The season is in full swing and you’re riding the wave. Nothing seems able to stop you. The sun is shining, and it’s time for your weekly long run during a particularly demanding week due to a very (too) high training load, combined with a lack of sleep and a busy work schedule. Despite everything, the session starts off perfectly and you even push the pace slightly faster than what your training program recommends.

Unfortunately, during this run—which had started so well—the situation begins to change. You start to feel out of breath, a general discomfort sets in, and even worse, a sharp pain suddenly appears while running downhill.

Many runners will likely recognize several reasons behind this unpleasant pain in this short story. Some may even recognize mistakes they have made in the past.

Running injuries can generally be categorized into three different types of stress:

• Range of motion (Amplitude)
• Repetition
• Load

 

Range of motion stress

When we talk about range of motion stress, it usually refers to an overly long stride that pushes joints and muscles into extreme ranges of motion. This can suddenly—or gradually over time—cause pain or discomfort.

Injuries related to amplitude stress are often linked to problematic running biomechanics. This type of stress may also occur during specific aspects of training such as speed workouts or downhill running.

For example, during a sprint, it is possible to suffer a muscle strain due to an excessively long stride, or to develop lower back pain from poor technique during a long downhill run.

One of the simplest and most effective adjustments to help prevent these issues is to shorten your stride, which can be achieved by increasing cadence. A cadence of approximately 170 to 190 steps per minute is generally recommended.

 

Load stress

Another type of stress is load, which is associated with the intensity of training.

Training intensity is mainly linked to running speed, but it can also come from plyometric training or uphill running. Injuries such as stress fractures and Achilles tendinopathy are good examples of load-related injuries.

A useful strategy when dealing with this type of injury is to avoid hills (especially uphill running) and focus more on training volume rather than speed or interval sessions.

 

Repetition stress

The last type of stress is repetition, which is primarily associated with training volume.

Training volume refers to the total weekly mileage. However, the surface you train on should also be considered.

A movement repeated the same way becomes even more repetitive when the surface remains identical throughout the entire session. For example, during a track workout where you always run in the same direction, the movement pattern becomes more repetitive than when running on trails.

Common injuries caused by excessive repetition include:

• Iliotibial band syndrome (IT band syndrome)
• Shin splints

To reduce repetition stress, you can:

• Decrease training volume
• Break training sessions into shorter segments with rest periods
• Vary training surfaces (asphalt, grass, track, dirt trails, etc.)

 

Final thoughts

In most cases, running injuries are the result of a combination of these stress categories. That is why an external evaluation by a qualified professional can be extremely helpful.

If you are experiencing running-related pain, don’t hesitate to consult a physiotherapist specialized in running injuries to guide you through recovery.

Antoine Vandal

Physiotherapist and passionate runner

Évolution Physio Clinic – Blainville