Browse our articles and pages tagged with Running Pain. My FootDr brings the very best in Podiatry care to everyone in Australia.
Aside from managing injuries, improving running performance is one of the reasons patients come to us for orthotics. We understand the many goals that runners have – from maintaining their comfort over long distances when their feet start to tire and technique may drop off, to overcoming the vulnerabilities created by their gait or foot type to keep running pain-free – to gaining a competitive edge and beating their personal bests.
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As podiatrists with a keen interest in sports medicine, we see and treat thousands of runners every year with a common problem: foot pain that comes on during or after running.
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Running has one of the largest participation rates in Australia, with over 3 million people participating in recreational running annually [1]. This is an increase of almost 2.5x from a 2006 survey conducted by Sports Medicine Australia [2], and with the recent COVID-related temporary closures of gyms and other recreational facilities seeing more people taking to the streets to meet their exercise needs, running seems to only be gaining popularity.
It’s no surprise really – running is affordable, accessible at any time, social, has proven psychological and health benefits, and the only barrier to starting is a pair of shoes and perhaps some timely weather. Unfortunately, up to 70% of recreational and competitive runners suffer from an injury in any 12-month period [2]. Our podiatry team here at My FootDr works extensively with runners to help them optimise their performance and maximise their recovery from injury, today we’re sharing the top ten running injuries, how they’re caused and when you should seek help.
Recently, we treated a social runner in his 50’s who was experiencing pain and swelling behind his knee. He couldn’t recall any injury or reason for the pain, but it seemed to be getting worse, especially when he bent or straightened his knee. With a careful examination, history taking, medical imaging and consultation with his GP, he was diagnosed with a Baker’s cyst – and we quickly set to work on helping him feel more comfortable.
Of all the causes of pain around the knee, a Baker’s cyst is one that isn’t talked about very often. Given that it has a growing relationship with knee problems including lesions, meniscus tears and early osteoarthritis, we thought we’d fill you in on Baker’s cysts, how to tell if one may be the cause of your knee pain, and what you can do if that pain and tightness starts behind your knee.
A Baker’s cyst, also known as a popliteal cyst, is a swollen bursa at the back of the knee. We have bursae all around our body – they are fluid-filled and cushion-like sacs that sit between bone and tissue. By allowing tissues like tendons to glide smoothly over the bursa instead of rubbing against the bone, bursae help to prevent painful damage.
With the knee taking on large forces during physical activities – especially those that repetitively bend and straighten the knee like running – it’s not surprising that bursae are vulnerable to damage and pain, much like many of the other structures in the knee.
When the bursa at the back of the knee is damaged, more fluid is produced, causing the bursa to swell and become inflamed and painful. The result is a noticeable swollen lump that will make it difficult and painful for you to fully straighten or bend your knee. The swollen bursa also puts pressure on the surrounding structures too, causing tenderness, stiffness and even bruising. If the bursa pushes on a nerve, you may start feeling numbness, tingling, pins and needles and other nerve-related sensations.
The cause of the problem may be related to a knee injury, a condition like arthritis, or it may be unclear. When it comes to running, going for long distances when your lower limb biomechanics are less than ideal and hence are putting excess pressure through the knee joint can also irritate the tissues and structures around the knee
Regardless of the cause, it’s likely that you won’t notice it until it gets swollen enough to bulge and affect your movement, which may occur some time after the original cause of the problem. While Baker’s cysts aren’t necessarily dangerous and may resolve on their own over time, there’s also a risk that they may burst and cause further problems. In the meantime, they’ll restrict your movement and can make it difficult for you to do physical activities and perform everyday tasks.
Treating a Baker’s cyst starts with making sure you have the right diagnosis – which is where your My FootDr podiatry team comes in. After we’re confirmed your cyst and ruled out other causes of pain behind the knee, the goal is to help you feel as comfortable as possible by reducing the swelling in the bursa. Using ice intermittently, elevating your leg, resting and taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatories can help.
Depending on the response and severity of the cyst, we may need to refer you to help drain the fluid or seek further testing. Next, we’ll address any excess pressure on your knee joints and try to minimise and manage this as much as possible. Your footwear, foot posture and foot biomechanics can all add excess pressure on your knee – and are factors we can help you with by recommending the right footwear for your feet and pairing these with custom foot orthotics. Tight or weak muscles may also place unbalanced and troublesome forces on the knee – so it’s important to assess this in your exam too.
Here at My FootDr, we’re big believers that pain does not happen for no reason. Whether you’re a runner or not, pain is our body’s way of letting us know that something is wrong – and we need to listen to it before the problem worsens.
Our team of experienced podiatrists have been helping Australia care for their foot and leg health for over 25x years. Book your appointment online by clicking here or call us on 1800 FOOTDR
For many of us, the mandatory shutdown of gyms and boot camps along with working from home over the last couple of months has made us very mindful about the amount of exercise we are getting – or more specifically – not getting. For those that see a run around the block as a quick and easy way to increase your step count and get your heart pumping, we’ve put together a quick guide on starting to run, and doing it without increasing your risk of developing pain or injury.
The gym is closed and now that you can’t hit the treadmill, you’re planning on hitting the road. Running outside certainly has some great advantages – fresh air, time to yourself and a change in terrain. For those of you who do the majority of your runs on a treadmill, however, starting to run outside may feel a little daunting to start with. Here are some tips and things to stay mindful of when preparing for more outdoor running.
If you feel like you’re the only one getting knee pain from your running, you’re not alone. Whether you run professionally or recreationally, up to 70% of runners will sustain an injury from overusing their bones, joints, muscles or ligaments in any 12-month period. 42% of these injuries will be to your knee, according to research by Sports Medicine Australia.
Of all of the running injuries, Runner’s Knee is by far one of the most common that our podiatrists see and treat. So today, we’re filling you in on the what, the how and the why of Runner’s Knee, and giving you some practical tips to help you stay healthy and pain-free while you run.