7 types of running injuries do you understand
In an ideal running state, every kilometer and every step you take should be completely free of damage: no pain, no cramps, no residual pain from previous training. However, the reality is that many people often encounter a bit (or more than a bit) of discomfort—foot pain, ligament strains, knee injuries. These minor issues, although not severe enough to warrant rest, are annoying, especially when they prevent you from enjoying the pleasure of road running.
Three color zones of running injuries
Red zone—severe and complete trauma, including serious fractures that terminate running.
Green zone—good condition.
Yellow zone—not completely severe but also not completely healthy. These pains are mild and short-lived, may require a day's rest but disappear the next day, and are close to the green zone. Unfortunately, many runners are stuck in this middle zone.
Runner's knee
Runner's knee, also known as patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS), is caused by problems with the cartilage under the patella (kneecap). About 40% of running injuries are knee injuries. Approximately 13% of runners experienced knee pain last year (according to a poll of 4,500 respondents on the Runner's World website). PFPS is particularly likely to be triggered during/after long runs, after sitting for long periods, or after running downhill or downstairs.
Knee check and how to handle it
Red zone: Stop! External or internal injuries that cause knee pain as soon as you walk and do not disappear.
Yellow zone: Pay attention. Pain starts at the beginning of the run, then disappears, but continues after the run. Discomfort after sitting for long periods.
Green zone: Run! No pain after watching a 2-hour movie or after a long mountain run.
Who is at risk?
Risk factors include overpronation (severe inward foot rotation) and weak quadriceps, hips, and gluteal muscles.
Can it be overcome by running?
Yes, but it requires extra rest days and reduced mileage. Run every other day and ensure the distance does not cause pain. Additionally, swimming is another knee-friendly exercise that can be tried intermittently.
Recovery
Strengthen weak hips and gluteal muscles through side-step exercises. Place an elastic band around your ankles or knees. Spread your legs, bend your knees slightly, and lean forward. Maintain this posture, keep your feet straight, and walk 10 to 15 steps to the side, then in the opposite direction. Your feet should be spread enough to keep the elastic band taut.
Applying ice after running can also help reduce early-stage injuries. The best time to apply heat is after the injury has healed and is no longer severe.
Preventing recurrence
It is recommended to reduce stride length and land with slightly bent knees, which can reduce joint load by 30%.
Achilles tendinitis
Under strong stress, the Achilles tendon can become tense and, in severe cases, turn into Achilles tendinitis. This type of injury accounts for 11% of running injuries. According to a poll by Runner's World over the past year, 8% of runners experienced Achilles tendon issues.
Ankle alert: how to handle it
Red zone: Stop! Severe pain and swelling at the top of the heel, standing on tiptoe causes pain.
Yellow zone: Pay attention. Mild pain in the heel after running, but it disappears after applying ice.
Green zone: Run! No pain when pressing the tendon or lifting the heel towards the calf.
Who is at risk?
Those who significantly increase their exercise volume (especially trail running and speed running) and those with tight or weak calves are prone to this injury.
Can it be overcome by running?
If you experience any pain during or after running, stop immediately! This is not something that can be overcome by running. If there is a slight sprain early on, a few days of rest will be effective for recovery. If you continue running as usual despite this, the injury will worsen and may even require a 6-month break from running.
Recovery
Apply ice five times a day.
Strengthen your calves through stair heel raises: start by standing on the edge of a step with the balls of your feet. Raise both feet. Once raised, remove the healthy foot from the step. Lower the injured foot so that your ankle drops below the step. Then raise again, and return the other foot to the step. Do this 20 times.
Preventing recurrence
Strong calf muscles can prevent heel injuries, so you should do heel raises every day. Avoid excessive calf stretching and wearing flip-flops or high heels, as all these can cause calf inflammation.
Hamstring muscles
These muscles are located at the back of the thigh and are used for bending the knee, extending the leg, climbing, and kicking. 7% of respondents said hamstring issues troubled them last year.
Hamstring signals and how to handle them
Red zone: Stop! Obvious, sudden, and intense pain during running, sometimes accompanied by a popping sound. The area may turn blue.
Yellow zone: Pay attention. Chronic pain and tightness slow your pace and shorten your stride.
Green zone: Run! No pain even after sitting for long periods, running hills, or speed running.
Who is at risk?
Hamstring issues often occur because these muscles are weak—often too long or too short. Intuitively, very flexible people are prone to hamstring issues because their overstretched muscles are more vulnerable to injury. On the other hand, those who cannot touch their toes or those who sit for long periods are also at risk. Tight or short muscles are more likely to be strained.
Can it be overcome by running?
If the pain is sudden and intense, and the area is bruised, then you have a severe strain and need extended rest (measured in months) before running again. If the injury is a mild chronic overuse injury, you can continue running as usual, but it will take some time to return to the green zone.
Slow, easy paces are less harmful than attempting interval runs and hill repeats. Cycling, water running, and swimming are good alternative activities.
Recovery
Strengthen your hamstrings through single-leg hamstring curls (lifting a resistance object with both feet, then slowly lowering it with one foot) and single-leg deadlifts. Use a foam roller to relax before and after running.
Preventing recurrence
Maintain strong hamstrings through bridge exercises: lie on your back and place your feet on a chair or exercise ball. Lift your hips, then raise one foot into the air. Using the supporting foot, slowly lower your hips back to the ground. Return the other foot to the ball. Then switch feet and repeat.
Plantar fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis is a minor tear or inflammation of the tendons and ligaments from the heel to the toes, often the most common foot problem among runners. 10% of runners reported experiencing this issue in the past year. This type of pain typically feels like a dull ache or bruise from the ankle or heel and is the worst thing to feel every morning.
