Seeing a physiotherapy running injury specialist can be the difference between an acute injury and a long-term injury. They can teach you techniques to improve your run and prevent injuries.
Overuse Injuries
Overuse running injuries physio Beverley occur when a muscle, tendon or ligament is repeatedly stressed without adequate rest. These repetitive stress injuries can lead to microtrauma that results in pain, swelling and tenderness of the injured tissue. Over time, this can lead to chronic pain, weakness, or fractures (a stress fracture is a weak spot in the bone).
These injuries often have a gradual onset and are therefore ignored for weeks or months in the hope that the injury will simply go away. However, ignoring the injury will only make it worse. Early intervention by a running injuries physio Beverley can be the difference between a short period of reduced training and weeks or even months off running.
Overuse injuries are commonly seen in young athletes and can be due to a variety of reasons. Involvement in a new sport, sudden increases in the amount of running or training and training at an intensity that is too high can all increase the risk of developing this type of injury. Children can be more prone to these types of injuries as the long bones in their arms, legs and hands still have soft areas of cartilage at the ends of the bone called growth plates. These soft areas of cartilage can be damaged by overuse and repetitive stress.
Sprains
Runners are especially susceptible to straining of muscles of the foot and ankle and the calf. The initial physio treatment for these injuries is generally based on the RICE (rest, ice, compression, and elevation) protocol. Once the pain has settled it may be appropriate to start some gentle movement of the injured muscle/tendon. This usually includes stretches and single leg heel raises. The timing of this will be influenced by the severity of the injury and the runner’s long-term running goals.
A detailed clinical assessment of the injured muscle/tendon is necessary to determine how severe the injury is. This includes looking at the underlying muscle imbalances/stability issues that are contributing to the injury and the factors that contribute to recurrent injury in runners. For example, a recurrent calf strain can be caused by a variety of things such as; footwear, training load/intensity, previous injury history and running style. Getting to the bottom of what is causing the injury will help in formulating an effective management plan. This is a vital step to ensure the right balance of return to running, intensity and length of recovery period.
Strains
Runners require very high loads from their muscles and tendons, especially when they are sprinting or running at very fast speeds. The gastrocnemius and soleus muscles, for example, can be loaded up to 1.9 and 6.7 times bodyweight during a run. These muscles are also more susceptible to injury due to their higher percentage of type II muscle fibres which develop fast, eccentric (downward) contractions. Muscle strains typically occur in runners who are pushing their bodies faster than they can recover from, or who have a biomechanical imbalance.
Muscle Pulls
A muscle strain (pulled muscle) is a damage or tear to one or more of your muscles. Often the injured muscle will feel tight and there may be some bruising or swelling. You will likely notice a decrease in muscle strength and be unable to run or walk on the injured muscle.
It is quite common for a runner to have a calf strain. Many of these runners will not recall a single moment of acute injury but rather a progressive tightening sensation in the calf that eventually becomes too painful to continue running. On clinical assessment these recurring calf strains tend to be associated with a deficiency in the gastrocnemius or soleus muscles, notably a weakness that can be identified by simple tests such as our calf capacity tests. Once these underlying deficits have been addressed recurrence of calf strains usually drops significantly.
Injury Prevention
Running is an incredibly popular exercise for people of all ages and fitness levels, but it’s not without its risks. From shin splints to runners’ knee, injuries can be common among those who are new to the sport or for those who increase their training too quickly. However, many of these injuries are preventable.
Having a full assessment with a physiotherapist is a great way to understand what may be contributing to your injury and how you can avoid future problems. This includes understanding what your current running volume is, what types of shoes you wear and how often you train.