Nearly half of all runners experience an injury at some point. These may be acute injuries, such as slipping and falling on wet pavement or gravel, or chronic injuries where they run so often that their body gets worn down.
Most of these injuries are caused by overuse, poor training or old shoes. The good news is that simple changes can make a big difference.
What are some of the most common running injuries?
Most running injuries are the result of repetitive movements or overuse. That basically means you are running too much on surfaces that are too hard.
Common running injuries include:
- Runner's knee
- Shin splints
- Stress fractures
- Tendonitis
- Plantar fasciitis
Explore options for testing and treatments for overuse injuries
1. What is runner’s knee?
Runner’s knee is pain in the front of your knee and around your kneecap. It is typically caused by overuse and repetitive movements, but things like improper kneecap alignment, poor running form and excess weight can also play a role.
What are symptoms of runner’s knee?
Some signs you might have runner’s knee include:
- Pain when you sit or stand for a long time
- Clicking or grinding noise coming from your knee
- Dull ache or sharp pain in front of, or behind the kneecap
Will runner’s knee heal on its own?
Runner’s knee usually requires some physical therapy or rehabilitation. It typically will not heal on its own.
Some signs you should see a doctor for runner’s knee include:
- Severe pain that does not improve with one or two weeks of rest
- Worsening swelling and continuing redness
- Walking difficulty, and feeling like your knee might give out
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How do you treat runner’s knee?
There are some things you can do to help with the pain of runner’s knee and encourage healing. Those things are:
- Rest, apply ice, wear a compression sleeve, and elevate (RICE) your knee 48 to 72 hours.
- Change your routine by adjusting your route and pace, or cross-train with other activities such as swimming or cycling.
- Consider physical therapy to strengthen your leg muscles.
- Use orthotics (special inserts for your shoes that improve foot support).
- Try cortisone injections, which can reduce swelling and pain.
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2. What are shin splints?
Shin splints are pain and tenderness around the shin that happen with overuse or repetitive running on hard surfaces. You may have a shin splint if your lower leg, along your shinbone, has been aching or tender from painful swelling.
How do you treat shin splints?
There are some simple changes you can make at home to relieve pain from shin splints and help you get back to running.
Those changes include:
- Ice your shins for 15-to-20 minutes several times a day.
- Run less or switch to low impact sports such as swimming or cycling.
- Get different shoes that can absorb shock better.
- Consider orthotics (inserts) in your shoes for better foot support.
- Return to running gradually, preferably with a doctor’s approval.
How long do shin splints take to heal?
Shin splints usually take about 2 to 6 weeks to heal. Severe ongoing pain could be a sign of worse problems like tendonitis, or a stress fracture.
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3. What is a stress fracture, and how do you know if you have one?
A stress fracture is caused by a small crack in your bone. Symptoms of a stress fracture include dull pain in your leg that gets worse over time, especially when carrying weight. There may be swelling and bruising. You might even walk differently because of the pain.
What are some ways to diagnose a stress fracture?
Early detection of a stress fracture is important. A small stress fracture can turn into a bigger problem with the risk of a broken bone if left untreated.
Initial X-rays might miss a stress fracture. However, an advanced scan like an MRI can look deeper at bones and soft tissue, leading to a more accurate diagnosis.
See how we can help treat your stress fracture
4. What is tendonitis and what does it feel like?
Runners usually get tendonitis, or inflammation of the tendons, in their knees and ankles. Tendonitis causes dull pain near the joints, mild swelling, and stiffness. The pain can feel worse the more you move.
Tendons help your muscles attach to your bones. They get irritated by harsh repetitive activity. The cause of tendonitis is typically overuse.
What are some ways to treat tendonitis?
Tendonitis treatment starts with something people refer to as “RICE.” This is a series of steps to reduce pain and swelling.
- Rest your leg for 24 to 48 hours so the tissue can start to heal.
- Ice the injured area for about 15 minutes every couple of hours.
- Compression: Wrap the area with a bandage or sleeve to control swelling and provide support.
- Elevate your leg on a pillow or chair above the level of your heart to help reduce pain and swelling.
Over-the-counter medicine like naproxen (Aleve) or ibuprofen (Advil) can help with pain. Also, try stretching and targeted resistance to regain strength and flexibility. Targeted resistance includes things like push-ups, exercise bands and lifting weights.
Check out ways to strengthen tendons and ligaments
Learn how we can help treat tendonitis in our orthopedic clinics
5. What is plantar fasciitis?
Severe pain in the bottom of your foot may be plantar fasciitis. That is when you have swelling or tearing in the thick connective tissue that goes from your heel to the base of your toes.
Could plantar fasciitis be the cause of your heel pain?
Yes, pain from plantar fasciitis could be the cause of your heel pain. Pain from plantar fasciitis feels sharp, and stabbing. It might affect you when you step out of bed in the morning, after you exercise or when you have been standing for a long time.
How can I treat plantar fasciitis?
There are simple changes you can make to reduce pain of plantar fasciitis and treat the condition at home.
Things you can do to help treat plantar fasciitis include:
- Stretching your feet and lower leg muscles, particularly the calf muscles and Achilles tendon
- Wearing arch support and cushioned inserts for your shoes (orthotics)
- Avoiding walks with bare feet
- Icing your foot and resting
- Rolling the arch of your foot with a lacrosse ball
Read more about treatments for plantar fasciitis and who is at risk
5 ways to prevent running injuries
- Increase the distance you run gradually.
- Wear shoes with proper support for your feet.
- Train with weights at least twice a week.
- Stretch often, before and after workouts.
- Do not ignore pain.
If you do get injured while running or joining in any other physical activity, our orthopedic and sports medicine specialists are here for you.
Come see our orthopedics specialists at one of several Sacramento-area locations
This blog was medically reviewed by orthopedic sports medicine surgeon Ryan Freshman.
