Jogging is an increasingly popular hobby and fitness routine, with reports estimating participation in the activity has increased nearly 20x over the last three decades.

Jogging is undeniably a great hobby and sport, contributing to living a healthy, active life. But it can have its drawbacks. Joggers pounding the pavement often find themselves facing a myriad of discomforts regarding their feet.

Apart from the usual blisters and hard calluses, many runners suffer from long-term, nagging injuries that can make it difficult to jog consistently and comfortably.

This guide will cover some of the more common conditions and injuries joggers face, and how to heal from them quickly.

Plantar Fasciitis

The major tendon running along the bottom of the foot is at the highest risk of inflammation from jogging. This condition often shows up without warning, like stepping on a nail. Plantar Fasciitis may originate from a variety of causes, often due to poorly fitted shoes, lack of foot support, gait, or not pacing yourself.

If your only pair of running shoes are too flat or worn down, you may need a new pair or some supplementary insoles to provide added support. For those affected, it may take between weeks to months for a full recovery. During this time ice, rest, and stretching are advised to help speed the process along.

Stress Fractures

We’re all familiar with the mantra, “No pain, no gain”. For joggers and runners out there, this catchphrase couldn’t be more off base, and is just how stress fractures can start to rear their ugly head. This condition may first present as localized pain, often in related muscle groups or more intensely in shins.

As the condition progresses you may no longer be able to jog without clenching your teeth in pain. Stress fractures happen over time, similar to tendonitis. You’ll need an MRI to confirm whether or not you have a fracture.

If the diagnosis is indeed a stress fracture, the path to recovery is rest, ice, compression and elevation.

Achilles Tendon Injury

This tendon is comprised of a tough band of fibrous tissue connecting the muscles of the calf to the heel bone. This tendon can become inflamed, torn, or ruptured as a result of overtraining or due to sports or work-related movements and activities. Proper footwear, support, stretching and conditioning in conjunction with a well-planned training regimen can reduce your risk for developing an injury. Only a medical professional can diagnose tendon injuries, after which they may suggest rest, ice, compression, elevation, heat, pain relievers, improved footwear, immobilization or other treatment options.

Ankle Sprains

Rolling your ankle loss of concentration, poor form, improper foot and ankle support and uneven ground are just a few of the most common causes of ankle sprains among joggers. There are two types of ankle sprains: high and low. High ankle sprains are common in sports because they involve a lot more force and twisting actions.

Most joggers will only experience the more common low ankle sprain, involving ligaments below the ankle joint. A cold compress with the foot elevated is usually all that is needed to recover from an ankle sprain. We recommend waiting a day and pacing yourself when returning to jog.

Need Help Recovering from an Injury?

At Main Street Health we’re dedicated to helping you get back up on your literal feet in no time. Our team of dedicated and talented medical and rehabilitative professionals are caring and experienced, providing cutting-edge custom-tailored support, therapeutic and rehab treatment protocols to get you back to your old self in no time. Call or drop by today to learn more.

Stretching increases oxygen levels and helps jump-start muscle-building. Stretching after your workouts is just as important as stretching before them. When it comes to exercise-related groin and hip pain, stretching is often one of the best remedies for reducing both its frequency and intensity.

You don’t need a personal trainer to do these four simple stretches at home. Remember to always take a few minutes to warm-up before stretching in order to prevent hyper-extensions and injury.

And if you’ve been experiencing groin and hip pain due to injury, arthritis, inflammation or other causes, don’t hesitate to reach out to our dedicated and talented team at Main Street Health today to get the help you deserve.

Stretches to Ease Groin and Hip Pain

1. Seated Floor Stretch

The first stretch you should begin with takes place while seated on the floor. This stretch will target your core and your hips. First, start with your legs together and your back straight. Next, lean forward as far as you can with your arms out.

Grab the furthest point your hands can reach and hold this position for between 20 to 30 seconds. Release, then spread your legs apart and repeat this same stretch. You should start to feel your hips open up and your lower back extending.

This is a great exercise to do before hopping out of bed every morning. It can help increase your energy levels and reduce stiffness.

2. Squatting

Doing squats is essentially an advanced form of stretching. You will get a lot of mileage out of squatting for groin and hip health so long as you maintain proper form. Start by standing straight, feet shoulder-width apart.

Breathe in as you dip down, stopping with your knees just above your toes. Resist the urge to go down further than that or you’ll place too much pressure on your knees. After about five seconds, breathe out as you ascend back up.

If you so desire and if you’re ready for it, a kettlebell or other weight can be included to further develop hip, glute, hamstring and quadriceps musculature while increasing your range of motion. It is important to note that squats work best as a preventative stretch, as they can become too intense when you’re already in pain.

3. Bending the Knee

As an alternative to squats, you can achieve similar results from simply kneeling down. Start with your feet together, then squat all the way down with your knees on the floor. With your feet under your butt, place all your weight on your toes and hold it for 30 seconds.

Carrying out this stretch against a wall can help with your balance. When in position, you can slowly open and close your legs. This will stretch out all your joints and ligaments slowly. You should feel your hips and groin loosen up while in this position.

4. Heisman Lunges

If you’re looking for a more intense stretch and strengthening exercise combination, lunges are great for both. We recommend starting with standard forward lunges before moving on to Heismans. The difference between the two is subtle, but important.

