Running Pain » Race2BFit

Running Injuries

Aches and pains can be expected as your body adapts to new levels of physical activity.
Learn more about where and why things hurt along with steps towards recovery and prevention

Click below to find a wide variety of common running-related injuries, recovery recommendations, and prevention strategies

Running Pain
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**Upper-Body**

Head

Head Pain From Running:

Ever finish up with a run only to be congratulated by a throbbing / pounding headache? You may not be alone? Believe it or not, there’s a term for this exact scenario and it’s called an Exertional Headache. They can be quite common after doing a challenging exercise, compared to something a bit more light, and running tends to be more of a challenge.

The Culprits

1. Dehydration – When you’re losing fluids faster than they’re being taken in, overall blood volume (overall amount in your body) decreases. This can mean that less blood is actually getting to your brain. Since blood helps carry oxygen throughout your body, less blood flow = less oxygen delivered to your head. Now your body is smarter than you think and will try to compensate where it can. Believe it or not, the brain can actually shrink slightly to try and compensate for such but this above situation is what’s thought to cause those headaches both during and after a good run / race.
2. Hyponatremia – Also known as low sodium levels in the body. Thankfully it’s not too challenging to manage electrolyte balances within the body. Think the Hour:Hour Rule where if you plan to be doing high-intensity exercising / racing for at least one hour, consume some electrolytes one hour beforehand and then every 15-20 minutes during until completed. You can find electrolytes in gels / fluids that have electrolytes added or even capsules.
3. Hypoglycemia – Known to most as low blood sugar, such sugars play a key role in the function of your brain. Glucose, or blood sugar, is one of your bodies main sources of energy. This may be something to discuss further with your doctor as everyone’s body handles sugars differently. To keep it simple, the less sugar that’s in your blood = less fuel for your brain.
4. Form / External Forces – Lastly, poor running mechanics can play a role in a headache. Forces coming up every time your foot hits the ground travel all the way up your body. This is know to some as the “kinetic chain”. Having tight shoulders or strained neck muscles can increase the chances of developing headaches. Now when it comes to things like temperature / humidity / winds / etc. plan accordingly to bring extra hydration / electrolytes to ensure you have a race / run to be proud of!

Suggested Fix:

On your next run, give yourself a quick mental check up. You’d be surprised on how much you can adjust just by thinking about it. Keeping your shoulders back, down, and relaxed will really help avoid any preventable muscle-related strains or restrictions of blood flow.

1. If you’re consistently exercising on a daily basis, you can also consider 1 oz per pound of body weight. **Also, be careful to not consume too much water before, during, or after running. Knowing you’ll be stopping at aid stations along the course, plan accordingly on how much to consume before-hand as the brain can actually swell slightly which can also cause those headaches.
2. Massage your upper trapezius muscles. They’re right where the upper back meets the neck seen in the above images. Tight shoulder muscles can put additional strain on the neck and head.
3. Having a good snack about 30-minutes before a run can help ward off a drop in your insulin levels. Also, increasing your carbohydrate intake a couple days prior to an upcoming race or long run can help top levels off.
4. Although you can’t exactly exercise your head, consider exercises for your neck and shoulders such as shoulder shrugs / neck flexion and extension / shoulder presses for stretching or warm-up

Check out the full article here thanks to Runner’s World.

**Always do your own research as everyone’s body functions / responds differently when it comes to exercise. Always consult a doctor for situations that are abnormal.*

Neck

Chronic Neck Pain From Running:

Running is supposed to be a lower-body-type exercise right? Not quite, as it really has a heavy reliance on the entire body working properly to help distribute all the forces your body takes on while running. Here are three main reasonings, all stemming from poor posture, you may be feeling some slight neck and upper-back pain after a good race or long run: When you’re out on your next run, try to pay some serious attention to how your upper-body is feeling / looking.

The Culprits
1. Shoulder shrugging – Think rounding your shoulders both forwards and up towards your ears. To put a picture in your mind, imagine me asking you why your shoulders hurt and you gave me the traditional “I Don’t Know” answer with shrugging your shoulders too the max!
2. Leading with your head – Everyone likes a good forward lean when crossing the finish line but not really when you’re just starting or during mid-race. To put a picture to this one, I ask you to keep your head back and relaxed over your shoulders while you run but you don’t like that request so you close your eyes and stick your tongue out at me. Odds are that head of yours just popped out in front of your body.
3. Slouching – We’re all guilty. Be it, at the office / talking to that one person we’re not too fond of / or listening to someone talk about not slouching while you run. The shoulders are down and slightly forward. If you still want to play along: I just told you that you must work on adjusting your shoulders back in order to get faster and feel better. You then take in a deep sigh and respond “fine”… Odds are, those shoulders of yours just dropped and they’re holding on tightly to your next PR!

Suggested Fix:

On your next run, give yourself a quick upper-body check up. You’d be surprised on how much you can adjust just by thinking about it. Keep those shoulders back, down, and relaxed. Always remember to keep your arms swinging nice and free to your sides. No use trying to punch your way to the finish. Also, give your abs a nice little flex to pull your ribcage down towards your hips. A couple easy exercises to work on relaxing / strengthening that upper-body are below:

1. Give yourself a big hug while rolling out just your upper-back
2. Massage your latissimus dorsi muscles. They’re on your sides just below your armpits.
3. Arm circles. Big / Small / Slow / Controlled
4. Massage your neck and upper shoulders carefully with your hands. Never put excessive amounts of pressure directly on your spine

**Always do your own research as everyone’s body functions / responds differently when it comes to exercise. Always consult a doctor for situations that are abnormal.**

Upper Back

Upper Back Pain From Running:

Ever feel some slight muscle pain in your upper back after you finish up a solid training run or even a day or so after a race? When I say “upper back” I’m referring to the area that’s just below the big bump at the bottom of your neck (Cervical Spine 7 and Thoracic Spine 1) and then over towards the backside of your armpits. View highlighted area above for reference. When you’re out on your next run, try to pay some serious attention to how your upper-body is feeling / looking.

The Culprits

1. Shoulder shrugging – Think rounding your shoulders both forwards and up towards your ears. To put a picture in your mind, imagine me asking you why your shoulders hurt and you gave me the traditional “I Don’t Know” answer with shrugging your shoulders to the max!
2. Slouching – We’re all guilty. Be it, at the office / talking to that one person we’re not too fond of / or reading something about not slouching while you run. The shoulders are down and slightly forward. If you still want to play along: I just told you that you must work on adjusting your shoulders back in order to get faster and feel better. You then take in a deep sigh and respond “fine”… Odds are, those shoulders of yours just dropped and they’re holding on tightly to your next PR!
3. Backpack / Bag – Understand how to properly wear your pack before heading out on a run as it can greatly effect back / hip / knee pain if done incorrectly. MapMyRun has a great article about the use of backpacks with running here

Suggested Fix:

1. Give yourself a big hug while rolling out just your upper-back
2. Massage your trapezius muscles with your hands / foam roller. They form a nice “V” shape (neck not included) on your back
3. Check out the shoulder shrugs os some neck flexion / extension exercises
4. Properly fit a running pack

To see the full article via SELF, check it out here.

**Always do your own research as everyone’s body functions / responds differently when it comes to exercise. Always consult a doctor for situations that are abnormal.**

Shoulders

Shoulder Pain From Running:

You have a whole lot of weight on those shoulders of yours when it comes to learning how to run more effectively! Similar to the neck and upper back, any shoulder discomfort during and even after running typically boil down to a few main reasons. When you’re out on your next run, try to pay some serious attention to how your shoulders / upper back / neck are feeling / looking.

The Culprits

1. Shoulder shrugging – Think rounding your shoulders both forwards and up towards your ears. To put a picture in your mind, imagine me asking you why your shoulders hurt and you gave me the traditional “I Don’t Know” answer with shrugging your shoulders to the max!
2. Leading with your head – Everyone likes a good forward lean when crossing the finish line but not really when you’re just starting or during mid-race. To put a picture to this one, I ask you to keep your head back and relaxed over your shoulders while you run but you don’t like that request so you close your eyes and stick your tongue out at me. Odds are that head of yours just popped out in front of your body.
3. Slouching – We’re all guilty. Be it, at the office / talking to that one person we’re not too fond of / or listening to someone talk about not slouching while you run. The shoulders are down and slightly forward. If you still want to play along: I just told you that you must work on adjusting your shoulders back in order to get faster and feel better. You then take in a deep sigh and respond “fine”… Odds are, those shoulders of yours just dropped and they’re holding on tightly to your next PR!

Suggested Fix:

1. Give yourself a big hug while rolling out just your upper-back
2. Massage your upper trapezius muscles. They’re right where the upper back meets the neck seen in the above images
3. Arm circles. Big / Small / Slow / Controlled
4. Consider exercises such as cat / cow or child’s pose
5. Massage your neck and upper shoulders carefully with your hands.

Check out the full article here thanks to Shape.

**Always do your own research as everyone’s body functions / responds differently when it comes to exercise. Always consult a doctor for situations that are abnormal.**

Chest / Lungs

Chest / Lung Pain From Running:

Running can be like meeting that special someone for the first time, meaning, it can take your breath away. Now, I can’t guarantee running will take the words out of your mouth but it can certainly make them feel like they’re harder to say. Sometimes when you run, it may feel like your chest gets heavy or your lungs burn making breathing in or out a bit more challenging. Due to the potential seriousness of these feelings, ensure you talk to your doctor about any of them prior to continuing your training!

The Culprits

1. Running is new to you – If you’ve just gotten into running or you want to start incorporating it into your current training plan, you could have some trouble catching your breath. It’s okay as we all have to start somewhere and, your heart / lungs are like most any other muscle in your body, meaning they need training to get stronger too.
2. Muscle Cramps – If you’ve ever had a muscle cramp, you know they’re not the most enjoyable. Believe it or not, there are muscles in-between your ribs. These are known as “intercostal muscles” and they can cramp just as easy as your leg muscles could. In the world of running, this type of direct / sharp discomfort in your upper chest / ribs can be known as a “Stitch” . Traditionally it’s brought on by an imbalance of fluids. This being that you’re dehydrated or your electrolytes are not dialed in correctly.
3. Heartburn – Yes you heard this correctly in that running can actually cause heartburn. You may ask yourself, how? You would then happily answer the following: Since running creates additional pressures on the various muscles effecting digestion, one of which being, the bottom of your “food tube” (aka the esophageal sphincter – a muscle at the bottom of your esophagus allowing food to go into your stomach, but not out) get’s a bit lax. When food comes back up just above that muscular flap, we associate such with the feeling of heartburn.
  
  The Last Two Can Be Serious
4. Lung Complication – Think asthma, where the walls of your airways can become inflamed and swollen. Less room for air flow makes breathing much more laborious. The harder you try to breathe, the more mucus these airways secrete. Having an inhaler with you at all times, especially when running. Also understand pneumothorax as it’s far less common than asthma but just as serious. To keep things simplistic, it’s when air leaks from the lung and into the space between the chest wall and the lung itself. Lastly, there have been cases of having pain from a pulmonary embolism. Again, to spare you headache, it’s when an artery that carries blood around the lungs gets clogged or has a clot.
5. Heart Complication – Knowing that the harder you work = the harder your heart also has to work. I wont get too in-depth with chest pain, or angina as they call it, because it’s a much better conversation for you to have with your doctor. Basically, if you feel some slight pain in your chest, left arm, jaw, or neck, that doesn’t go away shortly after you stop running, consult your doctor as soon as possible.

Suggested Fix:

On your next run, really focus on your breathing pattern. How often you’re breathing, along with how deep of breath you’re taking.

1. Give yourself what is known as a “talk test”. If you can vocally recite the pledge of allegiance while out on your run, this is a good and steady pace. If you can only get out one to two words at a time before gasping for another breath of air, you may want to consider slowing down a bit.
2. What are you eating before / during / after a nice run? Everyone’s body / digestive system works differently but it’s safe to say that avoiding foods that are spicy, deep fried, or caffeinated can lead to a calmer / happier belly! : )
3. Work on a breathing plan while you run. For example, take your right foot and breathe in upon first contact and then breathe out when it strikes the ground again. This may be too fast for you so play around with such until you find a rhythm that works for you.
  Check out the full article here thanks to Women’s Health.

**Always do your own research as everyone’s body functions / responds differently when it comes to exercise. Always consult a doctor for situations that are abnormal.

Arms

Arm Pain From Running:

Keep those arms pumping!! Believe it or not, your shoulders and arms play just as big of a role while running as your legs / hips / core. You have to keep in mind that running focuses on your body as one main unit. Don’t get me wrong, you don’t really require big, bulky, or muscular arms, but it does help to have some tone / strength. Let’s break it down a bit more why you might be having some slight pain / discomfort here:

The Culprits

1. Crossing The Mid-line – If you were to make a line from the tip of your noes to directly in-between your feet, that’s what’s known as your “mid-line”. We’ve seen far too many runners who are jogging while doing torso / ab rotations at the same time. What I mean by this would be their hands could almost touch the opposite side of their chest. This is beyond counter-productive because your forward momentum is going to go where your arms pump towards. You want to run straight, at least I hope you do? On your next jog, place some serious focus on keeping your shoulders nice and relaxed with arms straight pumping straight in front of you.
2. T-Rex’in – No we’re not asking you to train like a dinosaur so why would you run like one. If you go to Google and type in “T-Rex Arms” you’ll see these short stubby arms with bent palms facing down. The only arm / hand movement we see from runners who train like a T-Rex would be from their nipples to the middle of the side torso area. Typically you’ll see their hands actually make a good amount of contact with their shirt / top. This promotes shoulder shrugging and can create a big tight mess of the upper body. Not too mention, those arms aren’t generating the most amount of forward momentum.
3. Hip To Nip / Cheek To Cheek – Yes these terms can come across as a bit strange but they hold a good amount of information. With the above two examples, these runners most likely don’t follow this principle. There’s traditionally minimal arm swing and can be quite challenging when the arms / hands are crossing the mid-line. The goal here would be to get your hands to reach your hip when down or behind and then by your nipple-line when up or out front. Traditionally, the faster you run, the larger that arm swing should be to really help pull your knees up. Cheek to cheek refers to your butt cheek and facial cheek during your arm movement.

Suggested Fix:

1. Sit on the ground with your legs out flat in-front of you. Pump your arms hard straight ahead and if you do it correctly your butt should stay in the same place compared to your arms coming in and now you’re bouncing from side to side.
2. Massage your upper trapezius muscles. They’re right where the upper back meets the neck seen in the above images
3. Arm circles. Big / Small / Slow / Controlled during warm-ups
4. Consider exercises such as shoulder shrugs / overhead tricep pulls / shoulder presses for stretching or warm-up
5. For strength, pending on your ability, body-weight dips / bicep curls and for more advanced, skullcrushers / renegade rows

Check out the full article here thanks to Runner’s World

**Always do your own research as everyone’s body functions / responds differently when it comes to exercise. Always consult a doctor for situations that are abnormal.**

Hands

Hand Pain From Running:

Put your right hand in, take your right hand out. Put your left hand in and you shake it all about…. We know what you’re thinking, “How do my hands help me run better?” It’s a very valid question but let’s find out why for some people, running or endurance exercise can cause the hands to feel pain, or maybe no pain at all..! To keep this from getting too medically intimidating, we’ll just focus on why the fingers often swell up and the ways to prevent such.

The Culprits

1. Blood Flow – Believe it or not, when we exercise, our heart rate increases as our our muscles demand more oxygen to continue working hard. In order to help meet this need, the arteries that carry blood around our bodies can actually expand or shrink to help our heart handle the demands. Our hands are made up of a complex roadmap with arteries and nerves throughout. When the hands swell, these two become very important contributing factors. While running, your lower body gets a majority of the attention and blood will typically be directed there first compared to your upper-body. Blood can end up getting “stuck” in your hands creating that swollen feeling which can negatively compress nerves leading to numbness, change of color, and temperature.
2. Too Much or Not Enough – Referring to water here. there’s two things runners are good at when it comes to getting in fluids for a run. One would be drinking too much which actually depletes sodium levels making your blood flow a bit less effectively. The second is not drinking enough before a run and your body holds onto what it has as reserves.
3. Time To Ask My Doctor – There are actually a “handful” of conditions that can effect proper circulation to the external extremities. Things like Raynaud’s syndrome or even Carpal tunnel syndrome can effect how blood gets to those 10-digits of yours. Ask your doctor for additional information

Suggested Fix:

On your next run, give yourself a quick upper-body check up. You’d be surprised on how much you can adjust just by thinking about it. Keep the hands nice and relaxed and DON’T CRUSH THE EGGS. Always remember to avoid “punching” your way through a race.

1. Picture this: You have one job in life and that’s to run with two very delicate little eggs. One in each hand. They better stay relaxed and open a bit otherwise, your eggs are going to get scrambled : )
2. If you’ve ever donated blood or had your blood pressure checked they may have given you something squishy to hold onto and pump when ask. On your next run, pump your hands up by squeezing and releasing a couple times. You don’t need a stress ball but the idea is the same
3. When the going gets tough, the tough… do arm circles or place their hands over their head to increase / encourage circulations right? EXACTLY!! That’s one other thing that can be done if your hands are just not warming up. Doing this every couple minutes during or just before a run can make an impact

Check out the full article here thanks to Runner’s World

**Always do your own research as everyone’s body functions / responds differently when it comes to exercise. Always consult a doctor for situations that are abnormal.

**Mid-Body**

Abdominals

Abdominal Pain From Running:

In our opinion, there’s really nothing more uncomfortable than an upset stomach or stomach cramps when out on a run / race. Now, it’s not too much about how muscular you are, as each and every one of us has at least a six pack of abs. Just give your tummy a nice little flex followed by feeling around for those abdominal muscles with your hands. It’s actually more about nutrition and breathing, believe it or not, that can be the cause of some pain / discomfort. Check out below what could be going on and how to best address such:

The Culprits

1. Side Stitch – Not wasting any time on going right for the most common issue. A side stitch is described as as a cramp / pain on either side of your abdomen, with being more common on the right side. Such pain can vary from dull / achy to sharp / stabbing. For all you medical terminology friends out there, this is referred to as: Exercise Related Transient Abdominal Pain. There are many theories, seen below, in relation to this pain but none have been clinically proven:
  - - Diaphragm.
      - Your diaphragm is located just below your lungs, and is mainly responsible for one “pretty important” function for your body, breathing. Being a muscle, it needs blood and oxygen to function. Some studies have shown that when exercising for a long period of time, like running, blood can get moved to different muscle groups, like your legs, leaving only a small amount for other muscles like your diaphragm.
    - Abdominal Lining
      - Other studies show that the lining throughout your abdominal / pelvic area can become irritated. This is most likely due to excessive movement / friction going on in the torso, like while running. When this happens, runners may also say that they feel a slight pinch in the outer portion of their shoulder known as the acromion process.
    - Food / Drink Intake
      - Eating a larger meal or drinking fruit / sugary juices just before / during a run could cause stitches. Also, drinks that are highly carbonated, like sodas / energy drinks can provide additional pressures in your abdomen possibly causing additional stitches.
2. Runner Trots – We get it, talking about having to “skip to the loo” can be well… embarrassing. The positive news is that it’s very common. Between 20-50% of runners in the 10k race distance along have reported suffering from the trots. The overall stress of longer distance running has been tied to the infamous runner trots feelings. Such has been described as gastrointestinal issues like flatulence / diarrhea / cramping / tummy pains. The cause of this discomfort is still unknown, but there are many theories you can see below:
  - - Trying something new come race day. This could be gels / breakfast / caffeine / etc.
    - Your body takes blood from your digestive tract and sends it to larger muscle groups (legs / arms)
    - The simplistic up and downward movement with running can shake up your stomach / digestive system
    - Too much fiber in your diet, specifically 1-2 days before the race
    - Eating / drinking too close to the start of the race, giving the body 2-hours to move food through the stomach
3. Heartburn – Heart burn in its most simplistic form can be from acid reflux. This is where some of the contents in your tummy come back up into the lower end of your esophagus. Runners describe it as a burning sensation in your chest / throat and even into your mouth. Everyone’s stomach acts differently as we all follow different eating habits / diets. Some of the most common causes can be seen below:
  - - Occasional heartburn can be normal and shouldn’t be a huge sign of concern
    - Hard / Challenging exercise will stir up such stomach acids a bit more than traditional day-to-day activities
    - Keep tabs of what you’re eating / drinking as certain foods can trigger heartburn more than others
      - Spicy foods, whole milk, alcohol, caffeine
      - Gassy foods, carbonated drinks, dairy all together
      - Acidic foods, orange / lemon juice, tomatos
    - Ask your doctor about heartburn and any medications you’re currently on. Some may cause heartburn as a side effect

Suggested Fix:

Before lacing up again, when’s the last time you really took a look at what you were eating. Not just while it’s physically in your mouth, but a day or week ago? How did that food make you feel and were there any troubles while out on your run after eating / drinking something in particular? Noticed anything that’s been going on for some time? “When in doubt, get checked out!” As you know, no one knows your body like you and it will certainly try to tell you when something is acting up. You just have to listen. If any pain is noticed, you can see below some recommendations:

1. Hydrate Hydrate Hydrate – Not only are we looking for plenty of water intake throughout the day, but also keep an eye on the color of the output. Ever seen a bail of hay? That’s what we’re going for! Some would call this “straw-like” color. This also helps ensure your large intestinal lining is fully hydrated as it loves to absorb water to assist with making going to the restroom much more comfortable / less crampy.
  - - Play the hour rule – If your run is one hour long, start drinking one hour before. Two hours = two hours before / etc.
    - Speed work? Small sips throughout.. No gulping please as you’ll be taking in some serious air = bloating
    - Stop taking in fluids thirty minutes before your run. Otherwise, you could have a very sloshy tummy on your hands
    - For starters, aim for half your body weight in ounces of water per day. Ex: 170lbs / 2 = 85oz per day
2. Nutrition – Best recommendation would be to start a food log. You don’t even need to modify anything just yet, just start taking note of how you feel and then you can dial things back 1-2 days to see if anything in particular sticks out as the possible reason. It’s hard to give too many recommendations as everyone’s body functions a bit different.
3. Side Stitches? If you’re out running and all of the sudden .. BAM!!! Your side tightens up. It hurts to breath. You almost get stopped in your tracks and wonder if any car driving past even notices you look like you’re about to keel over. (traditionally no one notices) Here are a couple ways to handle such and also prevent the infamous side stitch:
  1. - When not running: Practice breathing through your belly, strengthening your core, and bettering your posture
    - Take your hand and either push / massage the painful area or simply just grab the skin around the area to relieve pain
    - Get your hands above your head followed by breathing through your nose / out your mouth like blowing out a candle
4. Focus on building up / maintaining some strength for the core / hips / trunk. You can check out basically the entire Mid-Body section on the Beginner Strength Library page coming soon! We’re talking hips / trunk / abs. The whole package! If you’re looking to up the challenge, we encourage you to check out both the intermediate and, for you hardcore athletes, the advanced sections when we get the pages completed!

Easily the most in-depth section on this list as these are so common. Trot over to the full article from our friends over at Women’s Running here.

ACTIVE has a solid article on abdominal pain here and tummy troubles while running here.

**Always do your own research as everyone’s body functions / responds differently when it comes to exercise. Always consult a doctor for situations that are abnormal**

Lower Back

Lower Back Pain From Running:

According to the University of Maryland School of Medicine, you, yes you, have a very high chance of experiencing lower back pain within your life. Around an 80% chance to be exact. If you fancy more stress-inducing exercises, like running, odds can be even greater. Good news is that there are many precautions to help prevent such lower lumbar back pain. This can be done by taking a serious look down at that belly of yours. I promise that we all have a six-pack! Think of your core (abdominal muscles) as the foundation to your hips / pelvis / legs. The stronger these muscles are, will equal more support provided to these crucial areas used for all things moving! Now if you could benefit from an extra crunch or two, we all can, check out some common issues that could arise below:

The Culprits

1. Hyperlordosis – Lordosis is a term that refers to the curvature in your lower back. Give yourself the lordosis test. Stand against a wall with your head / shoulder blades / butt all touching the wall. Keep your heels about 2-inches away and shoulder-width apart. Now you should be able to slide your hand between your lower back and the wall.
  - - If you can fit more than one hand back there, don’t use that extra space to store snacks. It’s a sign that you may have a bit too much curvature going on and need to address such. This can be a cause of muscle imbalance from the strength of your core compared to the strength in your lower lumbar region.
    - Some additional causes of such hyperlordosis could be: Structural issues / spinal injury / obesity. Always talk to your doctor about concerns as they may be able to help provide some support on next steps.
2. Muscle Strains – Like any physical activity, our bodies can only take so much. Pending on how strong your “foundation” is in your core, can really help alleviate these all-to-common aches and pains. Muscles and ligaments get stretched every time you move. Sometimes it’s a bit too much and leads to injury
  1. - If you work a 9-5 job where sitting at a desk is a norm, do your best to loosen up your hips / lower back as they can get tight sitting in a chair for an extended period of time.
    - With tight hips / lower back, your stride (how you run) will have to find a way to compensate. This often means that the muscles surrounding these areas will have to work overtime, creating additional injuries / strains / pains.
3. Degenerative or Herniated Discs – Going with the theme here, as our bodies age, so do all the moving parts on the inside that we may not see, but we start to feel. Your spine is no exception. There are “discs” in-between the bony vertebrae that help absorb shock / prevent bone on bone contact / protect our nerves. These discs can wear out / get weaker over time with how they absorb the stresses of day-to-day living. These types of conversations should certainly be had with your doctor if you suspect anything out of the normal.
  - - Herniated Disc is when such disc actually ventures to the outer portion of your vertebrae causing some serious discomfort. If left untreated, it could turn into a ruptured disc which causes some extensive pain and now can put you out for 6 or so weeks.

