Most common running injuries and how to avoid them

For the past few years, running has become the sport of choice for millions. All you need are some workout clothes, a pair of running shoes and some time, and you are ready to go.

Running is a high-impact cardiovascular exercise, which means that it can be tough on your body and cause injury. The most common running injuries that we see:

• Shin splints: If you feel pain on your shin, it is likely caused by shin splints. This occurs when you ramp up your mileage too quick or don't have the right fit for your shoes. Scale back your running (even stopping completely to give your body a rest) and make sure to ice on a regular basis.
  
• Plantar fasciitis: When your plantar fascia gets irritated, it causes pain across the band of tissue that runs across the bottom of your foot. This can cause stabbing pain, often felt in your heel or in your arch. Depending on the severity, you can fix the injury by changing your running shoes, wearing a special sock or icing by rolling a frozen water bottle across the bottom of your feet.
  
• Iliotibial band syndrome: Runners will typically feel pain just above the knee and on the outer part of the leg, which may be commonly referred to as the IT Band. It commonly indicates an overuse of the tissues that run down the leg on the outer part of the thigh.  Take time off running and spend time icing the area. In addition, a foam roller can be used as a tool to help stretch it out.

Luckily, there are a few ways that you can avoid these from happening to you:

• Get the right running shoes. Not all running shoes are created equal. Once you ramp up your mileage, you need to have the right shoes for your body's needs. A physical therapist can conduct a gait analysis to determine your foot strike, stride type and the best shoe that works for you.
  
• Make sure to stretch. Stretching helps to warm up your muscles and will ensure that your body is prepared for the high intensity workout that's to come. Focus on doing dynamic exercises, such as hip circles, walking lunges and butt kicks.
  
• Increase your mileage slowly. It can be tempting to start adding more and more miles to your runs once you get into a routine. Don't scale up too fast, otherwise injuries are more likely to occur. Make sure you are only increasing your mileage by 10 percent week over week.

Contact me to learn more about gait analysis, as well as running injury prevention and treatment.