Runner Injuries

Running is no doubt a healthy form of exercise and a great hobby. While running may be extremely beneficial for your heart and weight-loss efforts, it can sometimes take its toll on your legs, feet and ankles. Listed below are three common injuries that runners often have to deal with.

Shin Splints

Shin splints are the result of micro tears in the bone and muscle at the front of the leg. In most cases, shin splints are caused by prolonged running on hard surfaces as the bone and muscles in the shin must continuously absorb the shock. Shin splints are often quite painful and need to be corrected before a runner can continue their exercise routine.

Heel Spurs

Heel spurs are a small point of outward growing bone on the heel. They form in areas of inflammation such as when the Achilles tendon becomes inflamed. Since runners may often end up aggravating and inflaming their Achilles tendon, heel spurs are a common problem for them. Symptoms of heel spurs are pain, numbness and tenderness if they are irritating adjacent areas, though if they are not irritating the adjacent tissue they may go unnoticed.

Ankle Sprains and Fractures

Unlike heel spurs and shin splints which form over time due to prolonged exercise, ankle sprains and fractures can happen in an instant. Twist your ankle too far in the wrong direction and you may even end up with a broken ankle. Fractures, sprains, and breaks in the ankle are all quite painful and, in some cases, require surgery to fully repair.

Correcting Runner Injuries

There’s no reason you should let the fear of injury keep you from a beneficial hobby such as running. However, if you do incur one of the injuries common to runners, it’s important to correct it as soon as possible.

At Southeast Orthopedic Specialists, we specialize in helping people fully recover from injuries such as those listed above. If you are suffering from foot, ankle, or leg pain and are ready to correct the problem, we invite you to contact us today.