Injury Prevention In Runners

Photo by Brian Erickson on Unsplash

50% of people who take up running will quit within the first year due to an injury! The majority of injuries suffered by runners are repetitive strain type injuries related to tissue overload with inadequate time for tissue adaptation. Most of these injuries can be diagnosed clinically and will respond well to conservative management with imaging and medical specialist referral often not required.

Most Common Running Injuries

1. Patello-Femoral Pain Syndrome

   • characterized by anterior knee pain usually felt above the patella, worse with stairs, kneeling and prolonged sitting.

2. Ilio-tibial Band Syndrome

   • characterized by lateral knee or hip pain, occasionally a click or catch at the lateral knee, onset often at specific mileage or duration of run

3. Plantar Fasciopathy

   • arch pain, usually worse in the morning, may be related to the addition of plyometrics to training

4. Achilles Tendonopathy

   • achilles tendon swollen or tender to palpation, may be related to the addition of hills to training

5. Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome/stress fracture

   • anterior shin pain, overload type injury related to increased mileage

6. Patellar Tendonpoathy

   • anterior knee pain below the knee cap, may be related to increased hill training

Runners presenting with any of these conditions would benefit from physical therapy treatment. Visiting a physical therapist who specializes in running analysis can facilitate a speedy recovery and help to maximize performance as well as prevent future injury. Evidence based running analysis is now being offered at Corona Station Physical Therapy. Foot strike pattern, cadence, shoe choice, strength, biomechanics and training habits will all be evaluated to ensure that you are running safely and efficiently. If you have an upcoming race, training plans can be developed to maximize adaptation to mechanical and physiological loads.

Ashley Cripps and Ehryn Crane are both physical therapists certified through The Running Clinic as Specialists in injury prevention in runners.