Many people are increasing their running during the summer and fall, or training for races this time of year. Runners may start to feel some aches and pains throughout their bodies as training progresses. Running is a highly repetitive task, which can lead to various injuries. Some of the most common injuries in running are Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (PFPS), Plantar Fasciitis, Achilles Tendinopathy, Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome (shin splints), IT Band syndrome, and Stress Fractures. There are several factors to consider which can help reduce your likelihood of injury, including maintaining proper strength and mobility, proper rest and recovery, managing training load, and addressing pain or other limitations early on.
Strength and Mobility
Running requires much more strength and mobility than walking. Your muscles need to support over 100% of your body weight during running. If you don’t have the required strength and mobility, this can cause repeated stress on certain areas and lead to injury. Common mobility deficits seen include ankle dorsiflexion, hip rotation, and hip extension. Core and lower body strength is also key. Limitations in these areas can lead to altered running biomechanics and repeated stress on structures.
Rest and Recovery
Recovery is very important to prevent injury, especially if training for a longer race. Proper hydration and nutrition is very important for recovery and should be prioritized. Improper fueling not only leads to poor recovery, but it can also lead to reduced running performance. Sleep is another important part of recovery. With crazy work schedules, families, and trying to hit your training goals it can be difficult to reach sleep goals, but it should be prioritized.
Training Load
It is common for runners to get injured when increasing training load. Increasing load too quickly can result in less time for your body to adapt and recover. It is recommended to only increase by 10% in total volume per week. Increases in speed work, uneven terrain, and other changes in training can also contribute, so be mindful how these are programmed into your training. Last but not least, your longer runs should be less intense than your speed runs. Easy runs should be EASY.
As mentioned earlier, one of the most important parts of injury prevention is listening to your body. If you start to feel pain, do not ignore it and hope that it just goes away on its own. The sooner you can address the problem the better. If you are experiencing any pain with running currently, we recommend reaching out to schedule an evaluation before it gets worse, 484-841-6154.