Most Common Running Injuries + How to Treat Them at Home
Welcome to wellbe’s running series! Over the next few weeks, we’ll be sharing some great tips and tricks to help you make the most of your running, whether you’re just getting started or you’re a seasoned vet. Check back next week for another great post!
With the warm weather finally upon us and the gyms still closed, it’s about that time of year to dust off the running shoes and hit the pavement. While running can be a great way to set and achieve physical goals it can also be very taxing on the body. Whether you are an experienced marathoner or a newbie to the sport, there are some important things to keep in mind when it comes to running in order to ensure that you can maintain a long running career.
Remember, no matter how experienced a runner you are, there is always a possibility that injuries may occur.
Check out our breakdown of the most common running injuries we come across, what you might be feeling if you have one of these injuriesand a few things you can do to help yourself feel better!
Plantar Fasciitis
What is it:
This typically feels like pain at the bottom of the heel bone that is often worse in the morning. Plantar fasciitis can be caused by prolonged walking or running on hard surfaces or running in improper footwear.
What you can do:
wear supportive shoes
stretch your calves and arches of your feet
roll out the arch of your foot with a frozen water bottle
Foot Arch Pain
What is it:
A dull ache at the arch of the foot during and after running due to muscle strain.
What you can do:
stretch out your arches by sitting on your heels with your toes tucked underneath you
roll out your foot arch with a lacrosse ball
wear supportive shoes
Ankle Sprain
What is it:
Pain and swelling, usually on the outside of the ankle, due to injury to the ligaments, typically from “rolling” the ankle inward.
What you can do:
rest for the first 1-2 days, putting ice on the affected area (alternating between 10 minutes on and 10 minutes off only if there is excessive swelling)
wrap a towel around your foot and pull the towel with your hands to work through ranges of motion of the ankle
get back to running only when you have full and pain-free range of motion (hard to do, we know, but trust us!)
Knee Pain
What is it:
Pain below the kneecap, inside the knee, or behind the knee that can be due to various reasons including tight muscles and a lack of ankle mobility.
What you can do:
perform exercises each day to improve your ankle mobility
use a foam roller to roll out your quads, side hips, and IT band (tissue along the side of your thighs)
Hamstring Strain
What is it:
Pain at the back of the knee, back of the thigh, or near the sit bone around the glute that can be caused by a poor warm-up, lack of glute activation, or an anterior pelvic tilt (which is often seen with a tight low back)
What you can do:
avoid aggravating movements (such as running uphill)
use a foam roller to roll out the hamstring
work on glute activation exercises
Hip Pain
What is it:
Pain at the front of the hip, often due to a strain of the hip flexor muscle
What you can do:
use a foam roller to roll out the front of the hip
stretch the hip flexor
work on activating the glutes
Check back for future posts on preventing running injuries, what to look for when choosing a running shoe, your pre and post-run stretches and exercises, and a guide on returning to running postpartum.
This post was written by wellbe’s chiropractor Dr Julia Marshall. Book your visit here and get ready to feel the heal here.