Common Running Injuries and Home Treatment Methods
Running is a workout that will get your entire body moving and burning fat and calories. You can use running as your primary workout to strengthen your muscles and joints, boost your overall health, and slim down to a healthy weight, but beware that running can result in injuries.
Learn about some of the most common running injuries below, as well as home treatment methods that work on getting you healed up.
Runner’s Knee
Nearly 40% of all running injuries involve the knees, and PFPS, which stands for patellofemoral pain syndrome, is one of the most common. This is also called “runner’s knee,” and it usually occurs during or after a long run, when descending stairs or hills, and after extended periods of sitting.
To treat runner’s knee, focus on strengthening your glute and hip muscles. Work on lateral side steps, and put a resistance band above the ankles or knees to add a bit of opposition.
If this condition is caused by a problem with the way that your kneecap tracks, you can use athletic tape to decrease the pain. Icing after every run will also provide relief, particularly in the early stages, and heat will work the best if the injury has begun to heal and isn’t in the acute stage anymore.
Achilles Tendonitis
Another one of the common running injuries that many people suffer from is Achilles tendonitis, which accounts for as much as 11% of running injuries. This occurs when there’s too much stress placed upon the Achilles tendon, which connects the back of your heel to your calf muscles. When there’s too much stress, your tendon will become irritated and tighten.
To treat this injury at home, apply ice to the area five times per day. You should also work on strengthening the calf muscles by practicing eccentric heel drops. You can even go swimming or use an elliptical machine, but you should avoid biking unless it isn’t painful to do so.
Hamstring Problems
Hamstring problems are yet another one of the many common running injuries that people suffer from. If your hamstrings are too weak or tight, you’ll feel discomfort.
Treatment is simple: strengthen the hamstrings with one-legged deadlifts and one-legged hamstring curls. You can also alleviate tightness with a foam roller prior to and after each run.
Remember that, to make the most of every run, you need to stretch and cool down. A thermogenic supplement may also help to warm the body up, while increasing your calorie burn during every run.
