Running injuries: The why’s, the do’s and the don’ts.

Running injuries: The why’s, the do’s and the don’ts.

Running is one of the most enjoyable types of exercise, getting you outdoors and moving. It’s easy and accessible for basically anyone – all you need is a pair of running shoes and off you go. BUT, this is often the reason why many people incur running injuries. Starting off too fast or too hard for what your body is capable of can cause injuries, setting you back and making you lose confidence. Let’s take a look at running injuries and what you can do to avoid them.

What is a running injury?

If you’ve had a running injury, you will know that it could be painful and frustrating. Unfortunately, the repetitive impact of all those foot strikes can cause injury to your muscles, joints and connective tissue. According to a 2015 review of studies, the most common injury areas are the knees, legs and feet.

A running injury is seen as a restriction or stoppage of running for at least seven days or three consecutive scheduled training sessions (Yamato et al 2015).

The hard facts of running injuries

20% of runners training for an 8 -12km race sustain an injury (Dalinga et al 2019).

50% of all runners that train for a marathon will have to stop running during training as a result of an injury (van Gent et al 2017).

Why do runners get injured? The biggest culprit is The Rule of Toos – prevalent in 80% of overuse exercises.

• Too much

• Too fast

• Too soon

• Too far

Too much (Training volume)

Research shows that runners that rest less than 2 days in a week increase their risk for overuse injuries by 520%.

Too fast

We all get excited when we see progress in our running. We want to push ourselves, but going too fast can often lead to injuries. A good rule of thumb is to run at a conversational pace and so maintain stamina over time. This means you can keep up a conversation with a running buddy without panting for air.

Too soon

Running too much, too fast and too far too soon, spells trouble. Running is a step by step process and pacing yourself is the name of the game. Similarly, running too soon after an injury is one of the biggest mistakes a runner can make. Make sure you give yourself enough recovery time to ensure complete healing of your injury.

Too far

An essential rule of running is the 10 percent rule. The rule states that:

‘A person should never increase his weekly training mileage by more than 10 percent every week.’

This rule gained popularity in the 1980s in the Runner’s World Magazine. Experts had found that runners who increase their running distance (or running speed) too quickly in the beginning sustain more injuries.

So, how do you apply the 10 percent rule? Never raise your weekly targeted distance by more than 10 percent, and don’t raise the distance of your long run above half of your weekly total.

What can we do to ensure injury-free running?

1. A good warm-up routine

2. 2x strength training sessions per week decreases overuse injuries by 50%

3. Plyometric sessions on land or in the pool

4. Avoid the rule of toos!

Checkout our video for a proper warmup!

References:

Videbaek, 2015 ; Raske 2000

Running 18injuries per 1000 hours

Cross-fit 3 injuries per 1000 hours

Olympic weight lifting 2,6 injuries per 1000 hours

Body building 0.24-1 injuries per 1000 hours