Running a Marathon? Here Are a Few Injuries You Might Face & Solutions You Must Know!

With Freedom Run 2022 around the corner, we know your preparation must be at its best. However, with all the enthu and excitement, you might push yourselves too hard or might get into some uncomfortable body pains to be realized only later!

While you must stop at nothing, as running shapes you as an individual, it’s good to know about the injuries that can likely occur & how to overcome them.

Types of Injuries

• The majority of the running injuries happen through repetitious stress
• There are also sudden injuries, like a pulled muscle, strained nerve, sprained ankle, or torn muscle that might occur while practicing or during the run

Let’s Dive into Some of them in Detail

• Knee injuries
  The knee is the most common victim of running as it is the most (over)used body part. The knee parts that are most susceptible to injuries include tendons, ligaments, articular cartilage, and menisci.
• Runner’s knee or patellofemoral syndrome is a common term used for knee pain around your kneecap or in front of the knee. It usually occurs when your kneecap becomes out of alignment. The intensity of the pain can vary depending on the physical exercises you indulge in.
• The other common knee problem that happens with the damage to your articular cartilage is called Chondromalacia patella (CMP). Similarly, you might face issues like a knee stress fracture, Pilca syndrome, IT Band Syndrome (ITBS), etc.
• All these problems can make it difficult for you to go up & down the stairs, squat, or bend the knee for any activity. Depending on the injury, you might need to see a physical therapist for the required treatment plan. However, most knee injuries can be resolved with our traditional & simple hacks, i.e., taking rest, applying ice, and stretching.
• Achilles tendinitis
  With Achilles tendinitis, the tendon connecting your calf muscle to your heel gets inflamed. It usually occurs when you increase the intensity or duration of your workout or run. Besides inflammation, you might experience pain along the lower leg, a warm sensation, and restricted motion. These symptoms are felt more in the morning and while doing any activity. To get the relief, you must do calf stretching exercises, apply ice to the impacted area, and rest.
• Shin splint
  It's a pain and swelling along the shin bone of your lower leg. People with flat feet are more likely to develop this kind of pain. To reduce the impact of shin splints, you must do stretching exercises and reduce the running intensity & the mileage. Proper rest can help let go of shin splints; however, if ignored, they might develop into stress fractures.
• Hamstring injuries
  Tired, weak, or tight hamstrings are always prone to injury. These hamstrings help control the pace of your lower leg while running. With the injury, you might feel pain, weakness, and stiffness in your hamstring.
• Ankle sprain
  Our sweet little ankle helps a great deal while we are walking, running, dancing, or doing anything with our legs. During the process, it might get accidentally stretched, or ligaments surrounding it might tear off. RICE is a typical treatment, i.e., rest, ice, compression, and elevation.
• Muscle pull
  A muscle pull or strain can happen by overstretching of your muscles. It can occur in the calf, groin, quadriceps, etc., and causes a popping sensation with the muscle tear. RICE is a typical treatment, i.e., rest, ice, compression, and elevation.
• Foot injuries
  Plantar fasciitis is the most common type of foot injury that may develop while running. In this case, the thick tissue in the bottom of the foot that goes from the heel to the toes, called the plantar fascia, gets swollen. The inflammation can result in severe foot pain, especially when you wake up in the morning. The pain develops gradually and can also cause a burning sensation in the impacted portion. Rest, icing, and calf stretches are the best treatment methods. Also, one must remember to use the shoes that are best for your feet.
• Stress fracture
  Excessive or frequent stress might cause your hairline to crack, thus called a stress fracture. For a runner, it typically impacts the foot, heel, or lower leg. The pain will increase more if you continue to run or even indulge in any other activity, for that matter. Hence, it’s better to rest in such cases.

Be mindful of your health, and take rest whenever required.

Have a safe, pain-free, and the most enjoyable run of your lifetime with Freedom Run 2022!