Springtime Brings Increased Running Injuries

Spring has sprung, and runners of all abilities are ramping up mileage and enjoying the warmer temps and longer days.

It’s a great time of year to train for that first 5K, that elusive half-marathon PR, or that strong marathon finish. It’s a great time to be running!

With increased training comes increased fatigue and increased chance of running-related injury. Too often you hear of runners dropping off their training plan to heal common running injuries such as shin splints, knee pain, and foot or hip pain.

“People that don’t run think that the simple act of running causes injuries but that is not quite the case,” says Heidi Christensen, MD, Director of Sports Medicine at i-Care Urgent Care. “The real culprits are improper footwear, increasing mileage too aggressively, and strength/flexibility imbalances.” Dr. Christensen gained a keen interest in running injuries during her fellowship at Stanford University in which she treated the university’s athletes and provided medical support during many races including Nike Women’s Marathon.

Dr. Christensen, an avid athlete, diagnoses and treats a broad spectrum of running injuries, including acute injuries that don’t require surgery and musculoskeletal problems such as overuse injuries. She warns that there are different types of running pain and some types of discomfort are safe to run through. For example, if you feel a little tightness in the beginning of a run and it goes away once you’re warmed up, it’s usually safe to continue.

But if you’re dealing with pain that continues to get worse during your run, or causes you to alter your running gait, then you should stop your run. The best approach to preventing running injuries is to be proactive and not ignore the warning signs of an injury. By taking steps to treat pain in its early stages rather than waiting until you have a full-blown running injury, you can limit your pain and reduce the amount of time you need to take off from running.

To make an appointment with Dr. Christensen please call i-Care Urgent Care at 951-878-9820. i-Care Urgent Care is conveniently located at 27722 Clinton Keith Rd in Murrieta just off the 215 freeway.