Suggested Fix:

Before lacing up again, sit down, take your hands, and really feel around your lower back. Have you checked your lordosis? Does it feel warm to the touch compared to the rest of your body? When does it hurt and by doing what? Your spine is certainly not something to mess with regarding any type of injury. “When in doubt, get checked out!” As you know, no one knows your body like you and it will certainly try to tell you when something is acting up. You just have to listen. If any pain is noticed, you can see below some recommendations:

1. Professionally Rest – So what we mean by this is that if there’s some lower back pain and it’s been lingering for more than a couple days, or really has been bothering you, get checked out by your doctor. You could have something that’s a bit more serious than a strain going on and that would be best with some professional attention. Don’t take off 100% as we don’t want your injury-associated muscles getting “lazy” as you’d be much more likely to get injured AGAIN when ramping things up post-recovery as you’ll want to do too much too fast to get back to where you were. Continue with some basic core / hip / trunk exercises to keep things going strong! See #5 below for some ideas.
2. Stretching = Key – Since your lower back muscles extend well beyond just that area, a mix of different stretches is always a safe idea. Give these a try:
  1. - Lay on your back and pull your knee up towards your chest one at a time
    - Lay on your stomach and lift your legs / arms / chest up off the ground. Some would refer to this as a superman stretch or strength exercise.
3. Ice or Heat? We’ve all heard of the whole Icy Hot treatment but does it actually work? Survey says to have ice on the “angered” area in the first 24-72 hours following exercise / injury. Afterwards, switch to heat to help relax any muscles that could possibly be tight. Regardless if we’re talking ice or heat, don’t have applied for more than 15-20 minutes max at a time as you could actually damage your skin.
4. Focus on building up / maintaining some strength for the core / hips / trunk. You can check out basically the entire Mid-Body section on the Beginner Strength Library when we finish up the pages here soon. We’re talking hips / trunk / abs. The whole package! If you’re looking to up the challenge, we encourage you to stay tuned for the Intermediate and, for you hardcore athletes, Advanced sections when the pages are completed.

This one was a team effort for sure. For more treatment ideas that are beyond what we see above, Virtua Health has a nice quick read here. I also grabbed the above injuries from SHAPE and you can check out the full article here.

**Always do your own research as everyone’s body functions / responds differently when it comes to exercise. Always consult a doctor for situations that are abnormal.**

Glutes

Glute Pain From Running:

Running can sometimes, literally, be a pain in the butt! More specifically, we’re talking about your gluteus maximus / behind / fanny / bum / rump. Whatever you choose to call that body part, that’s our main focus because when it hurts, you’re going to know about every time you take a seat / drive your car / watch a movie / etc. Your tooshie is made up of a very strong group of muscles / tendons / nerves. Lots of components cross paths in your mid-section and we know that the more moving parts there are = the higher chance for things to not work as designed. Good news is that running can actually help prevent some of these issues from arising when you’re healthy / uninjured but we have to first see if running is what’s preventing us from getting there. Check out below what could be causing some of this pain:

The Culprits

1. Piriformis Syndrome – If you ever have any achy, tight, soreness feelings throughout your buttock area, specifically mid-cheek where the top of your femur meets your pelvis, we may be dealing with Piriformis Syndrome. The piriformis muscle is the main contributor of the pain as it connects the back of your pelvis to the top of your femur. All the while, oh so casually sitting over the Sciatic Nerve, which can mirror signs and symptoms of each other when injured. This pain can actually radiate into your lower back or down into your hamstring / calf. This pain can be felt especially if you have extensive sitting time throughout the day / run hills often / train with consistent sharp turns (repeats / shuttle runs).
  1. - Too Much Too Quick
    - Speed workouts too early
    - Fall directly impacting such piriformis muscle
    - Spinal injuries can mirror such symptoms as well so always talk to your doctor if something’s not right
2. Inflammation Station – Your rump houses a very important nerve (Sciatic Nerve) that passes right under the Piriformis Muscle. This nerve can get inflamed from time to time if the surrounding muscle groups are tight, causing pain that travels down the entire back portion of your leg. There’s also a bursa between your gluteus maximus and your ischial tuberosity that can get inflamed. Check out below to see more:
  - - Bursitis – So in between all your joints, you have these fluid filled sacs (bursa) that help cushion the movement at such joint. These, like any other part of your body can get irritated and inflamed, creating what’s known as bursitis. Now where your gluteus maximus connects with your is called your ischial tuberosity (your sitting bones that you can find by sitting on your hands and then feeling with your fingers for one very prominent bone in each cheek). The bursa at this joint is usually what gets inflamed causing such pain when you sit down or do some serious sprint work.

Suggested Fix:

We think it can go without saying that it’s best to be honest with yourself and stop running to heal completely so no secondary issues come to life. Your body is really good at helping you avoid pain so if something is causing you problems, your body will adjust the best it can, which could unfortunately lead to more problems.

1. Check It Out! – Consider getting a form evaluation to ensure this problem is not something that you’ll work so very hard to treat, only to be plagued with such again in the near future due to an imbalance / improper gait / etc.) Learning a new running technique or having a biomechanical analysis done may also well worth the investment to ensure you’re setting yourself up for success in all that training you’re doing. Avoid up / downhills as well as speed workouts and tight turns.
2. Massage To The Max – Try to roll out or massage the back sides (glutes / hamstrings / lower back / etc.) before going on your run. Don’t stretch too much before your run as we don’t want long / stretched out muscles out there when running. Also aim to do some additional self-massaging into those areas afterwards during your cool down. Don’t be afraid to do more self-massaging techniques / learning how to properly handle your muscles. This could also be coupled with professional massages because who doesn’t love feeling like a new person?!?
3. Stretch It Out – The DailyBurn has a great article that can help with those tight hips / glutes as there is so much going on in the mid-section of our bodies. You can find these awesome stretches here.
4. Cool It! – Aim to get some ice on the area as soon as possible following any type of exercise during recovery. Only use ice the upper-hamstring / lower buttock area for 15-minutes at a time. If the skin feels numb, give it a break. Try to ice the area 5 times per day.
5. Focus on building up / maintaining some strength. This could be as simple as incorporate less sitting time throughout the day. If you can’t control that due to a job / etc. then explore different options for your cheeks to rest upon. It’s all about using those stretch techniques found above. Once things are feeling better, consider some solid exercises like lunges / sumo squats / butterfly stretches.

Could not have wrote this helpful guide without the help of TimeOutdoors here and RunnersConnect here. Keep up the great work you guys as these articles were very in-depth!

**Always do your own research as everyone’s body functions / responds differently when it comes to exercise. Always consult a doctor for situations that are abnormal.**

Hips

Hip Pain From Running:

Shakira said it perfectly, our “Hips Don’t Lie“! Everything we feel as runners in the mid-section should not be taken lightly as, like any injury, we want to do our best to catch it early with hopes of preventing further complications. Every set of hips are different and should be treated as such. Getting to the root of such pain is important as there are many possibilities in this all-to-common running injury. Check out some of the below situations before lacing up and heading out on the next run:

The Culprits

1. Too Much Too Quick – We’ve all been there. You’re so excited about getting things going or you’ve had your eyes set on a new Personal Record (PR) and are willing to do whatever it takes! Well, you’re body can only take so much at one time before things start to break down, regardless of experience level / skill. No one is immune to overuse injuries! This will commonly happen with increased mileage / speed training / hill workouts, especially if it’s something new to your training schedule.
  1. - Bursitis – So in between all your joints, you have these fluid filled sacs (bursa) that help cushion the movement at such joint. These, like any other part of your body can get irritated and inflamed, creating what’s known as bursitis. Now where your hip connects with your thigh is called your greater trochanter. The bursa at this joint is usually what gets inflamed causing such pain on the outer portion of your hip.
2. Environment – This one is pretty simplistic, in that you should avoid things like running sideways on hills or running on a cambered (angled for rain) road for too long on one side. Also, know your weather conditions because if you’re set to be running in the snow / sand where grip is minimal, take things a bit slower. Your hips will have to be constantly adjusting for the uneven surface = a big workout for those hip flexor muscles.
3. Hip Stress Fractures – If this hip pain lingers for some time or even worsens, even after you’ve given it some time off, it may be time to visit your doctor. It’s a common misdiagnosis as the signs / symptoms read the same with less-worrisome injuries. Osteoarthritis can also be thrown here as well as that’s something that would need some additional attention, beyond just taking time off / icing / cross training.

