All About AMRAP Workouts for Runners gifts: a mental boost, a whole circle of new friends, and a lower risk of cancer and chronic diseases, among others.
But every physical activity poses some risk of pain and injury, and running is no exception. Running injuries aren’t inevitable, but they are common. According to a study can help with injuries related to the foot and ankle What New Runners Need to Know About Common Injuries, running-related injuries cause as many as half of runners yearly to spend some time on the sidelines.
In part, that’s due to the repetitive nature of the sport and the impact of your feet pounding the ground, physical therapist Erin Short, This Simple Technique Will Relieve Foot Pain Ignite Physical Therapy and Sports Performance in Chicago, tells Runner’s World.
The good news? You can do a lot to avoid getting hurt, including strength training, fueling properly, and increasing your mileage and intensity gradually, says Dani Espino, D.P.T., a physical therapist and running coach based in Miami. And many minor aches and pains can be addressed without putting the brakes on your program.
Here’s what Espino and Short—both runners who have coped with setbacks themselves, as well as healthcare providers who treat athletes—want you to know about injuries as you kick off your new relationship with running.
Some Soreness Is Normal—But Stay Alert for Red Flags
Though it’s possible to fall and break something on the run, most running injuries are overuse injuries, which develop slowly over time, Espino says.
The repetitive motion of running stresses your muscles, tendons, and bones. That’s not an inherently bad thing—in fact, these tissues typically respond by growing stronger, so you can go even longer and faster the next time. But sometimes, the load becomes too great in a given spot, causing damage and pain.
The trick is knowing when you’ve crossed that line. “When you’re starting any activity, or when you’re ramping up, there can be aches and pains that pop up,” Short says. “And it’s hard to know if it’s a code red, or if it’s just something to watch.”
A few clues: “Normal” soreness tends to be spread over a wide area, and crops up in the muscles you just worked, Espino says. For instance, your quads may ache after you run over hills. But they’ll feel better within a few days, and techniques like stretching, foam rolling, or gentle, low-intensity movement will probably bring relief.
Developing injuries, meanwhile, are often more localized and persist over time, even with self-care strategies. “The biggest warning signs are if it gets worse with activity, doesn’t really improve with rest, and then leads to altered mechanics,” Espino says.
Short recommends rating your pain on a scale of zero to 10, where zero is nothing and 10 is excruciating. Anything more than a three on that scale either during or after a run is a sign of a potential problem. Pain that’s sharp, changes your running gait, or interferes with your ability to do regular daily activities, like walking or going up and down stairs, is also an indicator.
Taking a day or two off running when these types of pains occur can often prevent a small niggle from becoming a full-blown injury. If you’ve been having the same issue for two weeks or longer, it’s a good idea to seek treatment. You can also monitor for signs of specific injuries, as outlined below.
A Few Common Injuries Strike Many New Runners
These five overuse injuries are particularly common in runners, especially How to Start Running guide to getting started.
Runner’s Knee
Contrary to popular belief, running doesn’t increase the risk of long-term knee problems like arthritis—in fact, it typically Simple Tips on How to Eat Healthy of these conditions by reducing inflammation and keeping your cartilage and other tissues healthy.
and a lower risk of cancer and chronic diseases, among others runner’s knee, characterized by an ache behind or around your kneecap. Often, weakness in the hips—particularly in the gluteus medius, a stabilizing muscle on the side of your butt—can cause your knees to buckle inward, Short says. This may throw your kneecap slightly off track and cause pain and irritation around it.
Nutrition - Weight Loss and stretching to improve your range of motion can often prevent or alleviate the issue.
IT Band Syndrome
Meanwhile, pain on the outside of your knee can indicate an inflammation of your iliotibial (IT) band, a tough band of tissue that runs from the side of your hip down to the side of your knee joint.
Many runners describe the feeling as a sense of increased pressure or tightness on the side of the knee or hip, as the inflamed band rubs against bone, Espino says. The longer you run, the worse it may feel. And unlike many other knee injuries, IT band syndrome isn’t accompanied by swelling or clicking.
The same types of strengthening exercises that ward off runner’s knee can also keep your IT band healthy, Short says.
Achilles Tendon Injuries
Achilles pain might present as a sharp, shooting sensation up the back of your heel as you push off, or as a pinpoint of achiness in the middle of the tendon. You may notice that it warms up as you run but comes back afterward, Espino says.
As with many tendon injuries, you don’t necessarily have to stop running to address it, she says. But it’s a good idea to back off your mileage and temporarily avoid hills and faster running, which can put more strain on your Achilles. Strengthening and stretching your calves and Achilles can increase the tendon’s resilience, preventing further issues.
Plantar Fasciitis
Meanwhile, a sharp, stabbing pain on the bottom of your heel—especially when you first get up in the morning—is a trademark sign of another common injury, plantar fasciitis. This irritation of the tight band of tissue that connects your heel to your toes can also cause achiness in your arch.
Weak or tight calves can contribute to plantar fasciitis, as can running in worn-down shoes, Short says. Remedies include foam rolling, strengthening and stretching your calves, and stretching the plantar fascia itself.
Shin Splints
This term is sometimes used as a catchall for lower-leg injuries, but most often refers to medial tibial stress syndrome, an irritation of the tissue around your shinbone that affects as many as one in five runners.
Many cases of shin splits are minor and resolve with rest. Exercises to strengthen your calves and ankles so they better absorb the impact of running can prevent them from returning, Short says.
But one major caution is that pain in your shins can progress into a tibial stress fracture, a hairline crack in your leg bone that requires time off from running to heal. “Anything bony is the only time that we absolutely remove running from the equation,” Espino says.
