Running Injuries

Running injuries will reveal themselves as soon you start putting more miles in your training runs at some point or the other. While injuries come in many shapes and sizes, some of the most common ones are listed below:

Plantar Fascitis

Symptoms	Causes	Treatment
Pain at the base of the heel: most severe in the morning	Flat feet and overpronation Running in worn-out shoes Stress, tension & pulling on plantar fascia	Icing and rest

Shin Splints

Symptoms	Causes	Treatment
Pain in the shins	Overpronation Running on hard surfaces like concrete Improper running shoes Tired or inflexible calf muscles	Icing and rest

Chondromalacia

It is a wearing away and cracking of the cartilage under the kneecap resulting in pain and inflammation.

Symptoms	Causes	Treatment
Severe pain after running hills Swelling Pain beneath or on the side of the kneecap	Overpronation: causes knee to twist sideways Overtraining Aggravation due to downhill running	Icing and rest Stretching after the pain is gone

IT band syndrome

Symptoms	Causes	Treatment
Inflammation and pain on the outside of the IT band Dull ache starts during the run initially, lingers during the run and disappears when you stop In severe cases, outside of the knee can be tender or swollen	Overpronation Worn-out shoes Workouts on downhill	Icing and rest Stretching the IT band Self massage

Achilles tendon

Symptoms	Causes	Treatment
Limited ankle flexibility Dull or sharp pain along the back of the tendon	Tight or fatigued calf muscles that transfer much of the burden of running to the achilles Excessive hill work or speed training can cause stress to the achilles Overpronation and improper shoes	Icing and rest Self massage

Most treatments also suggest taking painkillers like ibuprofen or aspirin. However, using these is a personal choice and should be done after consulting a doctor.