Ankle alert: how to handle it
Red zone: Stop! Persistent and frequent arch pain that does not go away even after warming up.
Yellow zone: Pay attention. Pain when getting out of bed, after sitting for long periods, or in the first few minutes of running.
Green zone: No pain throughout the day, including the first step in the morning. Walking barefoot on hard surfaces is not a problem.
Who is at risk?
Runners with severe high arches or flat feet are prone to injury. Other causes include excessive pronation or supination of the foot, or rapidly increasing running distance. Long periods of standing—especially on hard surfaces without supportive running shoes—can exacerbate the problem.
Can it be overcome by running?
Plantar fasciitis is one of the most frustrating injuries. Trying to overcome it by running (if you can still run) will only delay recovery. Recovery time can range from 3 months to 1 year, but usually takes 6 months.
In mild cases, completely stopping running is the best method. Water running or swimming can reduce foot pressure.
Repair
Roll your foot over a bottle filled with ice water for 5 minutes at a time, five times a day. Stretch the plantar fascia: sit down and cross one foot over the other so that the right ankle is on the left knee. Grab the end of the right toe and gently pull. Since tight calves are also a factor, it is recommended to use a foam roller to relax.
Preventing recurrence
Consult a professional at a specialty running shoe store to ensure you are wearing shoes that fit your foot type. Correcting habits can provide good help. Stretch and press the plantar fascia several times a day. In the morning, let your feet hang off the edge of the bed and rotate your ankles. Do core muscle exercises at least twice a week.
Shin splints
Shin splints refer to a condition where the inner side of the shin is under pressure, causing pain due to tearing of the shin muscles. It accounts for 15% of running injuries.
Shin signals
Red zone: Stop! Tenderness in the calf, especially when hopping on one foot. If it hurts to walk instead of run, there may be a fracture.
Yellow zone: Pay attention. Tightness and pain during running, but it disappears after stopping. No pain when hopping on one foot.
Green zone: Completely pain-free—even after you stop using ice or massaging the shin for a long time.
Who is at risk?
Shin splints usually occur in beginners or those returning to running after a long break. Running too much or too fast often causes this condition. Those wearing the wrong running shoes, running too much, and runners with flat feet or high arches are prone to injury.
Can it be overcome by running?
After the first twinge of pain, reduce your running days per week to a comfortable level, then gradually increase mileage by the 10% rule (no more than a 10% increase per week). Cross-training activities like cycling, water running, and swimming can be adopted.
Repair
Rest, ice, and pain relievers can reduce pain. Wearing an ankle brace during the day—even while running—can speed up recovery. The brace stabilizes the ankle, so the shin muscles don't have to work too hard to support your leg.
Preventing recurrence
The simplest and best way to prevent shin splints is to gradually increase mileage. If you have high arches, you need cushioned shoes. If you have flat feet, choose a stiffer shoe.
Iliotibial band syndrome (ITBS)
The iliotibial (IT) band runs along the outside of the thigh from the hip to the knee. When running, bending and extending your knee joint causes the IT band to rub against the thigh bone. If you increase mileage too quickly, especially with too much outdoor activity or downhill running, you may strain it.
Thigh hazard: how to detect it
Red zone: Stop! Pain on the outside of the knee along the entire leg when walking downhill or downstairs.
Yellow zone: Be alert. Pain on the outside of the knee 10 minutes into the run, but it disappears after walking.
Green zone: No pain on the outside of the knee and thigh even after mountain running or outdoor excursions.
Who is at risk?
Runners who overpronate, have legs of different lengths, or have weak hip muscles.
Can it be overcome by running?
ITBS is a difficult and fragile injury to deal with. Rest for 1 to 2 days or reduce weekly mileage to avoid exacerbating the injury.
Repair
Strengthen hip muscles with lateral steps and single-leg squats. Use a foam roller before and after running: roll the outside of the thigh from the knee to the hip on the roller. Adopt swimming and water running.
Preventing recurrence
Stick to exercises and use a foam roller. When running laps on a track, change direction every few laps and reduce mountain running.
Stress fractures
Unlike acute fractures from slips or falls, stress fractures result from repeated impact on the bone. The most common stress fractures in runners occur in the tibia (shin), metatarsals (foot), and calcaneus (heel). It is one of the most serious running injuries.
Bone check: how to handle it
Red zone: Stop! Pain when running. But not just during running, even standing feels uncomfortable.
Green zone: No pain before or after running, even if you are active all day.
Who is at risk?
Runners who overtrain. Bones need time to repair after training. If you increase running time, volume, or frequency too quickly, your bones won't recover fast enough. Stress fractures are more common in female runners than in males, due to inadequate nutrition, lower hormone levels, and insufficient calcium intake. Fortunately, weight-bearing exercises like running have positive effects, meaning that more running experience is beneficial.
Can it be overcome by running?
One word: no. Prepare for 6 to 16 weeks of rest. The amount of rest depends on the severity and location of the fracture.
Repair
Listen—carefully—to your body's signals. "Once you can walk without pain, you can start jogging. But if you feel pain, stop immediately. It's important to build up mileage slowly, even if it starts with just a few minutes."
Preventing recurrence
Increase bone density through weight training and ensure you get enough calcium and nutrition.
Alright, that's it for the introduction to the prevention and recovery of the 7 most common running injuries. I believe that after reading this, runners will find it helpful!
Original title: Seven Running Injuries! Know Early, Prevent Early!
(This article was originally published in the Running Bible, WeChat ID runningbible, and is reprinted with official authorization!)
Created: 2017-01-06 02:15:22