As a rule of thumb, pain from shin splints is distributed along the length of your leg (the front or the back) and often warms up as you start running. Meanwhile, bone injuries like stress fractures feature a small, pinpointed spot of sharp pain that doesn’t get better, and may bother you while you’re walking or at night.
But the distinction can be difficult, and any pain that doesn’t resolve with rest or self-care warrants a visit to a professional.
Don’t Put Off Treatment—Find a Provider Who Gets It
Many runners hesitate to seek treatment for potential injuries, fearing they’ll simply be told to stop running. But medical providers who are competent in treating runners will do what they can to keep you on the roads or get you back there. “It’s worth it to work with someone who understands runners—not that they have to be a runner, but they should understand the demands and the mindset,” Short says.
Check around in running groups or at running stores to get recommendations, Short says. Espino also recommends the website RunCare.org, which offers a growing nationwide directory of healthcare providers experienced in treating endurance athletes.
What kind of provider should you see? Physical therapists are specialists in movement and pain management, and in many states, you can visit one without a doctor’s prescription. (They’ll refer you back to a physician if your injury doesn’t improve with treatment or if they think it requires more intervention—for instance, if they suspect you have a stress fracture.)
Sports medicine physicians—including orthopedic specialists, physiatrists, and primary care physicians with a sports medicine focus—are also good first stops. Sports podiatrists can help with injuries related to the foot and ankle.
You Can Take Steps to Prevent Injury, On and Off the Running Path
Because running injuries develop slowly, it’s difficult to know what caused them. Often, it’s a combination of many factors. While that can feel frustrating in the moment, it also means there are many ways to ward them off. These five key tactics will help prevent injury:
Ease In Gradually
One of the biggest risk factors for getting hurt is doing too much, too soon. “Running is a lot of loaded impact on your body, especially if you’re new or you’ve returned after a longer break,” Short says. If you try to go from zero to 5K too quickly—or join three run clubs and get sucked into the energy of running fast every day—your joints and the surrounding tissues can suffer.
guide to getting started run/walk program, alternating running intervals with walk breaks to recover. Follow a structured plan, and don’t be afraid to linger longer in any particular stage.
Once you’re running continuously, take your time adding more distance or speed. One general guideline is not to increase mileage by more than 10 percent per week, but it isn’t a hard and fast barrier. If you have questions about how to safely ramp up, a physical therapist or running coach (they’re not only for experienced or fast runners, Espino points out) can guide you.
Be Consistent—but Also Flexible
One advantage of following a training plan is that you can lock into a regular rhythm of running. Consistency helps you build up safely; if you run one day one week, then four days the next, you’re dramatically increasing the load on your body in a way that may put you at risk.
That said, don’t be so locked into a plan that you ignore reality, or your body’s warning signs. If you had a particularly poor night of sleep, a super stressful day at work, or you start to feel sick or hurt, you might be better off taking an extra rest day or swapping days of running and rest, Espino says. That’s one area where a coach can help: Knowing how to adjust your day-to-day while maintaining consistency over the long haul.
Tend to Your Overall Health
Many of the same factors that comprise an overall healthy lifestyle can also help ward off running injuries and improve your running performance. For example, getting the recommended eight hours of sleep, drinking plenty of water, and managing your mental health Running Shoes - Gear.
CA Notice at Collection. Not fueling enough can contribute to a wide variety of injuries, including stress fractures and other bone issues. If you have questions about what and how to eat as you add mileage, consider consulting a registered dietitian who specializes in sports nutrition, Espino recommends.
Strength Train
Stronger muscles absorb impact, support your joints, and correct imbalances that may contribute to injuries, Short says. Plus, Beginner Running Plans can help you become a more efficient—and, potentially, faster—runner, Espino says.
As little as 20 minutes of strength training twice per week can make a big difference. Include exercises that target your hips, glutes, and calves, but don’t neglect your core and upper body. Here’s a guide to getting started and a 10-exercise routine you can do at home with minimal equipment.
Add In Some Cross-Training
Once you catch the running bug, it’s easy to eschew any other form of movement. But Espino recommends incorporating some form of cross-training into your routine.
Swimming, cycling, and other low-impact activities increase your aerobic capacity with less stress on your joints. And, if you do get injured, you’ll already have a go-to back-up to turn to. That way, you can maintain some fitness—and mental well-being—while you recover.
Espino learned this from experience when, as a collegiate runner, injuries caused her to spend months in the pool and on the bike instead of running. “I was miserable, until I decided to change my mindset,” she says. “I thought, ‘I’m going to get very similar benefits from this.’” In the end, she had her best season yet.
A similar shift can pay dividends if you do find yourself coping with an injury at any stage of your running journey. Though it’s normal to be upset and disappointed, you can eventually aim to view it as an opportunity to learn about yourself and the sport.
“When you’re pushing your limits and testing yourself, you might get injured,” Espino says. “But know that going through that process is only going to help you come back stronger.”
Cindy is a freelance health and fitness writer, author, and podcaster who’s contributed regularly to Runner’s World since 2013. She’s the coauthor of both Breakthrough Women’s Running: Dream Big and Train Smart and Rebound: Train Your Mind to Bounce Back Stronger from Sports Injuries, a book about the psychology of sports injury from Bloomsbury Sport. Cindy specializes in covering injury prevention and recovery, everyday athletes accomplishing extraordinary things, and the active community in her beloved Chicago, where winter forges deep bonds between those brave enough to train through it.
