Injuries

Common Causes of Injuries

It’s a physiological fact that constant use of a muscle, tendon, or joint without a break results in earlier fatigue and reduced work potential. Continuing to run/walk when the muscle is extremely fatigued increases the number of micro-tears dramatically and is a major cause of injury.

By pacing conservatively and by inserting walk breaks early and often, you will gain a great deal of control over the fatigue process. You’ll empower the muscles to maintain resiliency and capacity. This lowers the chance of breakdown by significantly reducing the accumulating damage that leads to injury.

Aggravating Factors:

  • prior damage
  • body weight
  • speed
  • stride length
  • bounce off of the ground
  • improper stretching

How do you know if you are injured?

When you notice any of these symptoms, take at least a day or two off from running (always be sensitive to your weak links):

  • Inflammation – swelling, puffiness or thickening
  • Loss of function – the area doesn’t work correctly or move normally
  • Pain – if the pain does not go away as you get warmed up and walk slowly, or the pain increases STOP!

Here are some of the most common injuries with some tips on how to treat them. For the best advice, see your doctor.

Common Runner’s Injuries

Run Smarter, Not Harder:

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