Suggested Fix:

As always, if it hurts, please stop running. Don’t think it can be something to just “walk off” or “run through”. It’s much harder to say that when you’re forced to stop and now you’re out for weeks compared to a couple days. We encourage you to feel around your hips, yes all the way around from the front to the back and also those sides. We’re looking for any pain / discomfort upon applying pressure with your hands. It can also be good to simply strand straight up and move one leg out front, then to the side, and finally out back. I’m sure you’ll quickly be able to tell if there’s some soreness or pain that needs to be addressed:

1. Professionally Rest – So what we mean by this is that if there’s some hip / upper hamstring / quadriceps pain and it’s been lingering for more than a couple days, get checked out by your doctor. You could have something that’s a bit more serious than a strain going on and that would be best with some professional attention. Don’t take off 100% as we don’t want your injury-associated muscles getting “lazy” as you’d be much more likely to get injured AGAIN when ramping things up post-recovery as you’ll want to do too much too fast to get back to where you were.
2. Stretching = Key – The hips are a complex area and even a little pinch can get your attention. SELF has an awesome article that goes over some serious stretching exercises specific to the midsection. You can find that here.
3. Quick, get the ice! Aim to get some ice on the area as soon as possible following any type of exercise during recovery. Only use ice the adductor area for 15-minutes at a time. If the skin feels numb, give it a break. It’ll feel really cold due to the various nerves / thinner skin in these areas so use a folded shirt over the ice pack if needed. Try to ice the area 5 times per day.
4. Focus on building up / maintaining some strength for the hips. Your hips can be similar to your adductors in strength building as they work together quite often. Some solid exercises you can look into would be lunges / sumo squats / butterfly stretch. You can also lay on your side and do some leg lifts. Ensure they are done nice and slow with some holds at the top of the lift for an extra challenge. You’ll feel the hips light up, promise!

Check out the full article here thanks to Runner’s World

**Always do your own research as everyone’s body functions / responds differently when it comes to exercise. Always consult a doctor for situations that are abnormal.**

Groin

Groin Pain From Running:

Known as the adductor muscle group, your groin has a couple very important responsibilities. First, it connects your hip bone with your femur, or upper leg. They also help you squeezeeeee your legs together. From a runner’s perspective, we love our adductor muscles because they help keep our hips stabilized while we run! Thankfully, adductor injuries are relatively rare in the running community thanks to the consistent, repetitive movement. This is in comparison to soccer players for example, who make drastic changes in direction, followed by immediate acceleration / deceleration.

Thankfully this type of injury is not too common among runners, but check out below what happens when something does go wrong:

The Culprits

1. Exercise-Induced – What we mean by this mirrors what was mentioned above. The type of sport that produces much more groin-related injuries include the following that have:
  - - Constant change of direction
    - Repetitive speed up / slow downs
    - Frequent change in ground surface camber (how slanted the ground is that you’re exercising on)
    - Numerous changes in sports that have various stresses which the body is not yet used to. Ex: Football then Rugby then Tennis
2. Improper Training – This refers to warm-ups / cool-downs and not adequately preparing the legs for exercise / running. This also incorporates having improper footwear for the running. Shoes that don’t properly support the legs can really give the hips a hard time having to now do additional stabilization.
  1. - Too much too fast is another common situation runners of all degrees find themselves in. Slow and steady wins the race
3. Injuries on Injuries – This goes without saying, if your body is still in recovery mode from a recent injury, take it easy. Our bodies are very very good at helping us compensate in order to feel less pain. This means that you could have a tight calf muscle that throws off your gait, which leads to a slight tilt in your hips, that then aggravates your adductors.
  - - Insure you’re properly healed prior to really jumping back into things

Suggested Fix:

Before lacing up again, sit down, take your hands, and really feel around the front portion of your upper leg. They are so many components to your adductors / pelvis / even up in your lower abdominal area that can provide complications. Don’t be afraid to get a little “invasive” as you know your body best and better you telling someone else where it hurts compared to them going and finding it themselves as that area can get a little sensitive. If any pain is noticed, you can see below some recommendations:

1. Professionally Rest – So what we mean by this is that if there’s some groin pain and it’s been lingering for more than a couple days, get checked out by your doctor. You could have something that’s a bit more serious than a strain going on and that would be best with some professional attention. Don’t take off 100% as we don’t want your injury-associated muscles getting “lazy” as you’d be much more likely to get injured AGAIN when ramping things up post-recovery as you’ll want to do too much too fast to get back to where you were. See #5 below for some ideas.
2. Stretching = Key – The adductors are a sensitive area and even a little pinch can get your attention. VeryWell Fit has an awesome article that goes over some stretching exercises specific to the groin. You can find that here.
3. Quick, get the ice! Aim to get some ice on the area as soon as possible following any type of exercise during recovery. Only use ice the adductor area for 15-minutes at a time. If the skin feels numb, give it a break. It’ll feel really cold due to the various nerves in that area so use a folded shirt over the ice pack if needed. Try to ice the area 5 times per day.
4. Focus on building up / maintaining some strength for the adductors. Some solid exercises you can look into would be lunges / sumo squats / butterfly stretch. Also highly recommend using some form of ball, be it a soccer ball / volleyball, and place it between your legs at knee level. Then practice squeezing such ball with your legs to really engage those adductor muscles. More can be found within the Runners Connect article below.

Very in-depth article from RunnersConnect here. Highly encourage you to take a look as John Davis does a wonderful job at going over such adductor pains / solutions / best practices!

**Always do your own research as everyone’s body functions / responds differently when it comes to exercise. Always consult a doctor for situations that are abnormal.**

**Lower-Body**

Quadriceps

Quadricep Pain From Running:

So quadriceps pain / discomfort / achy-ness / etc. is fairly common in runners. Think about it, they’re the primary movers to get you up and moving by helping that knee get up into the air. They also help with flexing the hips / thighs to assist with stabilizing your knees, also highly important for running! Below, you can find a great example of how these quadriceps muscles get sore / tight. Since they work hand-in-hand with the hamstrings, I’ve including them below as well.

Picture this. Think of a telephone pole buried in loose dirt. You have two cables, one on the right and the other on the left, that help balance the pole to keep it up straight. The right cable starts to pull pretty hard on the pole, bending it ever so slightly to the right. Now of course, the left cable is yelling, “hey don’t pull so hard over there”, now stretching itself out just to hold onto the top. The right cable continues to pull and pull and pull until…

In this above example the quadriceps are the right cable, the hamstrings are the left, and our pelvis is actually the pole. The hamstrings attach to the pelvis via the posterior (back) ischial tuberosity (also known as our sit bones) and the quadriceps attach via the anterior (front) aspect of the pelvis being assisted by the hip flexor muscles.

