The most common injury in running athletes is usually diagnosed in heavy athletes or those who wear shoes with poor cushioning.
Athletes’ foot injuries are much more common than you might think. But, in most cases, they arise when athletes do not follow the basic guidelines given by orthopedists or physiotherapists. One of the most common problems is a stress fracture of the calcaneus. In this case, the runner is required to take a break from physical activity. It can occur due to falls, impacts from running, jumping sports, injuries, twisting, or through a pathological process such as osteoporosis.
The calcaneus is the bone that forms the heel and is the largest and most voluminous bone in the foot. In running athletes, the most common injury to the calcaneus is a stress fracture. It is usually diagnosed in heavier athletes who do not use good shoes with cushioning or who do not have good running biomechanics, that is, who land with their heels to the ground, throwing all their weight and thus reducing the speed of its race, in addition to increasing the impact on the region.
How To Avoid
- Wear shoes suitable for the type of step;
- Worrying about being overweight;
- Do not train more than necessary;
- Stretch the muscles of the calves and Achilles’ tendons always after training and tests.
Treatment
The athlete that has ankle pain from running (วิ่ง แล้ว เจ็บ ข้อ เท้า which is the term in Thai) stops training and starts physical therapy. The doctor guides the use of the “robofoot,” and the physiotherapist uses laser, ultrasound, and currents for analgesia. Treatment evolves according to the athlete’s symptoms. You have to strengthen the leg muscles, stretch and gradually return to the sport through proprioception exercises and sports gestures.
To maintain the athlete’s conditioning, it is recommended to practice sports without impact – weight training for upper limbs, without restrictions, and for lower limbs, with restrictions, as long as the foot joint is not used. Running on the water, also called “deep-running,” is always welcome.