Running Injuries and Treatment
Running, just like any sport, involves a lot of hard training and repetition of exercises. Because of these things, your body becomes prone to injuries. Runners usually get injured on the lower part of their body, from the lower back to the feet. This section will deal with the most common injuries experienced by runners. Read on if you are a serious runner and are bent on staying away from injuries as much as possible.
Back Pain
The constant pounding that your body takes whenever you run can cause strain on your back. One common condition that runners go through is the piriformis syndrome. It is where the piriformis, which is the muscle in your buttock, gets inflamed which consequently causes pressure on your sciatic nerve. It then passes down to the lower part of your body, down to the legs causing discomfort in those areas. While it is not a serious condition, the piriformis syndrome can be prevented with the help of Injury Prevention Exercises.
Another cause of back pain is the pinched nerve. It happens when the discs of your spine get compressed due to running. The compressed discs can then pinch the nerve endings thus causing the back pain.
Knee Injury
As one gets older, the cartilage behind the knee cap gets worn down. Since the cartilage cushions the contact between the bones, the contact becomes painful without it. Elite athletes are more susceptible to this condition than recreational runners since the former subject their bodies to harder training and a more constant battery. The thing to keep in mind is that if you feel any pain in your knee, do not subject it to further strain to prevent it from getting worse. Have it checked by your doctor instead.
Shin Splints
Though the exact cause of the so-called “shin splints” is unknown, doctors attribute the pain on the lower leg area to the increased activity of the runner. While this is not considered a serious medical condition, it can cause you discomfort if you do not do anything about it. To avoid having shin splints, the first thing you should do is to stop running first and give your legs some rest. After that, apply ice on the area to alleviate the pain.
Foot and Ankle Injuries
These types of injuries usually include sprained ankles, blisters and ingrown toenails. Though they can be painful to have, they are usually easy to treat.
Sprained ankles usually happen when you run on uneven ground. There are chances where you might step on an exposed root or rocks, which may then cause you to twist your ankle. Meanwhile, blisters are caused by the chafing from a wet or ill-fitting pair of socks. Finally, ingrown toenails are caused by the incorrect clipping of your toenails. It can be painful since the nails actually grow into your skin. In worst cases, removing an ingrown toenail may require an operation.
Most, if not all, injuries discussed above can be pretty painful when you have them. But they will even be more painful if you decide to go on running in spite of them. So it would be better if you give it some rest first and probably have it checked by your physician later on. Remember that injuries can be minimized, even prevented with the proper Training Programs and Running Techniques.
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