One of the most natural forms of physical activity is simply stepping outside and going for a run. Personally, I love running as my preferred form of exercise, there is something special to me about connecting with the outdoors, breathing in the fresh air and pushing myself to achieve a new PB.

Health benefits of running are well known and significant, not just contributing to your physical fitness and aerobic capacity but also decreasing your risk of experiencing serious conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and stroke.

The best thing about running is that it takes very little preparation or equipment to do, simply slide your runners on, open the door and off you go.

The only downside is that running can put quite a lot of strain on our bodies, especially if we are just beginning or have recently started again after a long period of time. If you want to continue this form of exercise over the long haul there are some things you need to know:

Unfortunately running injuries are common, caused by the repetitive strain / overuse or lack of preparedness.

7 Common Running injuries and what to look out for:

1. Achillies tendinopathy – pain at the back of your heel + calf.
2. Shin splints (AKA medial tibial stress syndrome) – pain in the middle of the front of your leg.
3. ITB syndrome – pain on the outside of your knee.
4. Hamstring / calf strains – Pain / tightness at the back of your leg and/or posterior thigh.
5. Runners knee (AKA patellofemoral pain syndrome) – Pain above your knee cap.
6. Jumpers knee ( AKA Patella tendinopathy) – Pain below your knee cap.
7. Plantar fasciitis – Pain in the soles of your feet.

If you are experiencing any of the above symptoms you may be at risk of developing a common running injury that will at best slow you down and at worse cause enough pain to stop you from doing the things you love.

How do I avoid injury, you ask?

Here are some things to look out for when it comes to avoiding running injuries and what you can do to avoid them.

Causes of running injuries:

• Poor running technique
• Poor/incorrect equipment (particularly when it comes to shoes)
• Overloading – increasing your workload/training too quickly and not getting enough rest

What can I do to avoid them:

• Get your feet assessed
• Upgrade your runners every 6-12 months (depending on the frequency of your runs – average runners have a lifespan of around 300kms)
• See an osteo for a musculo-skeletal assessment + treatment
• Stay hydrated
• Warm ups / cool down routines

No matter if you’re a complete beginner, or an experienced marathon runner, Osteopathy can be of great benefit. We here at KHC would love to help you achieve your running goals, to see you avoid common injuries and experience all the health benefits of running – Book below for an appointment today.

For more information on running and injury prevention head to:

https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/running-and-jogging-preventing-injury