The Most Common Running Injuries and How to Prevent Them
Injuries affect 30 to 75 percent of runners in any given year, so it’s no surprise that injuries are never far from our minds. Most injuries result from the repetitive stresses that running places on the body. The risk of these so-called “overuse” injuries can increase when we try to do too much, too soon or don’t let our bodies recover from workouts.
We can take steps to avoid injuries or at least minimize our risk. Let’s look at the most common running injuries and how to prevent them.
The Most Common Running Injuries
Runner’s knee (Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome)
This injury causes pain and sometimes swelling around or behind the kneecap. Typically, the pain gets worse the longer and harder we run, especially if we're going downhill. Runner's knee pain can also be felt while sitting for long periods.
The pain comes from poor tracking of the kneecap as the knee bends and straightens, causing inflammation of the knee's connective tissues. These tracking issues often result from weak quadriceps or hip muscles, tight hamstrings or calves, or poor running mechanics.
You can reduce the risk of runner’s knee by strengthening the muscles that support the knee, keeping the hamstrings and calves flexible, and avoiding sudden increases in your training.
Shin Splints (Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome)
Pain along the inner edge of the shinbone (tibia) means means shin splints. You’ll feel this injury during or after runs, especially if you run on hard surfaces like concrete. Poor running form (landing too hard), poor biomechanics (inward rolling of the foot, known as overpronation), worn-out shoes, weak or tight calves, and increasing mileage too quickly can all contribute to shin splints.
To reduce your risk, build up mileage slowly, strengthen the lower legs (try calf raises) and stretch them regularly, run on softer surfaces such as a treadmill or smooth dirt path, and choose well-cushioned shoes.
Achilles Tendinopathy
This injury manifests as stiffness, pain, and sometimes swelling of the Achilles tendon in the back of the heel. You’re likely to feel it with your first steps in the morning or at the start of a run. The cause is often excessive stress to the tendon, such as sudden increases in speed work, hill training, or overall mileage. Tight and/or weak calves can put you at greater risk.
Keep the calves strong and supple with exercises such as calf raises and gentle calf stretches after your run. Try to avoid hilly routes or any fast running (speed workouts) until the injury heals. Come back from this injury slowly, as stiffness can linger even after the pain and swelling go away, and may lead to reinjury.
Plantar Fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis causes sharp pain in the heel or arch of the foot that's usually worst in the morning or after any period of rest. The pain is caused by strain on the plantar fascia, a thick band of tissue in the arch. The pain may actually lessen a mile or so into your run as the plantar fascia loosens up, but don't be fooled—this injury can linger and worsen if you try to ignore it.
Tight calves, poor foot mechanics, high training volume or intensity, and worn-out or insufficiently supportive shoes can increase your risk of plantar fasciitis. Self-massage can bring some relief, but most runners will need to rest and possibly seek medical treatment in order to fully recover.
IT (Iliotibial) Band Syndrome
IT band syndrome usually results from tightness in the IT band (a tendon on the outside of the leg) and surrounding muscles. Typically, you’ll feel pain on the outside of the knee or thigh that worsens over the course of a run, especially when running downhill or rounding a turn.
You can reduce your risk of IT band syndrome by keeping the IT band and surrounding muscles, including the hip abductors, strong and supple. A physical therapist can prescribe exercises for this. It also helps to avoid running on sloped surfaces such as cambered roads.
Stress Fracture
Runners can develop tiny fractures (breaks) in any of the bones in the foot or leg due running’s repetitive pounding. The pain of a stress fracture is usually localized and can become intense over time.
The best way to prevent stress fractures is to run on soft surfaces, replace your shoes every 300–400 miles, and avoid sudden increases in the length, frequency, or speed of your runs.
How to Prevent Injury: General Guidelines
Running injuries don’t happen out of nowhere—there’s usually a cause (or several causes). To lower your risk, follow these general principles:
- Progress gradually. Sudden increases in distance or speed/intensity are a leading cause of injury.
- Get the right shoes. Train in running shoes that have adequate support and replace them regularly (every 300–400 miles).
- Strengthen your muscles. Strength training two to three times a week will condition your muscles to absorb impact and reduce stress on joints and tendons.
- Recover well. Get adequate sleep, eat and drink well, and take regular rest and/or cross-training days to support your training and prevent excessive stress to your muscles and joints.
When to See a Health Professional
If you feel pain while running—any of the injuries above or something else—and especially if it’s sharp pain that doesn’t go away over the course of your run, you may be developing an injury. Try taking 1–2 days off from running (you can cross-train or strength train instead, if it doesn’t aggravate the injury), icing the painful area for 10 minutes, twice a day, and keeping it elevated whenever you can.
If you don’t see improvement after about a week, consider seeing a sports medicine professional. You can find a Hospital for Special Surgery expert here.
You May Also Like...
How to Find a Physical Therapist