What Are The 7 Most Common Running-Related Injuries?

As humans, we were built to withstand running for long periods of time at various speeds. However, this highly repetitive activity inherently involves a significant level of impact, leading to a plethora of injuries. Have you met a runner that hasn’t dealt with some sort of injury? Odds are you haven’t. The majority of injuries that runners sustain involve areas ranging from the lumbar spine (lower back) to the foot.

The seven most common injuries runners experience include the following:

1. Runner’s Knee (AKA patellofemoral pain syndrome, or PFPS)
2. Achilles Tendonitis/Tendinopathy
3. Hamstring Issues
4. Plantar Fasciitis
5. Shin Splints
6. Iliotibial (IT) Band Syndrome 
7. Stress Fractures

For good measure, I would like to add to this list an eighth item, lower back pain (LBP). I have worked with countless runners who experience lower back pain, often in conjunction with one of the other pain points listed above. That brings us to a critical focus point: injuries are never treated in isolation. What do I mean by this?

When someone comes to the clinic with knee pain, we know that only treating the knee will not solve the problem. When treating any patient, our first goal is to first help them manage the symptoms so they can remain as active, and healthy, as possible in their discipline. Once the symptoms are under control, we aim to identify the root cause of the issue. Lastly, the goal is to educate the client on how to best manage the issue independently to prevent it from recurring. 

Read “Rethinking Running Injuries – 4 Causes You Should Be Aware Of”

Treating the seven common injuries listed above generally comes down to managing the runner’s training load. Take care of the easy “wins” first so you can then focus on areas that may need more attention such as adequate mobility, strength work, gait analysis, and more.

Are you battling a running injury? I encourage you to give us a call at 720.316.9974 for a Free Discovery Session to see how we can help you resolve your injury once and for all.

Watch the “Ready to Run Checklist” Video Series to enhance your mobility and prevent injury.