Body movements in physical activities such as running, swimming, and bicycling are highly repetitive, so participants are susceptible to overuse injuries. In fitness activities, the joints of the lower extremities(foot, ankle, knee, and hip) tend to be injured more frequently than the upper-extremity joints(shoulder, elbow, wrist, and hand). Three of the most common injuries from repetitive overuse during exercise are plantar fasciitis, “shin splints,” and “runner’s knee.”

*

Plantar Fasciitis Plantar fasciitis is an inflammation of the plantar fascia, a broad band of dense, inelastic tissue (fascia) that runs from the heel to the toe on the bottom of your foot. The main function of the plantar fascia is to protect the nerves, blood vessels, and muscles of the foot from injury. The repetitive, weight-bearing fitness activities such as walking and running, the plantar fascia may become inflamed Common symptoms of this condition are pain and tenderness under the ball of the foot, at the heel, or at both locations. The pain of plantar fasciitis is particularly noticeable during your first steps out of bed in the morning. If not treated properly, this injury may progress in severity to the point that weight-bearing exercise is too painful to endure. Uphill running is not advised for anyone suffering from this condition, since each uphill stride stretches(and thus irritates) the already inflamed plantar fascia. This injury can often be prevented by regularly stretching the plantar fascia prior to exercise and by athletic shoes with good arch support and shock absorbency.
*
Shin Splints A general term for any pain that occurs below the knee and above the ankle is shin splints. More than 20 different medical conditions have been identified within the broad description of shin splints. Problems range from stress fractures of the tibia(shinbone) to severe int1ammation in the muscular compartments of the lower leg, which can imerrupt the t10w of blood and nerve supply to the foot. The most common type of shin splints occurs along the inner side of the tibia and is usu ­ ally a combination of a muscle irritation and irritation of the tissues that attach tIle muscles to the bone in this region. Typically, there is pain and swelling along the middle one-third of the posteromedial tibia in the soft tissues, not the bone.

Sedentary people who start a new weight-bearing exercise program are at the greatest risk for shin splints, though well­ conditioned aerobic exercisers who rapidly increase their distance or pace may also develop shin splints. Running is the most frequent cause of shin splints, but those who do a great deal of walking(e.g., mail carriers, waitresses) may also develop this injury.

To help prevent shin splints, wear athletic shoes that have good arch support and shock absorbency. If the severity of this lower-leg condition increases to the point that you cannot comfortably complete your desired fitness activity, see your physician.

Runner’s Knee An overuse condition known as runner’s knee describes a series of problems involving the muscles, tendons, and ligaments about the knee. The most common problem identified as runner’s knee is abnormal movement of the patella(kneecap). Women are more commonly affected by this condition than are men because their wider pelvis makes abnormal lateral pull on the patella by the muscles that act at the knee more likely. In women(and some men). this causes irritation to the cartilage on the back side of the patella as well as to the nearby tendons and ligaments.

The main symptom of this kind of runner’s knee is the pain experienced when downward pressure is applied to the patella after the knee is straightened fully. Additional symptoms may include swelling, redness, and tenderness around the patella, and a dull, aching pain felt in the center of the knee. If you have these symptoms in your knee, your physician will probably recommend that you stop running for a few weeks and reduce daily activities that put compressive forces on the patella until you no longer have any pain around your kneecap.


Tags: