How Runner’s Injuries Happen

Just because they’re called runner’s injuries it doesn’t necessarily mean that you got it from running. Well, you did… but you didn’t. Let me explain myself. There are many common “runner’s injuries” that can occur, like plantar fasciitis, shin splints, IT band syndrome, runner’s knee, and Achilles tendonitis to name just a few. Yes, you can get these injuries while running, but they actually occurred for other reasons like repetitive movement, imbalances in strength, poor mobility, or muscle tightness. 

Running is Repetitive 

Running involves a whole lot of the same movement pattern. Whether you run just a few days a week or are training for a race, that’s a lot of kilometres over a week, month, or year. And the longer the race, the more running you need to do to prepare. More running = more potential for injury. 

This is true of any repetitive movement. I’ve noticed that clients often don’t recognize that the things they do each day are what’s causing their pain, but they quickly blame exercising for it. We all have something like this in our lives, whether it’s running, sitting at a desk all day, or golfing twice a week plus hitting the driving range. Repetitive movements cause weakness, tightness, and imbalances in the body, which will inevitably lead to injuries. 

How Imbalance Leads to Runner’s Injuries

If you’ve ever gone to physiotherapy, they will assess you and tell you which muscles you need to strengthen to rehabilitate your injury. This also helps you avoid getting the same injury again; but how does the imbalance get there in the first place? 

A simple example is that most people have a dominant side, and without realizing it, they always lead with it. For example, reaching for items up high, taking the first step up the stairs, or carrying a small child on the same hip all the time. Any mom will tell you how “out” her body felt after carrying a toddler all day! 

When running, one glute may be stronger than the other and push off the ground with more force. After a lot of repetitions and kilometres, your hips or pelvis could be out of alignment. Or maybe your feet are tight from wearing ill-fitting shoes all day at work; then on your evening run, your foot can’t roll through as it should. A limited range of motion over time can cause tightness in other areas, all the way from your feet up through your back. It’s all connected! 

Tightness and pain can be caused by not moving your body in all the ways it can. When you add in repetitive movement like running, these imbalances or lack of mobility become accentuated. 

Pilates is Preventive & Restorative

If you’re taking care of your whole body, runner’s injuries will be far less likely to happen. In Pilates, we move our bodies in all the ways that it is meant to move. We flex, rotate, stretch, and strengthen with a variety of exercises done in multiple ways. We use gravity to help and challenge us, and every exercise has an element of strength, stretch, and mobility.

Read More: 5 Pilates Exercises Runners Love

A good Pilates teacher will meet you where you’re at, and incrementally add exercises to get you moving with more ease and less pain. They’ll help you find imbalances and correct them, so you can keep doing the things you love for longer – like running!