Runners’ Injuries
Injuries can be bothersome for anyone’s legs, but for a runner, they can be devastating. The most likely injury for runners is shin splints, which are more normally called painful shins (also called Medial tibial stress syndrome, to be medically correct), all of which is simply an inflammation along the inner side of the shinbone. Some common runners’ injuries are big, and can include, but are not limited to the hips and thighs, knees, legs, ankle and foot.
Shin splints, to be specific, occur if you have a more concentrated pain or tenderness in the lower third of the leg on the inside, or along the entire shin, and if stretching eases the pain, a fracture is less likely. Run on soft surfaces if the pain is not severe.
Specific injuries to the hips and thighs are hip bursitis, snapping hip syndrome, and Iliotibial Band Syndrome. For example, hip bursitis is a common problem that causes pain over the outside of the upper thigh. A bursa is a fluid filled sac that allows smooth motion between two uneven surfaces. When the bursal sac becomes inflamed, each time the tendon has to move over the bone, pain results. Because patients with hip bursitis move this tendon with each step, hip bursitis symptoms can be quite painful. Treatment is aimed at controlling the inflammation
The most common runners’ injuries are minor in comparison, but just as likely to sideline a runner for days, or weeks at a time. With common injuries like Ankle Sprains, Hamstring Pulls, Blisters, and Groin Pulls, runners are constantly watching their bodies for any sign their bodies are under strain. Ankle Sprains, which are the most common sports injuries, occurs when there is a stretching and tearing of ligaments surrounding the ankle joint. The numerous ligaments around the ankle can become pulled and torn when the ankle is forced into a position not normally encountered.
Ankle sprains are classified by the degree of severity. These are:
For immediate relief, follow the R.I.C.E. treatment plan. Rest, Ice, Compression and elevation are the best immediate treatment for all pulls and strains. Many of the problems resulting from sprains are due to blood and edema in and around the ankle, therefore it is important to minimizing swelling. After applying the ice, wrap the ankle in an ACE bandage to keep it supported and compressed. An anti-inflammatory can be helpful to reduce pain and inflammation for the first 7 to 10 days after the injury.
Another common runners’ injury is the Groin Pull. Pain in the groin is often the result of a groin pull or strain. This is similar to any other type of pulled or strained muscle, but it occurs when the muscles of the inner thigh are stretched beyond their limits. This can result in small muscle tears that cause pain and swelling.
For immediate relief, again, follow the R.I.C.E. treatment plan. Rest, ice, compression and elevation are the best immediate treatment for pulls and strains. Avoid aggravating activities for the first one to two weeks and gradually return to sports. Once activity is started again, ice the muscle after exercise to reduce any swelling. After applying the ice, wrap the thigh to keep it compressed. An anti-inflammatory can be helpful to reduce pain and inflammation for up to a week after the injury.
When inflammation subsides, you can start a stretching program. And then a strengthening program of low-intensity exercises.
By watching your body while you run and taking the proper precautions, you can avoid or minimize the damage these injuries can take on your body. Warm-up and cool down as instructed to give your body the limberness and agility it needs. The treatments are similar for all injuries, R.I.C.E., and the more serious injuries need immediate medical attention.
http://www.copacabanarunners.net/ishin.html
http://orthopedics.about.com/cs/sportsmedicine/a/runninginjury.htm
http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/runninginjuries/a/runninginjury.htm
