The Army of the United States needs to make sure their soldiers are healthy, including their feet. To aid with keeping the frontlines battle fit, The Army conducted the Born To Run story line and the forefoot/rearfoot debate. The study delved into past-year injury rates among 1027 soldiers, which included 232 women who were injured.
“There are no large studies evaluating differences in injury profiles between heel strike and non-heel-strike runners,” one poster notes. “Due to high musculoskeletal injury rates in soldiers, a better understanding of the potential relationship between foot strike and injury could be beneficial to the military services.”
Running can be a great way to keep your body healthy, but it can also lead to injuries if you’re not careful. If you have a running injury, or are concerned about getting one, contact Dr. Michael Newman, DPM of Pennsylvania. Dr. Newman can instruct you on proper running techniques and help you keep your lower extremities safe.
How to Prevent Running Injuries
Many common running injuries are caused by overuse and overtraining. When the back of the kneecap starts wearing out and starts causing pain in your knee, this is commonly referred to as runner’s knee. Runner’s knee is a decrease in strength in your quadriceps and can occur if you’re not wearing properly fitted or supporting shoes. Runner’s knee usually is treated with strengthening exercises focusing on the quad muscles and sports orthotic. To prevent runner’s knee, focusing on hip strengthening is a good idea, as well as strengthening your quads to keep the kneecaps aligned. Physical therapy can help you learn the best exercises to heal runner’s knee.
What Are Some Causes of Running Injuries?
- One cause of a common running injury is called iliotibial band syndrome.
- Plantar fasciitis is also another common injury.
- Stress fractures can occur from overtraining, lack of calcium, or even your running style.
Best Ways to Prevent Running Injuries
- Wear footwear that fits properly and suits your running needs.
- Running shoes are the only protective gear that runners have to safeguard them from injury.
- Make a training schedule.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact our offices in Plymouth Meeting and Ambler, PA. We offer the latest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot care needs.
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