“Why Runners Get Injured: Common Biomechanical Mistakes”

Why Runners Get Injured: Common Biomechanical Mistakes

Ever felt a niggle after a run and thought ‘I didn’t even run that hard’. Running injuries often seem like bad luck but the cause can pretty much always be put down to a sudden change in load (distance, intensity, frequency, ground type, shoe type etc) or biomechanical mistakes that will put our joints under increased stress. These tips will also make you a more efficient runner. In this blog, we’re going to explore some of those common mistakes and tell you how to fix them!

Mistake 1 – Overstriding

Overstriding means that each step is slightly longer than it needs to be, this means that your cadence (steps per minute) will be reduced. A low cadence is usually below 170. This means that your heel strike will land ahead of your centre of mass leading to increased load across all the key running joints including the hip, knee and ankle. Your running/smart watch will usually tell you your cadence, you should be aiming for about 180 for the most efficiency. The best way to combat this is to use some sort of cuing, this can be a metronome through your phone or watch which buzzes/sounds for each step that you should be taking (you can download apps on your phone/watch for this). You can also download music playlists with songs at a beat of 180 which will assist in your timing, most streaming sites will have preset playlist you can download for while you’re running. Lastly if you’re not into technology, have a go taking smaller steps, it will feel like you’re shuffling however if this helps with your pain then you know you’re doing something right!

Mistake 2 – Poor Hip Control / Glute Weakness

Reduced control in the hips can often present with a hip drop or knee collapse (valgus) when running. If you film a video from behind in slow motion, you may see a hip drop to one side when running and/or knee collapse. This can indicate a glute weakness, mainly your abductor muscles. The best way to fix this is through strengthening. Have a go at some cable/banded hip abductions, side plank with hip abduction, single leg squats, banded fire hydrants. You should see your physiotherapist for help with load and specifics for these exercises. Remember this can take 8-12 weeks of progressively overloading to see an improvement

Mistake 3 – Collapsing Arches / Excessive Ankle Pronation

It can be normal to have a naturally pronated ankle or ‘collapsed’ foot arch, however if this comes with pain especially on the bottom of the foot or the back of the heel, it can be very helpful to target these when rehabbing. It’s important to have a full assessment from a physiotherapist or a healthcare professional for specifics as this can present different from person to person. However rehab will usually involve forefoot and ankle strengthening using banded resistance, gentle plyometrics and potentially orthotics such as arch support or gel heels. All injuries are specific to the person so while the above is good general advice, it’s important to consult a physiotherapist to come and see us at alchemy for a bespoke running assessment with one of our sports and musculoskeletal physios!