Heisman lunges take your forward stretch and add in a twist. As you descend into your lunge, you turn to the left or right. Twist until your elbow crosses your thigh opposite to it. Hold this position for 30-60 seconds each time.

For added strength training, you can carry a weight in your hands.

Need More Assistance? – call or reach out today

From sports and work injuries to accidents and chronic conditions such as arthritis, our team of dedicated and talented medical and rehabilitative professionals at Main Street Health are ready and eager to help. Call today to set up an appointment.

According to the Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) and Active.com, between 65-80% of runners will end up with a running-related injury each and every year. If you’re a runner this statistic might seem alarming. Fact is, the odds aren’t in your favour.

That’s the bad news. The good news is that there are simple and effective things you can incorporate into your training regimen to prevent these injuries from occurring in the first place.  If you don’t find the following helps you call Hamilton physiotherapy clinic today!

In this guide, we’ll discuss the three most common running injuries, what they are, why they happen, and what you can do to avoid them. If you are currently dealing with a sports-related injury consider reaching out to our team for help. At Main Street Health we are experienced and adept at accurately assessing and diagnosing underlying causes of injuries and pain, helping you get back on your feet in no time.

1. Runner’s Knee

Medically known as patellofemoral pain syndrome or “PFPS”, runner’s knee involves the inflammation and irritation of cartilage located under your kneecap (patella). According to a Runners World poll, knee-related injuries comprised around 40% of all running-related injuries each year.

Who is at Risk for Runner’s Knee?

Risk factors are for this type of injury generally involve biomechanical issues that result in additional stress being placed on the knee joint. Examples include weak quadriceps, hips, glutes and over-pronation (inward rolling of the foot).

What do Do If You Already Have it?

Consider taking additional rest and recovery days between running sessions or reducing how many miles a week to run. If symptoms persist physical therapy may prove useful.

How to Prevent Runner’s Knee?

• Incorporate uphill running into your training
• Reduce downhill running
• Add bicycling into your routine
• Opt for low impact knee-friendly activities including swimming and elliptical training
• Incorporate strength training for your glutes, hip and quads
• Add in lateral side steps into your training
• Focus on reducing stride length on runs
• Focus on landing each stride with your knee slightly bent to reduce impact load on the joint
• Count the number of steps taken per minute running and increase that rate by 5-10% per each minute
• Warm up before each training session
• Routinely stretch to keep joints and muscles flexible and elastic

2. Achilles Tendinitis

This injury involves, you guessed it, the Achilles tendon. This tendon, located at the posterior of your heel, connects your two primary calf muscles to your heel. When overworked or under high loads of stress, this tendon can become inflamed and quite painful.

Who is at Risk for Achilles Tendinitis?

Those with weak posterior leg musculature such as glutes, hamstrings and calves, as well as those with poor flexibility especially in the muscles of the calf. Dramatically increasing training volume, load, hills and speed work may also contribute to this injury.

What do Do If You Already Have it?

Back off your training for a while. With this type of injury, it is not recommended that you “work through it”. Failing to allow time for minor tendinitis to heal could result in a more severe case necessitating months of recovery time. Consider physiotherapy or rehabilitation as a means to safely get back to training.

How to Prevent Runner’s Knee?

• Increase muscle strength and endurance of the glutes, calves and hamstrings by incorporating resistance work into your routine. Squats, burpees, lunges and calf raises are a good place to start.
• Practice eccentric heel drops in order to strengthen the calves themselves.
• Incorporate elliptical machine training, pool running and swimming into your routine.
• Avoid aggressive calf stretching but do keep limber.
• Avoid wearing heels and sandals (both of which irritate the Achilles tendon.

3. Hamstring Injuries

Those muscles that run down the back of your thighs are called hamstrings. These muscles are responsible for bending our knees, extending our legs, pushing us up inclines and powering up kicks. But when they become too weak or rigid to perform, they can cause serious discomfort and even injury.

Who is at Risk for Hamstring Issues?

Those with genetically long or short hamstrings. Hamstrings that are either too rigid or even too flexible (i.e. overly stretched and prone to damage). Muscle tightness. And those with a disproportionate muscle imbalance, particularly as it relates to the quadriceps and hamstrings.

What do Do If you Already Have Issues?

Pain that is acute and that comes on suddenly may be indicative of a true “pulled” muscle and you may require prolonged rest, ranging from weeks to months. Having your issues evaluated by a physiotherapy professional is advisable as they may be able to suggest rehabilitative exercises and stretching that can help you on the path to a faster recovery.

How to Prevent Hamstring Issues:

• Incorporate strengthening exercises such as one-legged deadlifts
• Utilize a foam roller to gently reduce muscle tightness both before and after runs
• Deep tissue massage may prove beneficial
• Incorporate bridge exercises into your regimen
• Consider wearing compression tights

Closing Thoughts Regarding Running Injuries

Injuries sustained from running are quite common and can range from minor aches and pains to debilitating injuries that require lengthy recovery times.

If you have been injured or are experiencing pain during your sessions it is advisable to seek out the help of a trained professional. At Main Street Health our team can quickly and accurately diagnose any issues you may be experiencing and set you up with a rehabilitation plan aimed at getting you back on track in no time.