1/ Plantar fasciitis
Shorten your stride: Aim for 180 foot strikes per minute?
Pain along the bottom of your heel – that is particularly bad first thing in the morning as you get out of bed.
What's going on?
Excess tension or pulling on the plantar fascia, which runs along the bottom of your foot, causes painful inflammation.
Treat it
- Cross-train
- Take an anti-inflammatory
- Health & Injuries
- If pain persists, see a sports doc, who may recommend a cortisone shot
- Wear shoes with arch support
- A simple foam roller routine for runners
- See a sports doc. Immediate diagnosis and rest reduces recovery time
Prevent it
- Gradually up your mileage your calves
- Wear shoes with arch support
2/ Ankle tendinitis
Shorten your stride: Aim for 180 foot strikes per minute?
Pain on the outside of your ankle beneath the bone and toward the back of the joint, which may start out mild but worsens over time with repeated running.
What's going on?
A big bump in mileage can stress the two tendons that run along the outside of your ankle, causing them to become inflamed.
Treat it
- Cross-train
- Apply ice for 15 minutes, five times a day
- Stretch and foam roll your calves
- Published: 28 June 2016
Prevent it
- A simple foam roller routine for runners
3/ Stress fracture
Shorten your stride: Aim for 180 foot strikes per minute?
Pain in your forefoot or heel – that's most pronounced during running and worsens over time.
What's going on?
This develops over time when the demand on the bone exceeds the bone's ability to withstand the force.
Treat it
- See a sports doc. Immediate diagnosis (and rest) reduces recovery time
- Cross-train
Prevent it
- Gradually up your mileage
- Knee pain after running: How to spot and fix it
- Knee pain after running: How to spot and fix it
- Do foot eversions and calf raises and foam roll your calves jump squats
4/ Morton's neuroma
Shorten your stride: Aim for 180 foot strikes per minute?
A burning pain in the ball of your foot that radiates toward your toes signals Morton's neuroma. You may also feel tingling or numbness between your second and third toes.
What's going on?
When your forefoot is constricted (by high heels or other pointy shoes), the plantar digital nerve gets squeezed, causing inflammation and pain.
Treat it
- Whats going on
- Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
- Best winter running gear
Prevent it
- Knee pain after running: How to spot and fix it
Adapted from Running Strong: The Sports Doctor's Complete Guide to Injury-Free Running for Life, by Jordan Metzl.
