3 Types of Runners’ Foot Injuries, Part 2

As we mentioned yesterday in Part 1 of our series, running is becoming increasingly popular. People are running for their own fun or health, while others are running to push themselves to the limit, including doing marathons and Ironman competitions. This brings us to Part 2 of the two-part series.

While running is a great cardio workout, it can cause problems for your body as it puts up with the pounding that comes with the running. In a discussion about the upcoming New York City Marathon, Dr. Oliver Zong, a cosmetic foot surgeon in New York City, and Director of Surgery at NYC Foot Care, as well as a board member at the Gramercy Park Surgery Center, said, “Every stride taken while running applies a force of 3-4 times your body weight across knees, ankles and feet.  During a 10-mile run feet make 15,000 strides, which means thousand of pounds of force are placed on the feet of runner’s during the New York City Marathon!”

So, what types of foot and leg injuries can befall runner?
The three most common injuries are:

• Shin splints
• Runner’s knee
• Plantar fasciitis

Shin splints, also called medial tibial stress syndrome, is an injury that can occur to many types of athletes. They are caused by running on hard surfaces, training too much, muscle weakness, not having appropriate shoe support, or running downhill.

According to the MayoClinic.com, the signs and symptoms of shin splints are:

* Tenderness, soreness or pain along the inner part of your lower leg
* Mild swelling

At first, the pain may stop when you stop running or exercising. Eventually, however, the pain may be continuous.
Consult your doctor if rest, ice and over-the-counter pain relievers don’t ease your shin pain. Your primary care doctor may refer you to an orthopedist. Seek prompt medical care if:

* Severe pain in your shin follows a fall or accident
* Your shin is hot and inflamed
* Swelling in your shin seems to be getting worse
* Shin pain persists during rest

Treatment for shin splints include resting the legs, icing the area, taking over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers, and getting/wearing proper shoes and foot support.

The second most common problem, is the Runner’s knee or anterior knee pain. This can be caused by the muscles not being strong enough to stabilize the knee as you run and is also often caused by ill-supporting shoes. Women may have a higher risk of developing this problem because of their body build (wider hips) than men.

According to MedLinePlus,

In cases of runner’s knee, pain occurs first when running downhill then gets worse and occurs with all running. Finally, pain is present even when you do not run.

Treatment for Runner’s knee usually includes resting the knee, perhaps stretching exercises from a physiotherapist, and use of proper shoes and/or supports.

Finally, the third most common problem among runners is heel pain that is caused by plantar fasciitis. The pain is caused by inflammation of a thick band of tissue, the plantar fascia, which runs at the bottom of your foot from the heel bone to your toes, connecting them.

People at highest risk of developing plantar fasciitis are those who are overweight, pregnant, have just begun a new exercise (running) program or who have flat feet.

Symptoms, according to the MayoClinic.com are:

In most cases, the pain associated with plantar fasciitis:

* Develops gradually
* Affects just one foot, although it can occur in both feet simultaneously
* Is worst with the first few steps after awakening, although it also can be triggered by long periods of standing or getting up from a seated position
* Feels like a sharp pain in the heel of your foot

Prevention is the best treatment here and this is by proper stretching and wearing proper shoes/support. If you do develop plantar fasciitis, sometimes this may be helped with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories or medications with corticosteroids. Sometimes, treatment requires an injection of steroids directly into the area.

Other treatments that may help include physical therapy, orthotics, or night splints.

Remember to check with a podiatrist if you can. They are the foot experts.

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Image: PhotoXpress.com