8 Most Common Running Injuries to Watch For

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Why are we watching for running injuries? Because as the title says, they are common. In fact, studies have shown that around 50% of runners will suffer from common running injuries, often caused by overuse, improper mechanics and form, poor running shoes, or increasing mileage too quickly. If you run, you can’t afford to ignore the red flags of common running injuries. And not only should you know what common running injuries to watch for, but you should also know HOW to proactively PREVENT and TREAT common running injuries. So here are of the most common running injuries that can plague runners, and the symptoms to watch for.

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Table of Contents

8 Most Common Running Injuries to Watch For

Here they are, in no particular order:

#1: Runners Knee
#2: Shin Splints
#3: Stress Fractures
#4: Tendonitis
#5: Plantar Fasciitis
#6: Muscle Pulls
#7: IT Band Syndrome
#8: Ankle Sprains

#1: Runners Knee

What Causes It: cartilage in the kneecap wearing down, overuse

What It Feels Like: Mild to extreme pain around the kneecap or in the front of the knee, especially noticeable when going up or down stairs or squatting. Can notice it more when active or after sitting for a long time. Gets worse with activities like jumping, running, or squatting. May be accompanied by cracking or popping sounds.

How to Prevent It: warm up and stretch (especially the quads and calf muscles), wear proper running shoes, increase mileage and distance gradually, cross train (especially with low impact training like cycling), give your knees a break, strength train and weight train, proper running form and mechanics, strengthen the quadricep and hip muscles,

Treatment: rest, ice, compress, elevate, give your knees a break

#2: Shin Splints (Tibial Stress Syndrome)

What Causes It: Overuse – too much too quickly, repetitive exercises, sudden changes to exercise routines, improper footwear, running on hard surfaces like pavement.

What It Feels Like: Pain along the lower shin bone on the front and inside of the lower leg, tender to the touch, swelling. Can worsen with activity. If worsens, can develop into stress fractures.

How to Prevent It: Rest, gradual increases in mileage, cross training, lower impact activities, proper running shoes, stretching

Treatment: rest, ice, elevate, stretching, low impact cross training, over the counter meds like Ibuprofen. Consider switching to softer running surfaces like trails and limiting running on pavement. Cut back on running distances and volume.

#3: Stress Fractures

What Causes It: overuse, repeated stress, fatigue, sudden changes in exercise routines, accumulated stress from repetitive impact

What It Feels Like: pain from small hairline cracks/fractures in a bone, normally in the feet and shins. Pain gets worse over time, even when resting. May have swelling, bruising, and tenderness.

How to Prevent It: adequate rest, gradual increases in mileage and distance, warm up and stretch, good running shoes

Treatment: Rest, Xray, 6-8 weeks recovery, post recovery run on softer surfaces like treadmills or trails, low impact cross training like cycling or swimming

#4: Tendonitis

What Causes It: repetitive stress and inflammation to the Achilles tendon, tight calf muscles, overuse, increasing mileage and distances too fast

What It Feels Like: pain, inflammation, swelling and/or stiffness in the Achilles tendon (the large tendon that connects the the calf to the back of the heel), difficulty moving the joint, limited range of motion when flexing, dull pain in the lower leg above the heel, tendon can be warm to the touch.

How to Prevent It: gradually increase mileage and distances, warm up, stretching and recovery, rest

Treatment: calf stretches, calf massage, rest, ice, compress, elevate. If left untreated though, risk of rupturing the Achilles tendon increases. If the tendon becomes torn, this usually requires surgery to fix.

#5: Plantar Fasciitis

What Causes It: inflammation of the plantar fascia (thick band of tissue in the bottom of the foot that extends from the heel to the toes), tight and/or weak calf muscles, increasing running volume too quickly

What It Feels Like: severe heel pain, burning sensation in the bottom of the foot, typically worse in the morning and after activity.

