Ready to Up Your Mileage This Spring? Avoid These Common Runner’s Injuries

If you’re like many runners, you’ve committed to logging more miles this spring. Why not take advantage of the glorious weather before the harsh summer sun melts your resolve? Yet, as you ramp up your training, it’s good to be proactive. Warm up, don’t try to do too much too soon, and be aware of common runner’s injuries. 

At Sports City USA Foot & Ankle Center serving Frisco, McKinney, Prosper, and Celina, Texas, Dr. Benjamin Clair helps injured runners recover from foot, ankle, and heel pain, Achilles tendon problems, metatarsalgia, and other painful conditions. 

Common runner’s foot and ankle injuries 

You probably know the importance of proper footwear to support your feet and ankles. You also want to replace your running shoes every 300-500 miles, depending on your running surface and gait. Strength training and stretching practices can also improve your running performance and reduce your injury risk.

1. Achilles tendinitis

Your Achilles tendon runs down the back of your leg from your calf muscle past your heel. Tendons connect your muscles with your bones; in the case of the Achilles tendon, its prime purpose is mobility. You use this important tendon to walk, run, climb stairs, rotate your ankles, and do anything that requires your feet to move. 

If you train too hard, you can overuse this tendon, and it can feel stiff or painful. If you feel a sudden, sharp pain in the back of your heel or lower calf, it could be a symptom of a torn tendon. 

2. Ankle sprains

Imagine you’re jogging down your favorite running trail and suddenly you land wrong and roll your ankle. Such a roll can damage your ankle ligaments and leave you with a painful sprain. 

3. Stress fractures 

Stress fractures are named for the tiny cracks that can form in your bones. They are small, but that doesn’t negate the pain they can cause. Runners who run on hard surfaces like concrete are especially prone to such injuries. 

4. Bunions

If you have a bump at the base of your big toe, that’s a bunion. Bunions tend to push your big toe toward your other toes and are usually painful or at least annoying. 

There are many theories on why bunions develop, including genetics and unusual bone structure in your feet. However, bunions are also caused by foot injuries and wearing shoes that put too much pressure on your big toe. 

5. Metatarsalgia 

If you have pain at or near the base of your toes, that’s a symptom of metatarsalgia. The name references the bones in your toes, known as metatarsals. This is a common runner’s injury because the repetitive pounding puts stress on the ball of your foot. 

6. Plantar fasciitis 

The sole of your foot has a thick band of tissue called the plantar fascia. This band connects your heel bone with the base of your toes and supports your foot’s arch. When you overwork it by logging extra miles, it can let you know through heel pain or an aching or burning sensation. 

How to take precautions against running injuries 

The best way to protect yourself from these common runner’s injuries is to follow these guidelines and pay attention to your body. 

• Warm up and cool down 
• Practice cross-functional training 
• Take rest days 
• Wear supportive footwear 
• Allow rest and recovery days 

Adding miles slowly and listening to your body is safer than bursting out of the gate like a penned-up racehorse. 

If you feel discomfort in your ankles and feet, Sports City USA Foot & Ankle Center can help. Call our office or request an appointment online today and get back to logging those miles.