+
Home BlogRunning Injuries

Category: Running Injuries

12May
Running injuries are caused by a rapid training increase
Running injuries are caused by a rapid training increase

Houston, lace up your sneakers, hit the Buffalo Bayou Trail at dawn, or push through that CrossFit WOD—only to be sidelined by a stabbing heel pain. Sound familiar? You are not alone. The city’s fitness craze has a sneaky downside: Houston heel pain from heel spurs and plantar fasciitis. But before you resign yourself to a life of ice packs and skipped workouts, let us talk about the game-changer keeping local runners on their feet—shockwave therapy treatment.

Read More “The Secret Behind Houston Runners’ Pain-Free Feet”
20Dec

Before you start to visit a Podiatrist in Cypress, TX, to treat foot conditions such as plantar fasciitis and heel pain, you need to know your foot type. According to a study, roughly 75 percent of the adult population deal with foot pain. The feet have a huge responsibility and take pressure while standing and walking.

Read More “Cypress Foot Specialist: Choosing the Right Shoes for Your Foot Type”
22Apr

 

Person performing foot exercise with orange massage ball on pink yoga mat.

Ignoring the health of your foot, ankle, and toes will come at a cost. Regular stretching and exercising of the feet and ankles increase the range of motion to provide the best support and avoid overuse injuries. Whether you are a weekend warrior, an avid runner, or mall walker adding foot and ankle workout routines is very important for the health of your foot. Weakness of the lower extremities leaves the feet susceptible to foot running injury, sore achilles tendon, achilles tendonitis, spraining, straining, and overuse injury. Foot and ankle exercises improve balance, joint flexibility, and strength.

Before starting any exercise, warm up with at least 5 minutes of low-impact activity such as walking. As you warm up, get into the foot exercises to prevent running injury or sore achilles tendon, and if you are not sure how to go about it or experience pain, contact a podiatrist.

Read More “Exercises to Prevent Foot Injuries from Running”
Close-up of red, sore heels indicating running injury or plantar fasciitis.
4Feb

What Causes Running Injuries?

More than fifty percent of runners suffer from an injury every year. Every elite runner knows that being sidelined for running injuries, especially heel pain, Achilles tendon pain, and the plantar fasciitis, is disappointing. People think running injuries occur because they increased the distance or intensity, or they did not stretch before and after running among other reasons. Some of these reasons aggravate an already underlying problem.

Most injuries are due to biochemical imbalance which causes the breakdown of the body due to subjective repetitive load causes. Biochemical imbalances cause muscle weakness and other imbalances that cause running injuries include

foot pain

Muscle Flexibility Imbalances

A tight muscle is a common reason for a running injury. It is very possible to do a few stretches and get back running without pain. Simple, right! No, it’s not because the stretches help you re-align a muscle or tissue and you are back running again. The main question is what was the cause of the tight muscle? First, you need to find out why the muscle is overworking or tightening because stretching is a temporal solution. A tight hamstring may be as a result of weak abdominal muscles or glute muscle. These might be forcing the hamstring to compensate and with a few stretches you do not solve the weak abs or glutes and the problem might recur.

Soft Tissue Imbalances

This is complex, but changes in muscle tension can trigger points of fascia tightness. Muscle tension affects how the body functions, but with regular massage, the muscles relax.

Structural Imbalances

The body is not perfectly symmetrical; that is the right side of the body is not the same as the left side. People who cope well have minor asymmetries of the body depending on the number of differences. Others have severe structural imbalances that need more attention to avoid overstraining causing injuries from time to time.  

Muscle Strength Imbalances

For optimal functioning of the body, a balance between the inside and outside, the right and left side, the bottom and top, and the front and back of the body should be maintained. If the muscles of the right leg are weaker the muscles of the left leg will have difficulties. Unfortunately, there is never enough exercise to strengthen your muscles as you would expect. It is important to note that every joint in your body is affected when you work on one muscle. Effective muscle exercises need to be tailored individually for running purposes.

Some common running injuries include

Plantar fasciitis

This is an irritation of the fibrous tissue at the base of the heel due to forced strain on the plantar fascia. One experiences an arch pain or heel pain and the foot hurts with every step making running very difficult. This injury is common with runners who have very low or very high arches because the plantar fascia is forced to stretch. The pain caused by plantar fasciitis can continue for months and even years before completely healing so it should be treated as soon as possible.

Achilles tendon pain

The Achilles tendon is the strongest and thickest tendon connecting the back of the heel and calf muscles. The Achilles tendon injury is the painful inflammation of the tendon. The pain is common in the morning or with activity. Avoid training amidst this injury because the pain will eventually hinder the ability to jog lightly. Runners who have tight, weak calves are vulnerable to this injury.

Choosing the right running shoe is one of the protective ways in which runners can safeguard themselves from injuries. Correct your biomechanics to decrease the probability of injuries.

