In my final article of some common injuries I just want to cover injuries that can occur and what to do about them.

Illiotibial Band Syndrome

Not a common name but a very common injury. If you've ever had this injury you have heard of it. It is usually caused when someone over trains. It is also cause when someone runs on the streets and you run on the side of the road. Most roads have a downward incline to them where the middle of the road is higher than the sides. This helps so puddles will not form on the road. The bad thing for runners is that your leg that is closest to the edge of the road has a lot of strain on the outer portion of your leg. This leads to strain of your IB Band.

To treat this condition you need to provide your leg some rest. Make sure you ice the knee to cut down on some inflammation. You can also run when you have this but you will need to decrease the distance of your run and run on an even surface. If you continue to have pain you can see a physical therapists for help with this.

Plantar Fasciitis

This is a condition where you will have pain in your heel, usually when you first wake up but after walking around a bit the pain decreases. If you do run it will feel good in the beginning but after running for about an hour the pain may come back.

To treat this condition you may want to decrease your running distance. You can also do some cross training and do some swimming or bicycling. Some find relief by stretching and others will get a special fitted orthotic that you place in your shoes. My brother, the triathlete, has had this and he had a heck of a time to get it under control. He did eventually get an orthotic for his shoes and it help tremendously but didn't take care of it entirely. He has found going to a massage therapist to help.

Shin Splints

This is one of the most common injuries for beginner runners. It happens because someone tries to go out and do too much too soon. If you have the wrong shoes when running this can also lead to shin splints. Make sure you get a proper shoe for your running style ( some people run on the outside of their foot while others run on the inside of their foot). A good fitted shoe will help your foot strike be proper and reduce the tension caused to your muscles in your calf and possibly lead to shin splints.

If you do get shin splints make sure you rest. You may have to stop running altogether for a little bit. If you do run when you have them they can lead to stress fractures.

Some final words on getting an injury. Take the time to heal and don't get down on yourself. If you run long enough you will get injured but how you take care of yourself after the injury will determine whether or not you will become a long time runner or it will just be another "thing" you did for a while.

Take care and see you out there.