Top 5 Running Injuries

By 22/03/2017Sports

Food sure became more irresistible during the festive season, especially when I was constantly surrounded by loved ones eager to have a taste of all that yummylicious Lunar New Year delicacies!

After all the feasting, you may be reflecting on all the extra calories you consumed and thinking if you should have exercised more self-control. Don’t beat yourself up over it – you enjoyed every mouthful, and feeling guilty isn’t going to change anything.

runningHowever, it’s definitely time to go back to working out!

Running is a hot favourite sport that many people opt for to get their weekly workout in, and it sure is a great way to keep fit.

If you’re a runner, or not yet a runner but intending to join the club, that’s great – but be forewarned that there are injury risks that come with running.

Learn to listen to your body for signs of overuse and rest when you need. Make sure to start at a comfortable pace and know when to stop. Even seasoned runners tend to overlook their bodily signs but it is so important to understand your body’s ability in order to build on it and avoid potential injuries.

Here are 5 of the most common running injuries according to orthopaedic surgeon Dr Kevin Lee.

  1. Shin splints

Medically, shin splints are described as an inflammation of the lining on the inner side of the shinbone. It’s okay if you didn’t get it there. What you need to know is shin splints present as pain on the inner side of lower leg. And that you can recover from a shin splint by getting sufficient rest, applying ice over affected areas, stretching and anti-inflammatory medication.

With the right treatment, you’re likely to recover in about 2 weeks. But if you persist in running despite the pain, although I would advise against this, shin splints can progress to a more serious condition called stress fractures.

  1. Iliotibial band syndrome (ITBS)

The iliotibial band is actually a muscle-like tissue that starts from outside the hip and pelvis, runs down the side of your thigh, and inserts into the outside and front of the knee. The syndrome itself presents as pain on outside either the hip or knee.

  1. Patella/Quadriceps tendonitis

(I know, neither names roll off the tongue nicely.) This basically refers to the inflammation of the muscles below or above the knee cap. (Patella for above, and quadriceps for below.)

  1. Meniscus tear

You know it can’t be a good thing if it’s a tear, especially when it’s a tear in the knee. In this case, the shock absorbers in our knees become torn. We require these shock absorbers to soften the stress we put on our knees with every movement we make (with our legs, especially). When these shock absorbers are unable to do their job anymore, we end up feeling pain and discomfort when running, bending and squatting.

  1. Ankle sprain

Ah, finally one injury you’re probably familiar with. Ankle sprains are a common injury caused by running on uneven ground. When you sprain your ankle, the ligaments on the outside of the ankle becomes partially torn and this causes bruising and swelling. (Yikes, already sounds too painful!)

These are the 5 most common injuries runners tend to run into. Of course, there are many other potential running injuries we are susceptible but whichever injury it is, it sure doesn’t sound too convenient, does it?

While we do what we can to avoid injuries, there are times unforeseen circumstances land us in unfortunate situations. So when you’ve sustained an injury, the next thing you gotta know how to identify is when to seek treatment.

A lot of times… we don’t seek treatment for running injuries because it is not easy to gauge the severity of the injury with our naked eyes. So unless there is pain so bad that it affects your mobility, you can self-treat using the RICE – Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevate – method.

If this method fails to help you recuperate in 2 weeks, and you still feel discomfort or pain, then it’s about time to seek a specialist. (It is probably also safe to assume that your injury is no longer a minor case.)

Despite all that being said, running still remains a good form of exercising. While you’re out there conquering the roads, be sure to watch where you’re landing but also remember to enjoy the run! Empty your mind from everything that’s been weighing you down and just have fun – that’s what a run is about!

Information contributed by Dr Kevin Lee,
orthopaedic surgeon at Mount Elizabeth Hospital.

Author V.M. Simandan

is a Beijing-based Romanian-born counsellor, coach, psychology teacher, and former competitive archer

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V.M. Simandan