Running is one of the most popular ways, not only to lose weight and stay fit but also to maintain overall wellness.
Although running has many benefits, there arex some disadvantages to overdoing it and doing bad running practices, which can lead to unwanted injuries that can affect your everyday life.
Over 40 million Americans run regularly, and this data goes to show that running is, in fact, popular, even if you can get injured at times. 80% of all the injuries that happen because of running are due to repetitive stress from the force you exert on your knees, legs, calves, heels, and other body parts.
It is possible to get injured when running, and here is a list of the injuries that you might experience if you run too much or do it the wrong way:
Achilles tendinitis
This injury refers to inflammation of the tendon that connects your calf to your heel.
And it may happen if you suddenly increase your running distance and intensity.
You will know if you are experiencing Achilles if you feel symptoms like:
- Swelling along your Achilles tendon
- Limited range of motion when you flex your foot towards your shin
- Pain in your lower leg above your heel
Runner’s knee or patellofemoral syndrome
This common injury refers to pain in front of your knee.
It is a common injury in any sport that involves a lot of running or jumping.
The common symptoms are:
- Pain felt on the kneecap
- Pain that gets worse when climbing stairs, jumping and squatting
- The pain ranges from mild to severe pain
Hamstring injuries
Hamstring strains are common if you do not stretch your muscles before doing sprints.
Experiencing hamstring strains is not that common for distance runners.
If you have a hamstring injury, you may experience symptoms like:
- Pain in the back of your upper leg
- Stiffness or weakness in your hamstring
