It is not “normal” to have pain while you run. Many people who have this complaint describe the pain as happening in the beginning of a run, but then it “works itself out”. Others report the pain after a certain number of miles, or just after the run is completed. All of these complaints are signs from your body that something needs to be addressed.
What are the most common running injuries?
- Hip bursitis or tendinitis
- Knee pain (patellofemoral pain syndrome, patellar tendinitis)
- Shin Splints
- Achilles tendinitis
- Plantar Fasciitis
The list above all can be classified as overuse injuries. This means that throughout your training, certain regions of the body have been improperly overworked. This can occur under a few different circumstances.
One cause is a change or increase in training volume that your body is not used to or not ready for. During marathon training, your body takes quite a beating! That is not a reason not to train, however there are plenty of ways to avoid injuries during high volume training.
Another cause can be an imbalance or a faulty movement pattern during your gait cycle. This can be caused by certain muscles not working at properly as you pound the pavement.
What should you to if you are having pain or discomfort while you run?
Make sure you’re recovering well. This is not just about taking rest days! It is very important to drink plenty of water, keep up with your nutrition, get a good amount of sleep and get regular body work done. Body work can include massages or trigger point dry Needling. Body work also includes self treatment techniques such as foam rolling or self trigger point release.
Some of my favorite recommendations for areas to foam roll or release on runners:
- Entire hip and buttocks – this is your whole butt and side of your hip
- Quads (NOT all the way down your IT band) – it is not recommended that you should be foam rolling your IT band, rather you should be working on the muscles around it
- Calves
- Bottom of the feet
Get assessed by your local Physical Therapist. It is very important to get any type of pain evaluated by a professional as most pain will not just go away. There are usually simple things that can be done to quickly decrease the symptoms and resolve the problem. It is also much easier to have success with treatment when an injury is caught early on.
Book a running assessment!
This assessment is performed by a Physical Therapist who will observe your gait and perform a video analysis of your running technique. A running assessment can be a very important tool to be used to help correct mechanics and possibly paint the picture as to why pain may be occurring.
Ready to book an appointment?
Questions? Feel free to contact the office at 617-249-4011 or email loni@infinitepotentialptw.com