Running for extended periods of time or long distances can cause great stress to your joints and lower limbs.
Each step you take exerts some form of impact on your feet and knees.
Without knowing it, you may unintentionally hurt your body if you do not take the right precautions before going on a run.
So what are the common conditions encountered by runners?
1. PLANTAR FASCIITIS
Characterised by a sharp, stabbing pain at the bottom of your foot near the heel, plantar fasciitis is a condition commonly experienced by people who are overweight and even seasoned runners.
It involves the inflammation of the thick tissue that runs from your heel to your toes.
The heel supports most of your body weight when your feet touch the ground when walking or running.
Without proper support at the heel, the tissue experiences small tears and the body reacts by inducing inflammation.
Solution
There is normally an arch between the heel and your toes. Use insoles that will help increase the arch.
This will provide better support and distribution of pressure between the heel and the front of your feet when running.
2. RUNNER’S KNEE
If you experienced a dull pain in your knees when you are running or even after sitting for long periods of time, you may have runner’s knee.
It may also manifest as a grinding sensation in your knees or a clicking sound of your kneecap when you bend or straighten your legs.
While this condition may also be a result of a structural defect of the feet, poor foot support is often the culprit for most runners.
Solutions
A good pair of running shoes with sufficient foot support helps to keep your feet in the correct position when you’re running.
Use shoe insoles if you experience problems that can lead to runner’s knee.
Get a new pair of running shoes once your current ones lose their shape or the soles become irregular.
3. SHIN SPLINTS
Shin splints are small tears in the leg muscles that result in inflammation of those muscles. They can cause throbbing pain around the front of your lower legs the morning after you’ve had an intense run the day before.
Solutions
Do warm-ups to increase the flexibility of your muscles, thus reducing your chances of injury.
Consider using insoles or orthotics to reduce the stress on your leg muscles as you take each step