Overview of running injuries
Running injuries can be divided into two categories, acute and overuse.
Acute
Acute injuries usually occur as the result of an accident, for example twisting your ankle while falling off a curb or pulling your calf muscle during a sprint. These types of injuries can initially be treated using PRICE. However, you will need to see your GP or a physiotherapist for the injury to be correctly diagnosed and treated.
Overuse
The most common running injuries are the result of overuse or overtraining and are usually combined with a problem in the way your body moves (biomechanics).
Most injuries occur as runners start to increase their mileage, particularly during longer runs when the stress on an inflamed or weak area can cause pain. Rest helps to calm this down, but often people don't rest for long enough or their problem hasn't resolved before they starting training again.
The main reasons for injury often include:
- poor biomechanics and footwear
- poor flexibility and core body strength
- poor preparation and level of fitness
- poor training methods (especially, overtraining and lack of recovery time)
Running overuse injuries can include
- Runner's knee – a problem in the knee cap causing pain .
- Ilio-tibial band friction syndrome (ITBFS) – a sharp burning pain on the outside of the knee or thigh after running a certain distance.
- Shin splints
- Stress fracture – these commonly occur in the shin (tibia), thigh (femur) and foot (metatarsal) bones
- Plantar fasciitis – pain in the arch of the foot when you put weight on it
- Achilles tendinopathy – pain in the Achilles tendon caused by tendon
- Muscle strains – small tears and damage to the muscles, mainly in the calf or hamstring
- Ankle sprains – damage to the ligaments in the ankle caused by a trip or fall
- Blisters – simple but painful injuries usually caused by friction combined with excessive moisture
An assessment by a physiotherapist or sports medicine doctor is helpful for both acute and overuse injuries. It is important to get an accurate diagnosis and have a clear treatment plan for your injury before returning to running. During an injury, it is important that you maintain your level of cardiovascular fitness and it may be necessary to review your training schedule to prevent re-injury.
Publication date: June 2009
