Although running and cycling are beneficial to your health in many ways, the repetitive motion of these activities often leads to overuse injuries.
Our goal is to treat these injuries and teach our patients self-care and management techniques that allow them to maintain their active lifestyle. Check out the subpages with some common running and cycling injuries we treat!
Ankle Sprains
Ankle sprains are a common injury in sports that require you to plant your foot and shift your weight, like soccer, and in activities that take place on uneven terrain, such as hiking and trail running. Ankle sprains result from the stretching or tearing of any of the 3 ligaments that support and connect the bones of the ankle. The severity of the sprain depends on how many of the ligaments are injured and how badly they are damaged.
Swelling, bruising, pain, and a lack of mobility in the ankle joint are the hallmarks of an ankle sprain.
Once the primary inflammation subsides, however, the sprain may lead to long-term weakness and instability in the ankle joint, increasing the risk of repeating the injury. Stretching and strengthening exercises that emphasize balance can help to prevent recurrent ankle sprains.
Calf Strain
Calf strain is characterized by a sharp pain and tightening at the back of the calf muscles. Calf muscle strains are the result of injury to the gastrocnemius and/or soleus muscles. In addition to pain, a calf strain may cause swelling and difficulty walking.
Hamstring Strain
Hamstring strain is the result of damage to one or more of the hamstring muscles. It is a common injury in sports that involve frequent sprinting or jumping such as track & field, football and soccer.
Symptoms of a hamstring strain include a sharp pain in the back of the thigh, pain when bending forward with straightened knees, and, in some cases, swelling and difficulty walking.
Hip Flexor Pain
Hip flexor pain is common in athletes who engage in sports requiring repetitive motions of the hip such as runners and cyclists. It is characterized by pain when lifting the knee to the chest, and inflammation in the hip area. Hip flexor pain can also be the result of a tear in one of the hip flexor muscles (usually the psoas muscle(s)) due to sudden trauma.
Plantar Fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis causes pain and stiffness in the bottom of the heel. The plantar fascia is a thick piece of tissue that connects the heel bone to the toes and forms the arch of the foot. Inflammation of the plantar fascia due to arch problems (and improper footwear), tight Achilles tendon(s), and overuse, may result in plantar fasciitis.
Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome
Medial tibial stress syndrome (Shin Splints) is a common condition that causes pain and tenderness along the inside front portion of the shinbone (tibia). The pain may occur only during exercise, or may persist after ceasing the activity. The most common cause of shin splints is inflammation in the periosteum of the tibia bone.
The periosteum is a protective tissue that surrounds the bone. When this tissue is inflamed it leads to pain. Flat feet, improper footwear, a sudden increase in training volume or intensity, faulty biomechanics while running, alignment issues, and overly tight or weak calf muscles may increase an athlete’s risk of developing shin splints.
Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (PFPS)
Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (PFPS) (Runner’s Knee) refers to a group of conditions characterized by pain in the front of the knee caused by inflammation of the patellofemoral (PF) joint (located between the kneecap and femur).
PFPS may be caused by patellar compression or tilting, joint or muscular weakness and instability, biomechanical dysfunction, direct trauma to the region, overuse, or soft tissue lesions.
Patellar Tendinopathy (PT)
Patellar Tendinopathy (PT) (Jumper’s Knee) is a condition characterized by pain and inflammation in the section of the patellar tendon between your kneecap (patella) and the area where the tendon attaches to your shinbone (tibia).
During physical activity, PT often causes a sharp pain directly below your kneecap — especially when running or jumping. After a workout or practice, this pain may persist as a dull ache.
Overused or inflexible quadriceps muscles or a lack of mobility in the hip/ankle joint(s) may put you at a greater risk for developing PT. These muscular imbalances can put abnormal stress on the patellar tendon leading to inflammation and pain.
It Band Syndrome (ITBS)
ITBS is one of the leading causes of knee pain in runners. The iliotibial band (IT band) runs along the length of the outer thigh, from the hip to the knee.
Friction between the IT band and the knee joint causes the area to become inflamed. Resting will decrease the pain and inflammation, but resuming activity usually causes it to recur.
ITBS can be caused by many factors including muscle imbalances, hip weakness, myofascial adhesions (such as scar tissue), overtraining, or improper footwear.
Piriformis Syndrome
Piriformis syndrome (often called a “pain in the butt”) is a disorder that occurs when the piriformis muscle compresses the sciatic nerve. The symptoms associated with piriformis syndrome are pain, tingling and numbness in the buttocks.
This pain may also radiate down the lower thigh and into the leg (along the path of the sciatic nerve).