The 3 Most Common Running Injuries and What To Do About Them | Chiropractor in Newport Beach, CA
There are several reasons why runners get injured, but some of the most common reasons are overtraining, pushing yourself too hard, too fast, too long, or too often. This can put excessive stress on your muscles, tendons, and bones, leading to overuse. Injuries like shin splints, stress fractures, hip issues, and runner’s knee arise from running with poor form, which can put unnecessary strain on certain areas of the body, making them more susceptible to injury. Poor running mechanics can include heel striking, overstriding, or having poor posture.
Importance of Strength Training and Proper Footwear
It’s important to have proper strength training to avoid injuries. Running relies heavily on specific muscle groups, but neglecting other areas can lead to imbalances and weaknesses that contribute to injury. Strength training helps build overall strength and stability, reducing your risk of getting hurt. Additionally, we cannot stress the importance of proper footwear enough. Wearing shoes that don’t provide enough support or cushion for your running style can lead to problems like blisters, calluses, bone injuries, and even loss of toenails. Getting fitted for the right shoe at a specialized running store is crucial.
Common Running Injuries and Prevention Strategies
The most common injuries we see in runners include runner’s knee, which are overuse injuries causing pain under or around the kneecap. It’s often caused by repetitive stress, weakness in the thigh and hip muscles, or foot rolling inward or outward when running. Shin splints cause pain along the front of the shin bone, where tendons connect to the bone and are often a result of overuse, sudden increases in training intensity or distance, or improper footwear. Plantar fasciitis involves inflammation of the plantar fascia, a band of tissue that runs along the bottom of the foot, causing heel pain, often due to overuse, tight calf muscles, or improper footwear.
The good news is that many running injuries are preventable. By following these tips, you can significantly reduce your risk: stretch before starting your run, start slow and gradually increase your mileage and intensity, focus on proper running form and get coaching if needed, incorporate strength training into your routine, wear properly fitted shoes designed for your running style, pay attention to your body and take rest days when needed, warm up before your runs and cool down afterwards, and vary your running surfaces to avoid overuse of any one area. By being mindful of these factors and taking steps to prevent them, you can keep yourself healthy and injury-free so you can keep enjoying the many benefits of running.
