Feet are the foundation of our bodies. Their alignment directly affects that of our knees, hips and back. If the feet are “out of line” then so is the rest of our bodies. Various things effect our foot alignment. Ankles that “overpronate” or collapse in, having one leg longer than the other, and weak inner quadricep muscles can all contribute to imbalances that can in turn cause injuries. Alignment issues can be corrected with specific strengthening/stretching exercises, custom foot orthotics, heel lifts, and appropriate footwear. Wearing proper running shoes – one that fits the particular foot type – is paramount. When incorrect or worn shoes are used for athletic training, aches and pains can develop in other parts of the body.

Whether you are a high level athlete, or a weekend warrior, it is a good idea to have a lower extremity biomechanical assessment done to determine what type of footwear your foot requires.

Certainly the more running you do, the more relevant foot biomechanics and proper running shoes become. Running is such a symmetrical and repetitive activity where both sides of the body are supposed to be in perfect synch. Therefore, even small imbalances can disrupt the balance, which may contribute to the development of injury or deficits in performance. If these imbalances are addressed properly and quickly, the chance of suffering from injury or having to take a break from running is significantly reduced.

Following are five of the most common running injuries. Improper footwear and overpronation can result in any one of these injuries.

Five of the Most Common Running Injuries

1. Plantar fascitis - inflammation of the thick fibrous band of tissue on the bottom of the foot which runs from the heel to the base of the toes. Causes: overpronation, high arches and rigid feet, incorrect or worn shoes, overtraining, inflexible calf muscles and Achilles tendon.
2. Shin Splints – Inflammation of the muscle attachments on the tibia (bone on the front of the lower leg). Causes: Inflexible calf muscles and tight Achilles tendons, overpronation, excessive running on hard surfaces (such as concrete), incorrect or worn shoes, overtraining or rapid increase in training load or intensity.
3. Runner’s Knee – A softening or wearing away and cracking of the cartilage of the kneecap, resulting in pain and inflammation. The cartilage becomes like sandpaper because the kneecap is not riding smoothly over the knee. Causes: - Overpronation, muscle weakness (especially of the inner quadricep muscle), downhill running, running on cambered surfaces, incorrect or worn shoes and overtraining.
4. Achilles tendonitis – Inflammation of the Achilles tendon, which is the large tendon connecting the two major calf muscles to the back of the heel bone. Under too much stress the tendon tightens and is forced to work too hard. This causes it to become inflamed and over time can produce scar tissue which is less flexible than the tendon. If it continues to be stressed it can tear or rupture. Causes: Tight or fatigued calf muscles, poor stretching, rapidly increasing distance, overtraining or excessive hill training or speed work, inflexible running shoes which may cause the Achilles to twist and overpronate.
5. Iliotibial Band (ITB) Syndrome – Pain and inflammation on the outside of the knee, where the iliotibial band (a muscle on the outside of the thigh) becomes tendinous and results in a friction syndrome by rubbing against the femur (thigh bone) as it runs alongside the knee joint. Causes: Anything that causes the leg to bend inwards, stretching the ITB against the femur. Overpronation, lack of stretching, incorrect or worn shoes, excessive hill running (especially downhill), running on cambered (sloped) surfaces and overtraining.