Person tying running shoes for optimal foot support and comfort.
26Nov

running shoes

Searching for the right running shoes can feel daunting if you are not sure what the things that you should look for are. There are so many different choices on offer for you, with each claiming to have some or other technology to offer you the maximum comfort. So, here is a brief rundown on the things that you should keep in mind when trying to choose the best running shoes for yourself.

Choose shoes that are specifically made for running

Running shoes look a lot like sneakers, but they have special designs and features that make them remarkably different. While running, your foot is hitting the ground in the same way repeatedly. Running shoes help in shock absorption during this time, so that you do not suffer from troubles, like heel pain, later on.

Getting the fit absolutely right

If the shoes do not fit right, you are just setting yourself up for foot diseases, such as plantar fasciitis, in future. Keep in mind that your feet swell a slight bit through the day and they also spread as you run. So, it is better to try out the shoes in the evening or afternoon to get a more accurate estimate of the fit. There has to be about a thumb width of gap between the end of your shoe and the foot to account for the foot spread.

Select the right kind of running shoes

The kind of running shoes you get should also depend on the intensity of running that you plan to do. So, you need to opt for trail running shoes if you practice on dirt tracks more. Lightweight shoes would work well for races or faster workouts. Finally, you can also opt for daily running shoes, which are the most durable option. It can handle any kind of running that you want to do.

Consider what you are paying for

The price tag of running shoes usually relates to the kind of technology or comfort that the shoes are supposed to offer you. Now, this means getting inexpensive shoes would not really work in giving you the comfort you need to run. On the other hand, it is not like only the most expensive pair is your best bet when aiming to enjoy a run.

Understand a few terms

  • Stack height

Stack height is the amount of material placed between the ground and your feet. The ones who look for high impact protection, opt for higher stack height. On the other hand, those who are looking for a more natural experience of feeling the ground while running can go for low stack height.

  • Pronation

Pronation refers to the rolling of your foot from the heel to the toe by the foot strike. A neutral strike pattern is when you strike with the outer part of the heel and move up to the ball of the foot. If you have flat foot, then you might have over-pronation, which is rolling too much inside of the foot during the strike cycle. The opposite of this is under-pronation, which happens when your feet have high arches.

  • Heel-toe drop

Heel-toe drop is the difference in the amount of material under the forefoot and that under the heel. You should check that there’s more material under the heel to go with your normal stride while running where the heel hits the ground with the maximum impact.

Lastly, keep in mind that it’s not like the shoes that are perfect for your friend would even be right for you. So, keep these points in mind and choose the running shoes that fit your feet the best.

Person holding ankle with running shoes on outdoor path.
3Oct

If you continue to run in your old and worn-out shoes for a long time, it can eventually result in inconvenience and damage to your feet. After a while, old shoes tend to lose their properties like stability, shock absorption and cushioning. Thus, running in such shoes accentuates the strain and pressure on your joints and feet and can lead to common pains, discomforts, as well as wounds due to overuse,

According to Houston podiatrists at DeNiel Foot and Ankle Center, replacing your old shoes at the right time is the best way to avoid the damage that results due to running in these shoes. The following are some of the indicators that will notify you about the ideal time to change your worn-out running shoes.

running shoes

  • Experiencing Pain While Running

This is one of the most important intimations, indicating that it is time for you to buy new running shoes. If you are experiencing shin splints, as well as discomfort in your knee joints, that is because your old shoes have lost their cushioning, and wearing such shoes any longer can lead to pain on both knees. In case you continue to experience pain even after switching to your new shoes, consult a foot specialist Houston as he can guide you in the best way possible.

  • Ineffective impact absorption

Old shoes also tend to lose their shock absorption after some time. If you are able to feel the strike of every step that you take, in your hips, feet, and knees, it implies that the shock absorption ability of your old shoes has degraded over time. Running is an activity which puts a lot of strain and impact on your feet, therefore running in shoes with excellent impact absorption can decrease the strain on bones, tendons, ligaments, and muscles of your body.

  • Weary Treads

If the treads on the sole of your running shoes have worn-out to a great extent, then you should opt for a new pair. Soles of the running shoes tend to endure for a longer time as compared to its other properties like impact absorption and cushioning. Hence, if the soles of your running shoes are exhausted, make sure that you purchase the new ones.

  • Irregular Wear

If you notice that your running shoes are wearing in an irregular manner, or your step wear pattern suggests a potential gait problem, visit a foot doctor Houston at  DeNiel Foot and Ankle Center  to determine the method for rectifying the issue. Changing your running pattern may possibly help, but the doctor can also suggest you change your worn-out running shoes. Extreme wear on the front portion of your shoe is an indication of over pronation.

According to researchers, wearing convenient and comfortable shoes while running supports the movement of runners and assists them in maintaining the ideal form. Therefore, changing your worn-out running shoes at the right time will help you reduce the risk of injuries and joint pains.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our office located in Houston, TX. We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot and ankle needs.