Common Running Injuries

Running can be a rewarding experience whether you’re training to race or jogging for fun or exercise. To help avoid setbacks, here is a list of common running injuries, how to prevent them and how to treat them.

1. Blisters can develop when wearing new shoes or when skin is unprotected from friction.

Prevent: Wear shoes that fit properly with socks that protect your feet from rubbing against your shoes. If you feel your shoe rubbing against your skin, stop running and try to fix the problem.

Treat: If the blister is less than an inch in diameter, don’t pop it. When you can, leave the blister uncovered. Otherwise, apply a loose bandage.

If the blister is larger than an inch in diameter, you may need to pop it. Use a sanitized needle to pop the blister. Gently press to drain all the fluid. Wash the area with soap and water. Apply an antibiotic ointment such as Neosporin to avoid infection. Don’t use alcohol or iodine on the wound because it may slow healing.

2. Ankle Sprains are the stretching or tearing of the ligaments connecting the foot, ankle, and lower leg bones, which happens when the ankle joint turns inward or outward. If you’ve sprained your ankle, there may be swelling and/or bruising at the joint. The ankle will also usually be tender to the touch.

Prevent: Proper footwear can help stabilize ankles and prevent sprains. Check with an athletic store to learn what shoes could help you.

If this is a recurring problem, you may want to see a doctor about orthotic devices or strengthening exercises to prevent future sprains.

Treat: Use the RICE method:

Rest: Don’t try to run, especially on severe sprains.

Ice: Ice the ankle and keep it cold.

Compression: Use a compression bandage to keep swelling down.

Elevation: Keep the ankle elevated to keep swelling down.

3. Shin Splints – Sudden increases in mileage, overtraining, jumping, and running upstairs can all cause pain along the shinbones. This pain can be soreness, aching or stabbing. Because the term shin splints is used to describe many different injuries, you may need to see a doctor to determine the exact nature of the problem if the pain progresses.

Prevent: If you have shin splints on the inside of your shin, flat feet may be the cause. An over-the-counter arch support may help prevent or counteract this condition.

Shin splints on the outside of the leg are sometimes caused by repetitive use of the anterior tibialis muscle, which flexes the foot upward. If you run on a treadmill, it may help to cross-train by running outside or doing other activities to use a wider variety of muscles. Running outdoors can also rest some muscles that are strained more while running on a treadmill.

Treat: Rest and ice help to relieve shin splints. Also, be sure to stretch your calf muscles well before and after running.

4. Strained muscles – Muscle strains are often caused when the same muscle is used repeatedly for an extended period of time, or when they are pushed past their limits, as when lifting heavy weights. Strained muscles are graded on severity. A grade 1 strain will cause tenderness, but no swelling. A grade 2 strain will make it painful to run and may cause some swelling. A grade 3 strain will make it impossible to run or walk. For grade 3 strains, it is important to see a doctor immediately.

Prevent: To prevent muscle strains, stretch well before and after a workout. It’s also important to warm up and cool down by moving gradually into and out of your top speed.

Treat: To treat muscle strains, use the RICE method explained above.

5. Plantar fasciitis is the most common cause of heel pain. It is caused by small tears in the plantar fascia ligament in the bottom of the foot. Symptoms of plantar fasciitis include pain in the heel after resting that may decrease after a few steps, worsened pain when climbing stairs or heel pain that worsens with prolonged standing.

Prevent: Again, proper footwear is important. Replace running shoes every 350-500 miles. The cushioning in the heels of worn-out shoes can’t insulate your foot from the impact of running.

Treat: Early diagnosis and treatment are important, so call a doctor if you have:

• pain that continues when not putting weight on the heel

• heel pain accompanied by fever, warmth or redness

• pain with tingling or numbness in the heel

• pain that lasts more than a week with home treatment

A doctor will be able to prescribe orthotic devices, splints to keep the ligament from tightening overnight, or pain relievers. At home, use the RICE method (see ankle sprains) to treat the pain. Also, try exercises that gently stretch and strengthen the Achilles tendon and plantar fascia.