Sports Injuries from high heels to running shoes without pain

UK runner Steph Twell, pic Nike UK

This is a guest post from Don Connigale, a freelance journalist, copywriter and regular runner who is currently working with a number of clients including No Win No Fee UK

Common Sports Injuries

While the sports injuries that make headlines tend to be the most dramatic ones, or ones that affect our top athletes prior to major sporting events (be honest, how many of us had even heard of a metatarsal before a number of England footballers – most notably David Beckham – managed to fracture theirs inconveniently close to a World Cup tournament?), the most common sports injuries experienced by the public tend to be more run of the mill and are often, fortunately, quite minor. It’s worth remembering that if an injury is due to poor coaching, incorrect treatment or being provided with the wrong equipment, you may be eligible for sports injury compensation.



Shin Splints
Most common of all, according to figures from Sports Injury Clinic, are shin splints. This is because running is such a popular, effective and affordable method of keeping fit and/or losing weight, but many of us set out and train too much, too soon. The key is to start gradually and build up slowly, particularly if you haven’t exercised for a while. Shin splints generally refer to pain on the inside lower half of the shin, and the injury is often at its most painful in the day or so after exercising, meaning you may not even realise you’re hurting yourself until it’s too late. It is perhaps this fact that makes them so common. The good news is, the injury is usually temporary and will pass in time, provided you rest and don’t try to “run through the pain”. In the mean time, you can stay fit with non-weight bearing exercises such as cycling or swimming. Then you can start running again, starting off slowly and not trying to cover too much ground, increasing your mileage by no more than around 10% each week.

Wearing good-quality running shoes is vital too, and visiting a specialist running shop is highly recommended, as everyone’s feet hit the ground differently (some roll in, some roll out, some hit the road flat) and there are specialist shoes to suit all types, and wearing ones with the right support for you can really reduce the impact on your joints.

Achilles Tendon 

Next most common is also a running injury, achilles tendonitis, which is basically heel pain. The causes are similar to those stated above – overtraining, incorrect running shoes, lack of rest – but can also be exacerbated by running up hills, which puts extra strain on this part of the foot. Particularly susceptible are women who wear high heels frequently when not exercising, as such footwear shortens the tendon and calf muscles, leading to additional strain when running in flat shoes. Sadly this one can take longer to heal, as there is limited blood supply to this part of the body. But the cure is basically the same: rest. And maybe think about wearing sensible shoes more often!