It is widely known that running has tremendous benefits for our health. It improves our cardiovascular endurance and promotes mental and physical health. In fact, running can be addictive to some and be a consistent part of your exercise routine. However, running can cause repetitive stress on your body's weight-bearing joints, such as the knees and ankles.
Physiotherapists can help prevent and treat common running-related injuries through specific and personalised programs. After a careful evaluation, your physiotherapist will provide appropriate treatment to manage the pain, improve your mobility and correct various impairments in your body that can affect your running mechanics.
Here are the most common running injuries you may encounter that a physio can help you with:
About 40% of all running-related injuries involve the knee joint. As a result, runner's knee is one of the most common injuries runners may experience throughout their career. Repeated stress on the knee joint can irritate the cartilage under the kneecap resulting in inflammation and pain.
Inward rolling of the foot during running and muscle imbalance of the quadriceps may also increase your risk of developing a runner's knee. It can present as discomfort, aching pain on the knee cap that aggravates during squats and other activities that require weighted knee bending, such as stairs and sitting.
Physiotherapists can facilitate strengthening regimens on the weak muscles of the leg and correct impairments and faulty running mechanics that contribute to pain.
Strengthening and stretching the quadriceps and hamstrings is beneficial in ensuring a healthy balance of muscle strength and flexibility of the muscle groups responsible for knee movements.
Achilles tendinopathy often results from tightness and irritation of the Achilles tendon due to weak calf muscles. In addition, frequent sprints and hill running activities without proper recovery can also lead to overuse injuries of the Achilles tendon.
The primary goal of treating Achilles tendinopathy is to manage the pain, restore proper movement and increase muscle strength of the calf muscles and Achilles tendon. These will effectively make the Achilles more resilient to stress and injury. In addition, light stretching activities may be given to prevent stiffness of the Achilles tendon together with optimised strengthening exercises.
Plantar fasciitis affects around 15% of runners. It is the most common injury affecting the foot and can dramatically impair your mobility. Microtears cause plantar fasciitis on the plantar fascia connecting the heel to the ball of the foot, resulting in inflammation.
Flatfooted runners tend to roll their feet inward or outward during running and have an increased risk of plantar fasciitis. In addition, since most parts of the plantar fascia receive a small amount of blood, healing can be impaired, leading to chronic pain.
Treatment includes activity modifications such as rest and foot orthotics to allow the plantar fascia to heal through time. In addition, a physiotherapist may include stretching the ankle and foot to maintain soft tissue and ankle mobility.
Prolonged running and progressing your running intensity too soon can result in a leg injury known as shin splints. It is characterised by tenderness and soreness along the inner part of your shin bone that aggravates during running.
Shin splints are tears in the muscles along the border of your shinbone caused by repetitive jumping or running. Excessive hip motion and previous running injuries increase your risk of developing this condition.
A physiotherapist can provide you with an individualised treatment program focusing on managing pain and reducing the load on the affected leg. Treatment may include stretching of affected muscles, therapeutic massage and different taping techniques.
Analysis of your running mechanics will also be crucial to ensure you are using your muscles efficiently and prevent unnecessary stress on the structures of your shin.