Now that we have some idea of how our upper legs operate to help us move, check out below what happens when something goes wrong:

The Culprits

1. Too Much Too Fast – I get it, you’re excited to be getting into something new, or you’re wanting to get to the next level, but too much training / increased intensity can actually be big setback if injuries arise.
2. Locked Long – Continuing with the above scenario, our quadriceps slowly but surely overpower the hamstrings simply because they’re often a strong muscle group. Consider doing a leg press compared to a hamstring curl, which can you lift more weight on?
  - - - As this slight forward tilt happens on the pelvis, thanks to the the quads pulling and pulling, the hip flexors give in and actually help assist the quads pull further down / forward. Before you know it, you’re suffering from:
        Tight short quadriceps / Tight short hip flexors / Tight short lower back muscles / Tight but over-lengthened hamstrings
3. Slow Feet – We challenge you to go out on your next run and count your steps because we have a feeling you’re not moving your feet fast enough. Studies have shown that have a faster step rate, or cadence, can decrease your chance of suffering from an injury. This is because the faster you move your feet = the less chance you’re over striding, or reaching your foot way out in front of you. When your foot lands way out in front of your body, you’re most likely going to contact the ground with your heel first, know to some as a traditional heel strike. With faster steps / minute, you’re more likely to have your feet land under your body, giving you the opportunity to contact the ground with the middle of your foot first, known as a mid-foot strike. See below for an easy way to count your steps as we’re aiming for between 170+ steps / minute.
  - - - Can you count to 10? Great, you’ll be a pro at this!
        When running, take a quick look at your watch and note a 1-minute block
        Focus just on the right foot
        Every time that foot hits the ground, count it, going up to 10
        Once you hit 10, use your fingers as place holders, each representing 10
        Do this until you reach that 1-minute
        Take whatever number you have and multiply by two (because you have 2-feet) to attain your cadence
        We’re hoping for that 170+ mark. If you aren’t there yet, try to think about taking faster / shorter steps

Suggested Fix:

Before lacing up again, sit down, take your hands, and really feel around the front portion of your upper leg. The four quadricep femoris muscles are some of the larger muscles in your body, so there are many places that could get impacted. Since one of these connects to your hip, ensure to explore the frontal portion of your hips too. If any pain is noticed, you can see below some recommendations:

1. Professionally Rest – So what we mean by this is that if there’s some quadriceps pain and it’s been lingering for more than a couple days, get checked out by your doctor. You could have a femoral stress fracture and that would need some professional attention to get back on the recovery track. Don’t take off 100% as we don’t want your injury-associated muscles getting “lazy” as you’d be much more likely to get injured AGAIN when ramping things up post-recovery as you’ll want to do too much too fast to get back to where you were. See #5 below for some ideas.
2. Stretching = Key – When done correctly that is.. Don’t just focus on the quadriceps themselves. Get the hips pelvis, quadriceps, lower back, and abs all involved as it’s a team effort! This does not mean standing up, bending over, and touching your toes. Think quadriceps and assisted hamstring stretch, limiting full range of motion stretches until further along in the recovery / prevention process.
3. Quick, get the ice! Aim to get some ice on the area as soon as possible following any type of exercise during recovery. Only use ice your quadriceps for 15-minutes at a time. If the skin feels numb, give it a break. Try to ice the area 5 times per day.
4. Avoid those hills – This one makes it on the list again because when going downhill, your hamstrings are your brake pedal and can add a good amount of additional stress on an area that may need much less right now.
5. Focus on building up / maintaining some strength in those upper legs. However, just because you’re taking it easy on the running doesn’t mean you can hit the weights hard. Cross training is encouraged through sports such as swimming / biking where the overall stress / load is much less on the legs. Aim to focus more on some shorter range-of-motion type exercises when talking strength work. Engaging strength such as leg presses / squats with light weights and limited range-of-motion throughout are highly recommended!

Superb article all together by Women’s Running here. We encourage you to check such out!

**Always do your own research as everyone’s body functions / responds differently when it comes to exercise. Always consult a doctor for situations that are abnormal.**

Hamstrings

Hamstring Pain From Running:

When’s the last time you sat in a chair? Bent down to lace up your shoes? Went for a walk? Anytime your knee bends, give your hamstrings a big thank you! All too often, when a muscle is sore or achy, we’re quite accustom to wanting to stretch that area out as best we can. Let’s paint a very clear example of how your quadricep and hamstring work together:

Now that we have some idea of how our upper legs operate to help us move, check out below what happens when something goes wrong:

The Culprits

1. Locked Long – Continuing with the above scenario, our quadriceps slowly but surely overpower the hamstrings simply because they’re often a strong muscle group. Consider doing a leg press compared to a hamstring curl, which can you lift more weight on?
  - - - As this slight forward tilt happens on the pelvis, thanks to the the quads pulling and pulling, the hip flexors give in and actually help assist the quads pull further down / forward. Before you know it, you’re suffering from:
        Tight short quadriceps / Tight short hip flexors / Tight short lower back muscles / Tight but over-lengthened hamstrings
2. Muscle Strains – Very very common for all runners so don’t feel like you’re the only one. Having a sore / achy hamstring can make doing almost anything mobile a challenge because you feel it doing everything! They already have a disadvantage taking longer to heal when injured given their origin in the hip is a nice, thick tendon with a comparatively lower blood supply.
  - - - Unfortunately there’s no quick fix, once either the hamstring or quadricep gets injured. Just be patient in the healing process to lower your chances of possibly having such happen all over again in the coming months when trying to ramp back up.

Suggested Fix:

Before lacing up again, sit down, take your hands, and feel the middle portion of your butt cheek. Then work your way down the back of your leg with some light pressure / squeezes looking for any sore spots that could benefit from some extra love. If any pain is noticed, you can see below some recommendations:

1. Stretching = Key – When done correctly that is.. Don’t just focus on the hamstrings themselves. Get the hips pelvis, quadriceps, lower back, and abs all involved as it’s a team effort! Think quadricep and assisted hamstring stretch. This does not mean standing up, bending over and touching your toes. It’s more laying on your back and pulling your leg up and towards you. Some type of resistance band is preferred so you can focus on keeping your leg nice and straight while providing pressure. Do some quick research!
2. Quick, get the ice! Aim to get some ice on the area as soon as possible following exercise. Only use ice your hamstrings for 15-minutes at a time. If the skin feels numb to the touch, give it a break. Try to ice the area 5 times per day.
3. Avoid those hills – This one makes it on the list again because when going downhill, your hamstrings are your brake pedal and can add a good amount of additional stress on an area that may need much less right now.
4. Focus on building up some strength in those upper legs. If you want to do some hamstring curls (leg curls) aim to start with very little, if any, additional weight. The goal is to really focus on reaching the full range of motion of getting your heel close to those glutes. When you focus on strengthening the hamstrings, that “pole” imbalance should start to correct itself.

Check out the full article here thanks to Runner’s World as well as additional help from Runners Connect here! It’s a team effort for sure as these are both wonderfully written articles.

**Always do your own research as everyone’s body functions / responds differently when it comes to exercise. Always consult a doctor for situations that are abnormal.**

IT Band

IT Band Pain From Running:

We’ve all heard the infamous “Runner’s Knee” right? Well, it’s often referred to as: Iliotibial Band Syndrome and is quite the common injury found throughout the running community. Your IT Band itself is a thick bundle of connective tissue that starts by the outer portion of your hip and runs all the way down the side of your thigh until just under the knee. Most common areas of pain / discomfort are either just above or just below the knee as the IT Band can rub against either the upper / lower bones of the leg.

You could expect to feel a tightness on the outside of the knee. This is felt with almost any flexion / extension, like going up and down stairs, running downhill, or just walking in general. You can also take your fingers and press on that area to reproduce the pain. Below you can see how this common running injury comes to bite you:

The Culprits

1. Gait Deviation – Don’t let those two words scare you. Gait, or simply the way you run, can play a huge role in how your body absorbs forces from running. Think overpronating (inward roll of the heel on each step) as your foot tries to compensate for tight / inflexible calf / hip / glute muscles. This can then lead into additional injuries if not addressed appropriately.
  - - - It you run on streets often, keep in mind that they are traditionally sloped down away from the middle to help with water runoff. This can promote excessive overpronation
      - If you also run downhill be it on trails or road, try your hardest to shorten your strides to prevent additional knee stresses.
2. Limited Pronation – If you find yourself running on the outsides of your feet, you can do a quick check of an old pair of shoes to see the wear pattern, this could be placing some significant stresses on the outer portions of your entire leg. With the IT Band being on the outer portion of the knee and up into the outer hip, such gets stressed much more than under traditional circumstances = angry / inflamed areas.
  - - - This can be due to either high arches on your foot as well as having very rigid / stiff shoes that don’t allow for appropriate pronation leading to that additional stress on the outer portion of the leg.

Suggested Fix:

You know the drill, before your next run, sit on down and take a good long look at your arch / shoes for pronation / abnormal wear patters. If you find such, feel free to do some additional research or visit a local running store to have a professional help fit you for a good pair of shoes. Also, feel with your fingers, for any tenderness or pain while pushing along the outer portion of your knee as well as up by your hip. If any pain is noticed, you can see below some recommendations:

1. Rest is one of the go-to’s for any inflammation / irritation. Do not try to run through / continue training with specific knee pain as such will not traditionally go away on their own. Aim to pick things up again when you’re pain free.
2. Let’s ice it up! This can feel very good over the irritated / inflamed areas. Only use ice your knee for 15-minutes at a time as there’s not as much muscle / fat covering this area. If the skin feel numb, give it a break. Try to ice the area 5 times per day.
3. Let’s stretch things out on this IT Band. We could list various stretches for you but it may be best to look into them a bit more for picture / etc. VeryWell Fit has a good page here.
4. Foam Rolling Time! You can take your favorite foam roller and place it directly over the IT Band on the effected side. Gently roll back and forth as the goal is to not put too much additional pressure on the band but enough to relax your leg / hip muscles.
5. Focus on building up some strength in the supporting muscle groups like your quadriceps, hamstrings, your glutes, and hips. Pending on your ability you could consider: Clam shells / Stability Ball Squat Jumps and for more advanced, Hang Clean / Deadlifts while placing some serious emphasis on stretching and engaging the upper leg muscles like your quadriceps / hamstrings. Runner’s World has a wonderful set of strength exercises for your IT Band here.

