Running is a great way to improve cardiovascular health, build endurance, and lower stress. But if you’re new to running or are increasing your mileage, your risk of sustaining one of several common running injuries goes up.
Many common running injuries are preventable. Most are overuse injuries, meaning muscles, tendons and bones are forced to do more than they are ready for. However, a mix of strength training, stretching, well-fitted shoes and proper training can help you avoid injury.
Common running injuries are common for a reason – they can develop before you notice something. If you feel pain, tightness or mobility issues, make an appointment with an orthopedic specialist to check it out.
Why common running injuries occur
Common running injuries are usually linked to:
- Increasing mileage or intensity too quickly
- Muscle weakness or imbalances (especially in the hips and calves)
- Limited flexibility in the ankles, hips or feet
- Poor running mechanics or worn-out shoes
Most injuries respond well to conservative care, including strengthening, stretching and gradual return to activity.
Ryan Beck, MD, an orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist in our Paducah market, says being proactive and intentional about prevention is crucial when increasing your distance tolerance.
“Often times, unseasoned runners get sucked into the rabbit hole of thinking ‘more is more.’ It’s those individuals that end up pushing beyond their temporary limits prematurely,” he says. “Those runners are more likely to experience injuries beyond the most common ones into the much more serious spectrum, including stress fractures, which can and will bring your running conditioning and distance preparation to an immediate halt.”
Achilles tendinitis (or Achilles tendinopathy)
Achilles tendinopathy is pain or stiffness in the tendon connecting your calf muscles to your heel. It’s one of the most common running injuries, especially when training volume increases too quickly.
Why it happens:
- Tight calf muscles
- Sudden increases in mileage or speed work
- Repetitive stress on the tendon
To prevent Achilles tendonitis, stretch and strengthen your ankle’s tendons. Do this calf stretch to help:
- Stand on a step and let your heels lower toward the floor.
- Keep your knees straight to stretch your calves post-run for two minutes.
To strengthen the calves, perform heel raises:
- Rise onto your toes with both feet.
- Take one foot away, then slowly lower your heel down.
- Repeat until you get a burn of fatigue in your calf muscle.
Some prevention tips include:
- Stretch your calves regularly, especially after runs
- Improve ankle flexibility to reduce strain on the tendon
- Strengthen the calf muscles with controlled heel raises
Hamstring injuries
A strained hamstring pain in the back of the thigh and can take months to heal if not addressed early. They are often a reason runners are unable to train for an extended period of time.
Why it happens:
- Muscle weakness or fatigue
- Poor hip stability
- Sudden changes in speed or intensity
Prevention tips:
- Strengthen the hamstrings and glutes
- Use exercises like bridges to build posterior chain strength
- Emphasize controlled movement rather than speed
How to perform a bridge:
- Lie on your back with your knees bent.
- Push your hips up using the force of your feet up to create a bridge.
- Hold the position briefly and come down.
You can also work on hamstring strength using furniture sliders. Try the exercise:
- Come up into the bridge, but with your heels on furniture sliders.
- Straighten your knees slowly until your legs are straight.
- Lower your buttocks to the floor.
- Bend your knees with your feet on the sliders.
- Repeat the exercise.
Plantar fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis causes heel or arch pain, which is often worst with your first steps in the morning. It can even hurt when you’re lying down. It’s one of the most common running injuries for the foot. Plantar fasciitis is caused by your calf being too tight, which then causes compensation at your foot and ankle.
Why it happens:
- Tight calves that increase stress on the foot
- Poor arch support
- Worn-out running shoes
Prevention tips:
- Stretch the calves and foot regularly
- Replace running shoes as they lose cushioning
- Use supportive footwear or orthoses when appropriate
The best prevention is to do calf stretches and heel raises like you would to prevent Achilles tendinitis. Also, be sure to change to new shoes as they wear out during a training cycle. Wearing recovery sandals around the house after long training runs can be helpful as well.
Runner’s knee
Also called, patellofemoral pain syndrome, runner’s knee is an overuse injury involving the knee cap. It causes pain around or behind the kneecap and is one of the most frequently diagnosed common running injuries.
Runner’s knee is usually caused by weakness in the hips, which allows your knee to collapse in during running, or the knee is translates forward past your toe during running.
Why it happens:
- Weak hip and glute muscles
- Poor lower-body alignment during running
- Overuse without adequate recovery
Prevention tips:
- Strengthen the hips and glutes
- Improve lower-body endurance and control
- Focus on running mechanics that reduce knee stress
The bridge exercise as well as a side leg raise to strengthen your glutes can help prevent some of the mechanical faults described.
To perform the side lying leg raise:
- Lay on your side against a wall
- Raise your top leg up keeping your heel in contact with the wall
- Return the leg back down to its starting position.
- Repeat until you feel the burn of fatigue in the muscle at the top of your buttock.
Shin splints
Runners often get shin splints – an injury that causes pain that runs down the front or inside of your lower leg. Also called medial tibial stress syndrome, it can happen if you ramp up your mileage too quickly or after running your long run.
Why it happens:
- Rapid increases in training volume
- Repetitive impact on hard surfaces
- Inadequate recovery
Prevention tips:
- Increase mileage gradually
- Allow rest days for recovery
- Adjust running mechanics to reduce stress on the shin
Gradually increase your running time to allow your body to adapt. Increasing the number of steps you take when running to help get your foot down closer to your body to reduce loads on your shin bone can help, too.
If you do develop shin splints, rest and an incremental return to running are recommended to prevent them from worsening into more serious injuries.
How we can help
If common running injuries are slowing you down or keeping you from training, you don’t have to manage them on your own.
Whether you’re dealing with heel pain, knee discomfort, shin splints or recurring muscle strains, make an appointment with an orthopedic specialist. They can identify the cause of your pain or injury and create a personalized treatment plan to get you back to running safely and gradually.
Keep these tips in mind, especially if you’re currently preparing for the Mercy Health Iron Mom Half Marathon in Paducah, Ky.
Learn about the orthopedics and sports medicine services we offer at Mercy Health.