How to Prevent It: calf stretches, strengthen calf muscles, rest, good running shoes

Treatment: calf stretches, icing the bottom of the foot, rest, low impact cross training, softer running surfaces like treadmills or dirt

#6: Muscle Pulls

What Causes It: overstretching a muscle

What It Feels Like: small tears in a muscle, popping sensation

How to Prevent It: rest, warm up and stretch, strength and cross train

Treatment: rest, ice, compress, and elevate, and over the counter pain meds like Ibuprofen

#7: IT Band Syndrome

What Causes It: overuse, repetitive friction of the IT band rubbing against the leg bone, inflammation of the IT band (ligament that runs from the outside of the thigh from the top of the hip to the outside of the knee) causing the band to thicken and rub bone, tight IT bands, weaker hips and gluteal muscles.

What It Feels Like: aching, burning, and/or sharp pain on the outside of the knee or hip. Tender to the touch. Can also feel swelling, inflammation, warmth, redness, and/or clicking sensation. Typically felt when active and can get worse when you bend your knee.

How to Prevent It: rest, stretching, proper running shoes, strength training (especially hip muscles) and stabilizing exercises

Treatment: stretching, icing, reducing running mileage, cortisone steroid injections, adjust running form, stride, and mechanics

#8: Ankle Sprains

What Causes It: Overstretching the ligaments between the leg and ankle, often caused by the ankle twisting or rolling.

What It Feels Like: pain, discoloration, swelling, bruising, limited range of motion

How to Prevent It: watch terrain carefully, maintain sustainable and safe pace, be mindful of uneven ground, good footwear, warm up and stretch, strength training

Treatment: ice, rest, compress, elevate, over the counter pain meds like Ibuprofen

Common Trends Among Running Injuries

You may have noticed some patterns emerging:

#1: Overuse is a huge culprit – in fact, studies have shown that up to 80% of running injuries are due to overuse! Biting off more than you can chew, most often in the form of too much mileage too quickly, is one of the biggest sources of common running injuries. It is why any good training plan will build in PLENTY OF TIME to adequately train, and incorporate GRADUAL INCREMENTS in cumulative mileages and distances. If you want to run safely (and longer), there are NO SHORTCUTS to developing the proper baseline foundation. If someone promises you that you can run a half marathon 2 weeks from now when you haven’t even run your first mile, they are lying to you!

#2: Good running shoes are critical – yes, you can run in just about any shoe if you want to, but high quality running shoe will go a long way in preventing common running injuries and keep you running longer and stronger. My go to’s are HOKA One One Speedgoats! Can’t beat the cushioning – and the next race you do if you look around at your fellow runners’ feet you’ll see I’m not alone! It also doesn’t hurt to go to a running store and have a professional analyze your gait and form, and recommend a shoe that’s best for you. You can check out a complete running gear checklist for beginners here.

#3: Rest and recovery are vital – both proactive and reactive rest are important tools against common running injuries. Building adequate rest into your running regimen first, and then resting as needed when you encounter a potential injury. Active recovery goes hand in hand with rest as well, in the form of stretching, foam rolling, fueling, hydrating, and sleeping.

#4: Over the counter pain meds – while medications like Ibuprofen can be used to alleviate most common running injuries, it’s important not to become too reliant on them, or use them in lieu of professional medical treatment.

#5: RICE goes a long way (Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevate). It shows up frequently as a way to treat many of these common running injuries. Just know that it does not always solve everything.

Final Thoughts on Common Running Injuries

Professional medical advice trumps all – don’t push through, and don’t self diagnose. Know when to seek medical professional treatment. Some common running injuries have lengthier recovery periods and need for rest. Some require Xrays, surgery, and physical therapies.

If you are dealing with recurring and nagging running injuries, you might also consider getting a professional assessment of your running shoe (go to a running store), switching to softer running surfaces like trails and avoiding harder ones like concrete, and implement low impact cross training like swimming and cycling to give your body a break from repetitive impact.

For a final, simple reminder of what you can do to avoid common running injuries:

Warm Up and Stretch
Increase Running Volume Gradually (follow the 10-15% rule – part of how to do running increases the right way)
Assess Your Running Form and Mechanics
Cross Train (check out the best cross training for a half marathon)
Strength Train
Wear Good Running Shoes
Don’t Ignore Persistent Injuries and Pain

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8 Most Common Running Injuries to Watch For