How to Prevent Running Injuries
Do you notice pain when you run? Have you noticed more soreness after running? Injuries are common with runners, but you can do things to minimize the likelihood of getting hurt. At Elliott Physical Therapy, our therapists can help you resolve existing pain and teach you how to reduce the risk of future injuries!
Running is one of the most popular ways people exercise, but unfortunately, research has shown that over 50% of runners experience injuries every year.
And for long-distance runners, the percentages can be as high as 80%.
We know how important running is for mental, physical, and emotional well-being. We also know that runners are infamous for ignoring pain and running even when hurting. Too often, people are afraid to seek help because they worry someone will tell them not to run anymore.
experience injuries every year
Fortunately, that type of advice is more and more a thing of the past. We have experienced physical therapists who know the demands of running and how to resolve issues so you can prevent future injuries.
Call Elliott Physical Therapy today to request an appointment with one of our specialists in Dorchester, Easton, Hanover, Hingham, Mansfield, Milton, Needham, North Attleboro or South Boston.
What are the main risk factors for running injuries?
Running is one of the most popular activities worldwide, and with this popularity comes inaccurate information about what may be contributing to your pain. Too many recreational runners attribute injuries to factors related to running shoes, not stretching enough, not warming up properly, and training errors. The most important factor associated with a running injury is not resolving an injury fully.
The main risk factor associated with runners sustaining an injury is having a previous injury in the last 12 months. Fully resolving a prior injury will reduce your risks of getting hurt and keep you running. This is why runners must seek a physical therapist with experience treating runners!
Unfortunately, it is not always possible to identify the exact cause of most running-related injuries. There seems to be a difference in novice vs. experienced runners as well as age and gender differences, but the most common risk factors include:
- Running experience of 0–2 years
- Restarting running after extended rest
- Overtraining (i.e., more than 40 miles per week, men > women)
- Women recreational runners were associated with a greater risk of running-related injury.
Although many studies looked to identify specific biomechanical variables responsible for injuries, overall, the evidence is inconsistent and, therefore, not directly linked to running injuries. The following biomechanical factors may be affecting you and are worth having one of the physical therapists assess:
- Peak braking force is associated with an increased injury rate in women. The peak braking force is the amount of energy your leg absorbs when your foot first hits the ground.
- Greater knee stiffness (i.e., lack of bending) is more common in runners with higher body weights. This increased stiffness increases the risk of sustaining an overuse running injury no matter the gender.
- Contralateral pelvic drop: (i.e., the pelvis on the opposite side tilts, it lacks proper leveling). A contralateral drop is strongly associated with common running-related injuries like IT band syndrome and runners knee and may be related to shin splints.
- Limited calcaneal eversion (heel bone moving outward/laterally) is associated with IT band syndrome and may be related to the lower leg and foot conditions.
Identifying all the possible causes of injury requires the skills of a trained physical therapist. At Elliott Physical Therapy, our therapist will assess you as a whole person and use the information to clarify your pain/injury source and guide you back to health and pain-free running!
How physical therapy can help runners prevent injuries
At Elliott Physical Therapy, our physical therapists have proven successful in treating runners. We help runners in all aspects of rehabilitation, injury prevention, return-to-run programs, and improved performance on race day.
The first step is to start with an injury evaluation, a biomechanical assessment, and a gait analysis to identify as many possible factors contributing to the pain/injury. Our therapists will take a thorough history to understand more about the training schedule, the history of previous injuries, current pains/injuries, and the runner’s overall health status.
This information is used to create an individualized program to alleviate pain and get you moving better so you can get back to running. We tailor our therapy interventions to your individual needs. This will likely include an active rehabilitation that focuses on building on your progress through progressive exercises that facilitate improvements where you have limitations or weaknesses.
As you continue to improve, we will work with you to challenge your balance, coordination, and agility to minimize the risk of future injuries. If necessary, our physical therapists will provide you with strict guidance on a “return to run” progression so you can resume running safely.
The goal of our program is to ensure you have the tools to resume/keep running and reduce your risk of future injuries!
Request an appointment today!
At Elliott Physical Therapy, our physical therapists are up-to-date on runners’ most advanced techniques and rehabilitation programs. We understand the most common risk factors and causes of running-related injuries, and even more importantly, we know how to resolve any old or new injury.
Request an appointment with one of our specialists and learn how to achieve actual results!
Your Next Steps…
Request An Appointment
Come in for a Comprehensive Evaluation
Receive A Custom Treatment Plan
Work Hard and Progress In Your Recovery
Recover & Enjoy Life Pain-Free!
