All About Running Injuries - Part 1

Running for health and fitness seems like it should be easy. Where gym exercises can need careful instruction, or a health and safety induction, the idea of lacing up a pair of trainers and just pounding the pavement is an attractive proposition for many of us who don’t have the mental bandwidth to think too hard about keeping fit!

However, there are a few injury pitfalls when it comes to running. Before you click off the page to cancel your Strava subscription though, bear with us. We’ll tell you everything you need to know about managing your injury risk, whether you’re an experienced runner or just starting your running journey. This two-part blog will expose the most common culprit behind running injuries, and explain the best injury prevention strategies and practical tips to help you stay on the road.

Part 1: Why Runners Get Injured

Part 2: How To Fix It

Part 1: Why Runners Get Injured

You may have heard of some of the most common running injuries. Usually they’ve got a fancy Latin name, or a three-or four-letter acronym, or both! Usually these just serve to keep the average man or woman on the street very confused as to how they got here. Here’s some examples:

Ankle & foot injuries are very common in runners

• Runner’s Knee (Patellafemoral pain syndrome or PFPS)

• Shin splints (Medial TIbial Stress Syndrome or MTSS)

• Achilles tendinopathy

• Plantar fasciitis 

• Stress fractures

• ITB problems

So far, so confusing, right? Well. We're here to tell you that it doesn’t have to be confusing at all. At their heart, virtually all running injuries have the same cause.

What are Overload Injuries?

Overload injuries occur when the load experienced by a body part or structure exceeds the capacity of the work that body part can do. I know what you’re thinking - we promised this would be simple!

What are Load and Capacity?

Load refers to the total amount of stress placed on your body through running. This includes:

• The distance you run

• The intensity (speed work, hills, etc.)

• The frequency (how often you run)

Capacity is your body’s ability to handle that load. It depends on:

• Your current fitness level

• Muscle strength and joint stability

• Recovery habits (e.g. Sleep, nutrition, hydration)

• Past injury history

Once you understand what constitutes load and capacity, this concept makes intuitive sense and you don’t need a medical degree to understand why injuries happen.

Our bodies are constantly repairing, regrowing and adapting themselves according to how they’re used. That’s why if you lift lots of weights in the gym, your muscles and tendons get microtears, but they’re built back stronger and you will make your muscles bigger and stronger over time. Overload injuries occur when we ask our bodies to repair and perform again quicker than they are able to (often repetitively), and they simply can’t cope.

What Does Overload Look Like In Practice?

Whether you're an athlete who runs most days or just getting into running, overload injuries can still happen. They used to be more commonly called overuse injuries, but often runners with the highest levels of exercise are least likely to suffer these injuries - especially if they’ve been exercising at a high volume for a long time.

We sometimes say that it’s the “spikes” in exercise levels that most frequently lead to injury. A couch potato suddenly deciding to run 15k a week, or a 15k-a-week runner suddenly deciding that they’re going to run 60k. Overload happens when the stress placed on your body exceeds its ability to recover and adapt. It’s not how much you run, but how quickly you increase that load, and how little recovery you allow in between.

To add to this, it also isn’t just about the volume of running. Sometimes the type of training can be different from what our body is used to (like speed work or hills), and sometimes a change to our cadence or gait might mean that certain muscles undergo more strain than they are fit for. 

A comprehensive gait assessment will include joint testing of the ankle and foot complex

Gait Analysis

Gait Analysis is a tool that fitness professionals can use to determine if one particular area is over- or underactive and contributing to injury or pain. The therapist will watch the patient run and assess what their individual muscles or joints are doing. This insight can guide minor adjustments that ease discomfort and promote pain-free running.

What Does Gait Analysis Look For?

• Foot strike pattern (heel, midfoot, forefoot)

• Cadence (steps per minute)

• Stride length

• Hip drop or pelvic tilt

• Arm swing and torso rotation

• Alignment of knees, hips, and ankles

Is There An Ideal Running Gait?

In short, no! Every runner runs differently; there is no right or wrong running style. There is no need to change your running style unless you are getting aches and pains. Many runners rightly feel uneasy about changing their running technique, worrying that it could feel unnatural or lead to new injuries. If you have a gait analysis done, any modifications should be minimal and gradual - they should not alter your technique significantly.

So, now you know all about Overload injuries and how they occur, we’ll tell you how to prevent and deal with them in Part 2.