What Are Some Typical Injuries That Can Result From Running/Jogging, And What Can I Do To Prevent Them?

July 1, 2009— -- Question: What are some typical injuries that can result from running, jogging, and what can I do to prevent them?

Answer: Common running injuries include kneecap pain, shin splints, Achilles tendon irritation. Ways to avoid these problems include watching your shoe wear -- making sure you're using running shoes rather than tennis shoes or basketball shoes to run in; having adequate arch support, making sure you change out your shoes when they start wearing down.

You should also watch the type of running surface that you're using. You want to make sure that you're not running in deep sand. Deep sand can irritate your Achilles tendon. You want to make sure that you're not running on something too hard like concrete. [If] you put a lot of miles on concrete, you may end up with shin splints or stress fractures of your tibia.

Finally, it's important to gradually build up your mileage. Don't try to run several miles the first time you start running. You want to build this up gradually and also watch the number of miles you put in a week. If you put in too many miles, you may place yourself at risk of developing these overuse injuries.