It’s pretty apparent that I’m no stranger to injuries . I do my best to prevent running injuries , but sometimes it’s not enough. Plus, most of us are stubborn enough to think an injury won’t happen to us.
But if you feel an injury coming on, the best thing you can do is take care of it right away- don’t expect it to disappear on it’s own.
What: Pain in the front of your lower leg, usually towards the inside.
Intervention: Stop running. Rest. Ice. Cross train. Slowly rebuild mileage.
Stretching your calves, running on softer surfaces, and making sure you’re in the right running shoe (not too stiff) can get you back up and running faster.
Compression sleeves or kinesiotaping may help as well.
What: Pain on the outside of the knee (or hip)
Intervention: Rest, ice, stretch, foam roll, strengthen. Cross training can help reduce some of the running-specific friction of the IT band rubbing against your knee.
Alternate running on the “wrong” side of the road- many roads are slightly curved, which can make one leg need to reach farther than the other.
Stretching and foam rolling are key here- loosening the IT band will help prevent so much friction.
(patellofemoral pain syndrome; chondromalacia)
What: Pain under & around the knee cap; may cause grating sensation.
Intervention: Reduce mileage, strengthen muscles around knee (especially quads). Be cautious about deep bending knee activities such as squats and running on hills & hard surfaces.
Straight leg lifts can help focus building the small part of the quad muscle just above your knee cap on the inner side, which can help hold the patella in a more comfortable position. Using tape to hold the patella in the proper position can help too.
Notice some common themes? Rest or cut down on mileage, ice, & get the right shoes for your gait. Don’t power through it!
It’s pretty apparent that I’m no stranger to injuries . I do my best to prevent running injuries , but sometimes it’s not enough. Plus, most of us are stubborn enough to think an injury won’t happen to us.
But if you feel an injury coming on, the best thing you can do is take care of it right away- don’t expect it to disappear on it’s own.
What: Pain in the front of your lower leg, usually towards the inside.
Intervention: Stop running. Rest. Ice. Cross train. Slowly rebuild mileage.
Stretching your calves, running on softer surfaces, and making sure you’re in the right running shoe (not too stiff) can get you back up and running faster.
Compression sleeves or kinesiotaping may help as well.
What: Pain on the outside of the knee (or hip)
Intervention: Rest, ice, stretch, foam roll, strengthen. Cross training can help reduce some of the running-specific friction of the IT band rubbing against your knee.
Alternate running on the “wrong” side of the road- many roads are slightly curved, which can make one leg need to reach farther than the other.
Stretching and foam rolling are key here- loosening the IT band will help prevent so much friction.
(patellofemoral pain syndrome; chondromalacia)
What: Pain under & around the knee cap; may cause grating sensation.
Intervention: Reduce mileage, strengthen muscles around knee (especially quads). Be cautious about deep bending knee activities such as squats and running on hills & hard surfaces.
Straight leg lifts can help focus building the small part of the quad muscle just above your knee cap on the inner side, which can help hold the patella in a more comfortable position. Using tape to hold the patella in the proper position can help too.
Notice some common themes? Rest or cut down on mileage, ice, & get the right shoes for your gait. Don’t power through it!