**Always do your own research as everyone’s body functions / responds differently when it comes to exercise. Always consult a doctor for situations that are abnormal.**

Poplietal Space

Poplietal Pain From Running:

Most know / talk about pain somewhere on the front or sides of their knee, but what about behind your knee? Believe it or not, this can actually be a sign of a more serious problem that put you down and out for some time if not addressed. We cannot say this enough. If you are feeling any type of pain behind your knee, stop running, take a seat, and check out the area with your fingers. Reach out to your doctor if this pain does not go away after taking a load off. Below, you can see some of the common reasons behind why this area may cause you some serious pain / discomfort

The Culprits

1. Tendonitis – If we break down what’s exactly going on behind your knee, you have popliteal and hamstring tendons (semimembrenosus / semitendinosus / biceps femoris tendon). Basically, do any type of 90-degree bend in your leg, then feel for the two think bands that pop out on the backside of your knee.
  - - - Too much too fast is often to blame for these tendons becoming inflamed. If left untreated, these small tears could lead to a full blown rupture of the tendon and that’s certainly not desired.
2. Baker’s Cyst – If you notice an abnormal bump on the back of your knee, let your doctor know about such as soon as possible. This is because your knee joint is surrounded by synovial fluid in these little sacs to keep things moving / provide cushion. A Baker’s Cyst (popliteal cyst) is found when too much fluid gets “stuck” behind the knee in these sacs.
  - - - Arthritis can be a main contributor to this excess fluid. The more damage to surrounding cartilage = more fluid production from the synovial cells that can get trapped.

Suggested Fix:

Before your next run, sit on down and take a look back behind your knee. See if you can find those two main tendons as well as double check for any abnormal bumps or tenderness. Surgery is another option, if severe enough, to drain any fluids after any non-responsiveness to treatments. Also, many people can still run with the above conditions when there’s minimal pain if nerves don’t get compressed. If any pain is noticed, you can see some recommendations below:

1. Rest is one of the go-to’s for any inflammation / irritation. Do not try to run through / continue training with specific knee pain as such will not traditionally go away on their own. Aim to pick things up again when you’re pain free. Look into fun ways to cross train such as swimming or focusing more on strength work while you give your knee time to recuperate.
2. Put it on the rocks! (Ice) This can feel very good over the irritated / inflamed areas. Only use ice your knee for 15-minutes at a time as there’s not as much muscle / fat covering this area. If the skin feel numb, give it a break. Try to ice the area 5 times per day.
3. Wrap or compress the knee to help push fluids that have been trapped away from the injured area. Such can also discourage additional swelling. Feel free to do additional research on this if you’d like as it can get pretty in-depth.
4. Elevate the effected joint / inflamed area as that should help with reduction of the inflammation.
5. Focus on building up some strength in the supporting muscle groups like your quadriceps, hamstrings, your glutes, and hips. Pending on your ability you could consider: Clam Shells / Stability Ball Squat Jumps and for more advanced, Hang Clean / Deadlifts while placing some serious emphasis on stretching and engaging the upper leg muscles like your quadriceps / hamstrings.

Check out the full article here thanks to LiveStrong, and here for the NCBI page on RICE. This is great information for any inflammation you come across throughout your day-to-day life. : )

**Always do your own research as everyone’s body functions / responds differently when it comes to exercise. Always consult a doctor for situations that are abnormal.**

Knees

Knee Pain From Running:

We’ve all heard the phrases before that sounds something like: “Isn’t running bad for your knees?” or “Just wait until you get older and your knees are shot from all that running.” Knee pain specifically from running is a pretty wide generalization. Regardless, whether you’re a beginner or seasoned athlete, knee and leg pain from putting in the miles / additional stresses can cause some aches or pains. Knowing the question on everyone’s mind, what does the discomfort mean and how can such be avoided in the future? Check out the possible situations below:

The Culprits

1. Patellofemoral Syndrome – Ever lay your leg straight out in front of you and then carefully move your patella bone (kneecap) from side to side? It can be quite interesting to watch and fun to show your friends. You can actually thank your femur (upper leg bone) for this enjoyment. It has a groove towards the lower portion where the patella bone rests within. This area is known as, you guessed it, the Petellofemoral Joint. Any complications with your patella bone moving in that joint causes that infamous knee pain feeling.
  - - - A common sign is pain around the patella bone, and can come on gradually when walking. This discomfort can increase when running or going up / down stairs as there’s much more movement required of your knee. That is, unless you walk like a pirate with peg legs that don’t bend too much?
2. Patellar Tendonitis – If you straighten a leg out in front of you and gently feel just below your patella bone, there’s a small squishy spot before meeting with the top of your tibia (shin bone). This would be your patella tendon. and if too much force is placed upon your knee, this tendon can get upset and inflamed, causing some discomfort for sure.
  - - - A common sign would be some slight knee pain going up and down stairs as well as more sharp pain throughout your run.
3. Osteoarthritis – This type of condition if often a bit less common as it takes a longer time to develop. The patella (kneecap) and the femur (thigh bone) rub together due to a breakdown of that cartilage in the patellofemoral joint seen above.
  1. 1. - Snap, crackle, pop.. That’s your kneecap! You’ll know when such is wearing down as every time you extend your knee, something wont feel quite right. Best talk to your doctor about such.

Suggested Fix:

Before your next run, sit on down and give that patella a little touchy feely time. Ensure there’s no pain moving the patella around or flexing your leg back and forth. If any pain is noticed, you can see below some recommendations:

1. Rest is one of the go-to’s for any inflammation / irritation. Do not try to run through / continue training with specific knee pain as such will not traditionally go away on their own. Aim to pick things up again when you’re pain free. Look into fun ways to cross train such as swimming or focusing more on strength work while you give your knee time to recuperate.
2. Break out the ice! This can feel very good over the irritated / inflamed areas. Only use ice your knee for 15-minutes at a time as there’s not as much muscle / fat covering this area. If the skin feels numb, give it a break. Try to ice the area 5 times per day.
3. Try to avoid running hills if you suspect any knee complications as they add additional stress on the legs, especially downhill.
4. Focus on building up some strength in the supporting muscle groups like your quadriceps, hamstrings, your glutes, and hips. Pending on your ability you could consider: Clam Shells / Stability Ball Squat Jumps and for more advanced, Hang Clean / Deadlifts while placing some serious emphasis on stretching and engaging the upper leg muscles like your quadriceps / hamstrings.

Check out the full article here thanks to Runner’s World.

**Always do your own research as everyone’s body functions / responds differently when it comes to exercise. Always consult a doctor for situations that are abnormal.**

Shins

Shin Pain From Running:

Have you ever been walking around in the dark and hit the front of your lower leg on something? Owch does it hurt! This area is known as your shin and pain in that area can sometimes be referred to as a shin splint. It is actually one of the most common injuries runners encounter, especially beginners. Now don’t picture a bunch of runners jogging around hitting their shins against coffee tables.

Again, beginners can be more susceptible because such calf muscles have not yet been conditioned to handle the new stresses. Also, runners getting back into their routine have a tendency of re-introducing miles too quickly. It can be associated with slight pain on the front of the leg along the shin bone (tibia). Pain can be expressed both during and after a run. You may ask, “Why oh lower leg do you cause me such pain?” We may have a couple answers below:

The Culprits

1. Muscle Strains – The two main muscles in question. One would be the tibialis anterior which is found on the front of the shin towards the outside of your tibia / shin bone. The other is the tibialis posterior. This muscle is basically the upper / inner portion of your calf muscle. These muscles start to break down if they’re not strong enough to handle additional miles taken on before they can adapt by getting stronger.
2. Stress Fractures – When these muscles are continuously being overused and can no longer take the ongoing stresses, these get transferred to the bones, particularly the tibial bone when it comes to pain in your shins.
  1. 1. - Stress fractures are often misdiagnosed for muscle strains. The best way to know the difference is as follows: a muscle strain will fade after being warmed up. A stress fracture will typically hurt much worse with additional exercise. If you suspect a fracture, please consult your doctor as recovery may be four to six weeks of no running.
3. Exertional Compartment Syndrome (ECS) – This type of condition is much less common in the running community. It is mainly a muscle / nerve condition that can cause swelling / tightness / pain throughout the lower leg. Such is typically only brought on with exercise or running and can only be truly fixed with surgery.

