer from this when they try to take on a new activity like running without easing into it. Because of the shock, the shin or feet get a small crack in the bone which causes pain and gets worse with continued activity.
Prevention
· Make training adjustments gradually.
· Be careful when changing surfaces.
· Check your shoes.
· Check your form.
· Get enough calcium and vitamin D.
· Cross-train.
Treatment
· Rest.
· Ice.
· Anti-inflammatory medication.
· In some cases, air splint, air cast or crutches may be needed.
Shin Splint
This injury often happens when you change your workout into an intense one too quickly. As a result, you experience pain in the front or inside of the lower leg along the shin bone.
Prevention
· Don't Increase Your Mileage Too Quickly.
· Run on Softer Surfaces When Possible.
· Give Yourself Enough Rest and Recovery Time.
· Get the Right Running Shoes.
· Avoid Heel Striking.
· Stretch Your Calves.
Treatment
· Rest
· Stretching exercises
· Slow return to activity after several weeks of healing
Achilles Tendinitis
The Achilles tendon is located at the calf to the back of the heel. This part gets injured when you put too much stress on it over and over again which is common when you run on a regular basis.
Prevention
· Increase your activity level gradually.
· Choose shoes carefully.
· Stretch daily and before running.
· Strengthen your calf muscle.
· Cross-train.
Treatment
· Rest
· Icing the area
· Calf stretches
Muscle Pull
As the name suggests, this is basically a small tear in your muscle which happens when you overstretch a muscle. For runners, they often experience this on their hamstrings, quadriceps, calf, and groin.
Prevention
· Avoid injury by daily stretching.
· Stretch every time before exercise.
· Establish a warm-up routine prior to engaging in strenuous exercise.
· Start an exercise program in consultation with a doctor.
Treatment
· Rest
· Ice
· Compression
· Elevate
Ankle Sprain
Most people have experienced this injury whether they run or not. Basically, this happens when you trip and twist or roll your ankles which results in tearing of ligaments. However, for runners, this happens more often than not since the motion required with running simply puts them more at risk of spraining their ankle.
Prevention
· Stretch before running.
· Do exercises that strengthen muscles around your ankle.
· Do exercises to improve your balance.
· If you’ve injured your ankle before, consult your doctor about tapping your ankle or wearing an ankle brace.
Treatment
· Rest
· Ice
· Compression
· Elevate the injured foot
Plantar Fasciitis
This means your plantar fascia is inflamed. That's the thick band of tissue in the bottom of the foot that extends from the heel to the toes. People with tight calf muscles and a high arch are more prone to plantar fasciitis. Although it may be linked to adding activity, plantar fasciitis can also happen without any obvious reason.
Prevention
· Learn to relax your lower legs, especially your ankles and calves, whenever you're walking, running, sitting or standing.
· Land with a midfoot strike.
· Don't pull yourself forward with your legs when walking or running. Engage gravity by letting your upper body lead and your legs follow.
Treatment
· Calf stretches
· Rest
· Icing the bottom of the foot
IT Band Syndrome
The IT band is the ligament that runs along the outside of the thigh, from the top of the hip to the outside of the knee. Now, when this ligament thickens and rubs the knee bone that causes inflammation which results in pain or the IT band syndrome.
Prevention
· Once you start feeling pain in the area, decrease your mileage or take a few days off running.
· Warm up by walking a quarter mile before you run.
· Run in the middle of the road where it’s flat.
· Make sure your shoes aren’t worn along the outside of the sole.
· When running on a track, change directions repeatedly.
Treatment
· Cutting back on exercise
· Heat and stretching before exercise
· Icing the area after activity
Blisters
We all know how blisters are. They’re those fluid-filled sacks on the surfaces of the skin due to friction or rubbing of the skin against shoes or socks.
Prevention
· Start using new shoes gradually
· Wear socks with a double layer
· Apply petroleum jelly on areas prone to blisters
Treatment
· Don’t ignore pain, if you feel like you already have blisters stop running.
· Take off your shoes and apply ointment right away.
· Avoid wearing close shoes until your blisters heal.
Temperature Related Injuries
Here, we’re talking about sunburn, heat exhaustion, or frostbite and hypothermia if you live in a place with cold season. Since runners often run outdoors, they are often at risk of this temperature related injuries since they’re more exposed to the weather than those who run on a treadmill indoors.
Prevention
· Monitor the weather condition before you go for a run.
· Dress appropriately for the weather
· Stay hydrated
· Wear sunscreen
· Listen to your body, if you feel like the temperature is already too much for you take a rest.
Treatment
· If it’s a warm weather-related injury, get out of direct sunlight immediately.
· Cool the skin by sponging with cool water, taking a cool bath or applying a cold compress and then drink plenty of fluid to bring your temperature down.
· For cold weather-related injury, call emergency hotline right away to seek medical attention yourself if you can or ask someone to do it for you.
· Go indoors and try to restore warmth slowly by drinking warm fluid and wrapping yourself with a blanket.
· Warm your trunk first, not hands and feet. Warming extremities first can cause shock.
Chiropractic Treatment
This is the reason why most sports team employs a chiropractor because chiropractors can provide care and treatment that can help athletes or any active individual perform at their best. Here’s how chiropractic care is beneficial for anyone with sports injuries.
· The chiropractor can assess diagnose, and manage sports-related injuries
· A thorough physical examination, along with a person’s medical history, will help a chiropractor know the cause of the pain and dysfunction and will then device a personalized treatment plan for the patient.
· Possible treatments are joint manipulation and mobilization, soft tissue therapy, adjunct modalities, rehabilitation, individualized exercise, as well as lifestyle and nutritional advice.
· A regular chiropractic session can also help prevent injuries by correcting subluxation and strengthening musculoskeletal system. Aside from that, it can also prevent the development of chronic problems or permanent damage.