• 13 OCT 19
    • 0

    Over-use Injuries

    'I'm on the back stretch, about halfway down...I think it's a pulled hamstring.'

     

     

    For many people, not being able to do something which you enjoy and which is also a part of your routine, can be very frustrating. If you know any athletes, you will also know that when they are injured, they can also be very Cranky Bears! At Sunnybank Hills Podiatry, I treat many injured runners, and try to transform those very Cranky Bears!

    If we think about running injuries they tend to fall into two broad injuries, acute or chronic. Your acute injuries are generally a sudden onset like a rolled ankle or a broken bone resulting from a fall. Chronic injuries are those injuries which tend to have a gradual onset and seem to get worse over time. In many cases, a chronic injury can be related to over-use or over-loading of a particular structure.

    Treating over-use injuries can be challenging for the athlete and the health professional. This challenge is mainly due to the long recovery and rehabilitation time that it takes to get the athlete back to peak performance.

    Common Over-use Injuries for runners;

    • Patella – Femoral Pain (Runners Knee, knee cap pain)
    • ITB Pain (outside of knee pain)
    • Achilles Tendonosis (Pain at the back of the heel and lower leg)
    • Bone Stress Injuries (stress fractures, stress reaction – mainly shins or forefoot)

    Why do Over-use injuries occur?

    Like the title says, these injuries are from too much exposure to load (over-use) on our tissues. Our body’s tissues have an adaptive response to physical load,

    • Too little load = decrease tolerance, tissue wastage
    • No change in load = no change to tolerance levels, no change to tissues
    • Increased Load = increased tolerance, tissue growth
    • Overload = Compromised tolerance, injury occurs

    As you can see from the above points, there is a narrow window for tissue adaptation and if the athlete is not careful they can continue to increase their loads until tissue failure or injury. This is where the athlete really must;

    • be in tune with their body
    • address any signs of injury early and seek professional advice if necessary
    • Openly communicate with their coaches in terms of injuries and actual training loads (including activities outside of their structured programs).
    • Ensure adequate rest (both sleeping & rest between activity)
    • Have a healthy diet including plenty of protein to help rebuild & repair tissues.

    Craig has over 25 years’ worth of experience as a runner and over 15 years of clinical experience as a Podiatrist. If you have any running injury concerns make an appointment with Craig by clicking the link below.

    https://www.hotdoc.com.au/medical-centres/sunnybank-hills-QLD-4109/sunnybank-hills-medical-centre/doctors/craig-schooth

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