Physio & Injury Advice

Runners at every level of participation will undoubtedly experience some sort of running related injury above and beyond the usual aches and pains.

More serious injuries fall into two categories repetitive or traumatic.

The most common traumatic running injuries are sprained ankles, strained hamstrings, claves and quads. Repetitive injuries, (often associated with overuse) include; achilles tendonitis; arch of the foot pain (plantar fasciitis); runners knee (anterior knee pain); iliotibial band (lateral knee pain) and hip pain.

Overuse symptoms tend to occur when the body either cannot adapt fast enough or is not properly aligned to cope with the ongoing repetition involved in increasing training levels. A body part then ‘gives’ or forces another area to ‘give’ causing pain and injury.

Runners that pick up any traumatic injury or have persistent, painful niggles in one area should seek professional help and under no circumstances ignore them. Depending on the nature of the injury runners may want to seek the services of either a Physiotherapist or Podiatrist.

Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy usually involves physical manipulation of the body to treat traumatic or repetitive injuries wherever they may occur.Most running related injuries are to lower limbs and related to overuse. An example is achilles tendonitis which can often be related to an increase in running with poor footwear.

A physiotherapist can identify any areas of ‘damage’ and work to provide appropriate exercises to reduce the injury and suggest training strategies. A physiotherapist can also correct knee alignment and help strengthen the muscles of the body’s trunk to help reduce the risk of back pain.

Podiatry
Podiatry is the treatment of disorders and injuries of the foot, ankle and leg. A podiatrist can also assess your ‘mechanics’, which is the way you run, and offer advice, stretches or exercises to aid performance and prevent injury in the future.

Further advice

ASICS Running Clinics Pro Team can offer advice on training - click the links below to see their advice.

	Physiotherapist Common Marathon Mistakes Stretching for Runners Runner Injuries The Role of the Back in Running The Role of the Gluteal Muscles Core Stability and Running Returning from Injury			Podiatrist Stretching Before You Run Understanding Your Posture