Humans have been running for thousands of years, and we’ve been injuring ourselves for all of them. The truth is, running is a high-stress, high-impact form of exercise that can take a serious toll on our muscles, joints, bones, tendons, ligaments, and spine. Here are some of the most common injuries that may arise from running.
1. Runner’s Knee
Runner’s knee is usually the result of overuse and can occur when your kneecap gets out of alignment, causing excessive wear and tear on the cartilage in your kneecap. When you’re affected by runner’s knee, you’ll not only experience knee pain when running, but also when squatting, going up and down steps, or after sitting with a bent knee for extended periods of time.
2. Pulled Muscle
A pulled muscle is actually a small tear in the fibers of your muscle, sometimes called a muscle strain. It can be caused by a muscle that is overstretched. When a pulled muscle occurs, you may hear or feel a popping sensation followed by a sharp pain.
3. Shin Splints
Shin splints happen when you experience pain in the shin area, typically around the front or inside of the lower leg area along the tibia bone. They are usually the result of substantial changes to your workout without adequate adjustment periods, such as greatly increasing your running distance or reducing rest periods abruptly. Pain from shin splints may feel similar to a stress fracture; however, the pain from shin splints is usually felt along a more spread out area along the shin.
4. Achilles Tendinopathy or Tendinitis
Achilles Tendinopathy is when the Achilles tendon becomes inflamed, causing stiffness and pain in and around the area of the Achilles tendon. Achilles Tendinopathy is typically the result of excessive and repeated stress to the tendon. Treatment for Achilles tendinopathy usually involves stretching, ice, and rest.
5. Plantar Fasciitis
The plantar fascia is a band of tissue in the bottom of your feet that goes from your toes to your heel. When the tissue becomes inflamed, it’s referred to as plantar fasciitis. Treatment for plantar fasciitis involves rest, stretches, icing the soles of your feet, and using shoes with good support.
6. Stress Fracture
A stress fracture is a small crack in one of your bones that causes mild discomfort and pain. Runners that develop stress fractures usually develop them in their shins or feet. Similar to shin splints, they can be the result of abrupt changes to your workout without a sufficient adjustment period. If you continue to exercise and put additional strain on the bone that is affected by a stress fracture, it can turn into a more serious injury or fracture.
Contact Paris Orthopedics
If you have experienced an injury as a result of an activity or sport, including running, it is wise to be evaluated by a professional, especially if the pain has not subsided after a few days. Even if you consider your condition to be minor, it may be more severe than what meets the eye.
The experts at Paris Orthopedics and Sports Medicine strive to offer solutions to treat patients and prevent future injury. Whether you are a competitive athlete or a weekend warrior, let Paris Orthopedics help. Contact our office today at 903-737-0000 to schedule an appointment.