Suggested Fix:

Before your next run, sit on down and give both the front and back of your lower leg a nice overview. Take your fingers and gently press around to see if anything surrounding your tibia is sensitive. You may be surprised on what type of aches and pains your fingers can re-create to hopefully spare you some additional time off by catching the problem early.

1. Rest is one of the go-to’s for any inflammation / irritation. Do not try to run through / continue training with shin splints as they will not traditionally go away on their own.
2. ICE ICE BABY! So ice can feel very good over the irritated / inflamed areas. Only use ice for up to 20-minutes at a time and if the skin feels numb, give it a break. Try to ice the area 3-4 times per day.
3. Shorten up your stride. Aim for a stride rate / cadence of around 160-180 steps per minute. We know this may sound like a lot of stepping but just count every time one foot hits the ground for a minute and then just multiply that by two to get your cadence.
4. Focus on building up some strength in your calves. Pending on your ability you could consider: Heel Raises / Forward Lunge and for more advanced, Mountain Climbers / Pistol Squats while placing some serious emphasis on stretching and engaging the calves / ankles.

Check out the full article here thanks to Runner’s World.

**Always do your own research as everyone’s body functions / responds differently when it comes to exercise. Always consult a doctor for situations that are abnormal.**

Calves

Calf Pain From Running:

This is going to read similar to what we have for shin pain as they help each other out on your lower leg. Do not worry as tight calf muscles can be a common concern for runners, both beginner and advanced as they play a serious role in shock absorption. Your calves are made up of your gastrocnemius and soleus muscle groups. The most common types of discomfort one can expect in this area with running can be seen below:

The Culprit

1. 1. 1. Dehydration / Cramps – When your body is running on “E” from loss of fluids and salt through sweat, muscles can begin to tighten up or cramp. Some have described this feeling similar to a spasm or pulling / stretching feeling in the calf just by pointing the toes.
    2. Gait Deviation – Don’t let those two words scare you. Gait, or simply the way you run, can play a huge role in how your body absorbs forces from running. Think overpronating (inward roll of the heel on each step) as your foot tries to compensate for tight / inflexible calf muscles. This can then lead into additional injuries if not addressed appropriately.
    3. Stress Fractures – When these muscles are continuously being overused and can no longer take the ongoing stresses, these get transferred to the bones, particularly the tibial bone when it comes to pain in your shins.
      1. Stress fractures are often misdiagnosed for muscle strains. The best way to know the difference is as follows: a muscle strain will fade after being warmed up. A stress fracture will typically hurt much worse with additional exercise. If you suspect a fracture, please consult your doctor as recovery may be four to six weeks of no running
    4. Exertional Compartment Syndrome (ECS) – This type of condition is much less common in the running community. It is mainly a muscle / nerve condition that can cause swelling / tightness / pain throughout the lower leg. Such is typically only brought on with exercise or running and can only be truly fixed with surgery.
  Suggested Fix:
  Before your next run, sit on down and give both the front and back of your lower leg a nice overview. Take your fingers and gently press around to see if anything surrounding your tibia is sensitive. You may be surprised on what type of aches and pains your fingers can re-create to hopefully spare you some additional time off by catching the problem early.
  1. 1. Rest is one of the go-to’s for any inflammation / irritation. Do not try to run through / continue training with shin splints as they will not traditionally go away on their own.
    2. ICE ICE BABY! So ice can feel very good over the irritated / inflamed areas. Only use ice for up to 20-minutes at a time and if the skin feels numb, give it a break. Try to ice the area 3-4 times per day.
    3. Shorten up your stride. Aim for a stride rate / cadence of around 160-180 steps per minute. We know this may sound like a lot of stepping but just count every time one foot hits the ground for a minute and then just multiply that by two to get your cadence. This can then help with overpronation as your mid-foot is going to making contact with the ground first, compared to your heel.
    4. Focus on building up some strength in your calves. Pending on your ability you could consider: Heel Raises / Forward Lunge and for more advanced, Mountain Climbers / Pistol Squats while placing some serious emphasis on stretching and engaging the calves / ankles.
  Check out the full article here thanks to VeryWell Fit.
  **Always do your own research as everyone’s body functions / responds differently when it comes to exercise. Always consult a doctor for situations that are abnormal.**

Feet

Foot Pain From Running:

You may not know it just yet but your feet play a pretty important role when it comes to walking, jogging, and running. Knowing the impact force on your body with every step you take is 2 – 3 times one’s own body weight, your feet certainly take the brute of it. What happens when too much force is taken on too quickly, and your body is not quite ready? Well that’s when things tend to break down. We’re going to focus on the two main issues the feet / ankles traditionally face when it comes to running.

The Culprits

1. Plantar Faciitis– There’s this band of tissue that runs from your tootsies to your heel. It’s know as your Plantar Fascia and it’s main job is to support your arch, or the inside middle part of your foot. Over the years of walking around, that band gets stretched and stretched, ultimately losing some of it’s supportive factor on the arch. It can also become irritated / inflamed if put under a bit too much stress / load. This can be due to: calf weakness / too much running too quickly / unsupported arches.
  - - - A common sign would be slight pain in either your heel or arch of the foot and is often more noticeable right away in your first couple steps in the morning.
2. Achilles Tendonitis or Tendinosis – For all your Greek fans out there, Achilles was the God of Strength. Considering that, we all know where our Achilles Tendon is located on the back portion of our foot, but not too many actually know what that tendon does. Your achilles tendon attaches the muscles of your calves, your soleus and gastrocnemius, to the heel of your foot. Just like Achilles himself, it’s the strongest / largest tendon in the body! Yet, just like any bodily part, it can only handle so much stress / pressure / load at one time. If that’s exceeded, often during running, such can become inflamed (tendonitis) or can deteriorate (tendinosis). This can be due to a variety of causes such as: calf weakness / too much running too quickly / not enough recovery / poor flexibility / excessive hill training.
  1. 1. - A common sign here would be slight pain in the achilles tendon directly, and sometimes only felt when running. In more severe situations, the tendon actually will appear swollen and can hurt to the touch.

Suggested Fix:

Before your next run, sit on down and give your feet a nice overview. Take your socks off and look at your arch. Press around with your fingers to see if anything is sensitive. Make sure to check between those toes as well as up around that heel into the calve / shin. You may be surprised on what you see as your foot is really designed well for what it’s built to do!

1. The best is actually the most boring and that’s Rest. If you take a load off for a period of time, any inflammation should calm down.
2. ICE ICE BABY! So ice can feel very good over the irritated / inflamed areas. Only use ice for up to 20-minutes at a time and if the skin feels numb, give it a break. Try to ice the area 3-4 times per day.
3. Focus on building up some strength in your calves. Pending on your ability you could consider: Heel Raises / Forward Lunge and for more advanced, Mountain Climbers / Pistol Squats while placing some serious emphasis on stretching and engaging the calves / ankles.

**Always do your own research as everyone’s body functions / responds differently when it comes to exercise. Always consult a doctor for situations that are abnormal.**

Running Injuries

Click below to find a wide variety of common running-related injuries, recovery recommendations, and prevention strategies

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Hamstrings

Knees

Feet

IT Band

Groin

Shins

Abdominals

Chest / Lungs

Glutes

Lower Back

Upper Back

Shoulders

Arms

Neck

Head

Hips

Calves

Hands

Quadriceps

Popliteal space

Head Pain From Running:

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Chronic Neck Pain From Running:

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Upper Back Pain From Running:

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Shoulder Pain From Running:

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Chest / Lung Pain From Running:

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Arm Pain From Running:

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Hand Pain From Running:

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Abdominal Pain From Running:

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Lower Back Pain From Running:

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Glute Pain From Running:

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Hip Pain From Running:

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Groin Pain From Running:

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Quadricep Pain From Running:

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Hamstring Pain From Running:

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IT Band Pain From Running:

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Poplietal Pain From Running:

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Knee Pain From Running:

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Shin Pain From Running:

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Calf Pain From Running:

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Foot Pain From Running:

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