There are few things to match the pleasure of running. It provides the beneficial health effects of working your cardiovascular system and your muscles, helps you to lose weight, increases your stamina, and getting out in the fresh air is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle.
The downside of jogging can be that you pick up niggling aches, pains and injuries. Often runners make the mistake of trying to run through minor injuries, but this can sometimes make things worse, and in the long run lead to a prolonged and enforced absence from jogging.
Ultimately, the best way to deal with jogging injuries is to check them out with your doctor or medical professional, to ensure that there are no serious problems. Often your doctor will recommend a course of physiotherapy or suggest a range of exercises that can help. Another option is to take steps to prevent injuries occurring in the first place. Foot compression in the form of compression socks for women is one way to protect your feet and ankles from the rigours of jogging and there are numerous other options when it comes to protection and compression clothing that can help.
Sometimes, of course, injuries are unavoidable or the result of bad luck. However, when they happen, you want to be able to recognise them and seek help as soon as possible. So, to help you protect yourself from the potential long-term health damage associated with jogging injuries, here is a quick guide to some of the most common ailments associated with running.
Runner’s knee
This injury isn’t solely confined to runners, although it is arguably most common in the running community and accounts for over half of the running and jogging injuries sustained in the US every year. Runner’s knee produces pain or tenderness around the kneecap, which may come and go, but never quite disappears. If you experience this type of pain, most commonly twinges on either the inside or outside of the knee, it could be due to runner’s knee.
Achilles tendonitis
This is a fairly common injury affecting joggers and is caused by excessive stress on the Achilles tendon, which joins the two main calf muscles to the rear of your heel. The stress causes the tendon to become sore and tight, which in turn leads to significant pain at the back of your foot. Achilles tendonitis can be spotted early. If you notice a pain in your heel both during and after your jog, but the pain goes away with simple home remedies, then it could be Achilles tendonitis and you should check it out with a medical professional before it develops further.
Hamstring problems
The hamstrings are a major component in your musculo-skeletal system, making up most of the muscles situated at the back of your thighs. It’s your hamstrings that help to push you forwards when you’re running, and as they are put through a lot of work, they are particularly susceptible to injuries that occur as a result of inflexibility or weakness. The problem with hamstring issues is that they are prone to reoccur, and can take a long time to heal, so it’s a good idea to seek medical advice if you start to feel persistent pain or twinges in the backs of your thighs.
Shin splints
This is a painful condition that has the medical title of medial tibial stress syndrome and is unfortunately relatively common with runners. The warning sign with this injury is the emergence of pains and aches along your shins. These may seem minor at first, but can develop into more serious and painful problems. If you experience shin pain that only occurs with running, not walking and jumping, then shin splints could be the cause and you should seek medical advice.
Stress fracture
This is perhaps the most serious and significant injury for regular runners. A stress fracture is caused by an excess of strain or pressure on the bones associated with running, such as the feet, heel or shin bones. Unlike an acute fracture, which comes on suddenly, a stress fracture will happen slowly, over a period of time, which means they can be prevented if caught early enough. If you experience pain while running or being on your feet for too long, you could be suffering from a stress fracture.
Jogging is one of the best forms of exercise we can undertake and brings with it all kinds of positive effects and benefits. By looking out for these symptoms of injury, you can help to ensure that you don’t develop serious health problems and that you can carry on running.
