If you are injured or have pain when running, what can you do about it? Is there a right or wrong way to run? Should you simply rest and allow recovery to take place? If you are injured or experiencing pain when running, it is best to consider all of the factors contributing to your injury and address them accordingly. Each recovery plan is likely to include two main aims:
- Reduce tissue load when appropriate
- Increase tissue tolerance in order to cope with more load
Injury is typically a result of increased exposure to or sudden change in load beyond the tissue’s capacity to cope with or tolerate that demand. Injury recovery and prevention is not about the right or wrong way to run but rather a balance between load management and gradually increasing tissue tolerance to load.
A detailed review with your physiotherapist can help set out a plan to get your body right and enjoy your running again.
Poor biomechanics may be a contributor to uneven load. A Biomechanical Running Assessment is available at Fusion. This 1 hour appointment will involve treadmill based video analysis and thorough assessment of movement patterns. The physiotherapist can then prescribe and demonstrate suitable exercises to improve any errors. There may even be running drills or suggestions to alter your running pattern to reduce unnecessary and harmful forces.
Common running related injuries we see and treat are:
- Plantar fasciitis
- Patellofemoral pain (knee-cap)
- Iliotibial band syndrome
- Shin splints
- Achilles tendinopathy
- Patellar tendinopathy
- Low back pain
- Hip, groin, and gluteal injuries
- Hamstring and calf injuries
- Stress fractures