Running Injuries
Running is a fantastic way to keep fit and healthy and pain should not be a normal part of this. Running places approximately 2.5 times more force through your foot and leg joints than walking. This puts your bones and soft tissue structures on repeated trauma and stress. It is no wonder that 50 percent of runners become injured at any one time. At Feet4Life Podiatry we will take you through a thorough biomechanical assessment including video gait analysis to develop an effective, efficient and reliable training program to not only help with your current leg and foot pain but prevent running injuries in the long term.
There is a spectrum of injuries which can occur from the increased forces of running if your feet and legs are left unsupported. These conditions may include:
“Shin splints” – anterior and posterior
This is a common ‘umbrella’ term for pain in the front or back of your legs. Pain may be felt along the shin bone or around the ankle joint. Shin splints are commonly found in runners who are training ‘too fast, too hard, too soon.’ It also occurs commonly in downhill runners or when running on uneven surfaces. It is very important to have an appropriate training program which outlines enough rest and recovery for your lower limb muscles to repair themselves from the increased forces and micro-trauma it is exposed to from running. There are also a number of contributing factors including:
- Rolling inwards or collapsed arches
- Tight or weak leg muscles
- Inadequate fitting or inappropriate footwear
- Inappropriate exercise regimes
- Recent weight gain
- Fatigue and inefficient running pattern
Shin splints are a very common condition we see in people who are new to running or athletes training for their first half or full marathon. The spectrum of injury can be debilitating if left untreated and may even lead to stress fractures of the tibia (leg bone) and other foot bones. The good news is at Feet4Life Podiatry we can personalise a training program to suit your needs and goals by undertaking a full biomechanical assessment to see exactly what is occurring with your lower limb function to optimise you running capacity and efficiency and prevent injuries occurring in the first place.
