Running Injuries And Its Prevention

Running is a sport of passion. Non-runners do not understand why anyone would want to torture their bodies with miles of punishment every day. Running injuries are an unfortunate, but all too common, occurrence. Understanding a running injury is the key to effective treatment.

Injuries are usually confined to the lower limbs with the hip, knee, ankle and foot bearing the brunt of the pain. The five most common running injuries seen in my practice are achilles tendonitis, chondromalacia (runner's knee), iliotibial band (ITB) syndrome, plantar fasciitis and shin-splints. Other less common injuries involve trochanteric bursitis, hamstring strain, stress fractures at the hip, lower thigh and shin as well as chronic compartment syndrome of the leg.

The are many causes to these injuries. They can be broadly classified as intrinsic or extrinsic factors. Intrinsic factors relate to the alignment of the lower limb, muscle tone, foot mechanics as well as ligament condition of the joints. Extrinsic factors include training schedule, running surface as well as foot wear. For example, tight or fatigued calf muscles will transfer the burden of running to the achilles. This can be due to poor stretching, rapidly increasing distance, or over-training excessive hill running or speed work, both of which stress the Achilles more than other types of running. Inflexible running shoes may force the Achilles to twist, increasing the strain. Runners who overpronate (feet rotate too far inward on impact) are most susceptible to achilles tendonitis.

The best treatment for these injuries is prevention. Some of the injuries when not treated adequately can become chronic and affect the joy of running permanently. Preventive measures include appropriate and adequate stretching, correct shoes or even orthotics to correct over-pronation, gradual progression of training programme, avoid excessive hill training, incorporate rest into training programme and a good and balanced nutrition appropriate to the intensity of training. When an injury occurs, rest and apply ice to the inflamed areas. Maintain your cardio fitness by cross training, eg swimming, cycling. Seek professional help if the injury persists after two weeks. Most of the treatment involves anti-inflammatory medication and physiotherapy. Rarely is surgery necessary and only needed when all conservative measures fail and a structural problem has been identified.

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