3 Common Running Injuries & How Massage Therapy Can Help
As we start to wrap up the busiest season of running, I thought it would be important to discuss some of the most common running injuries that I’ve seen in the clinic and how massage therapy can aid in recovery and management of these conditions.
Running is a wonderful form of cardiovascular exercise, but increasing mileage, intensity, or frequency too quickly can place a significant amount of stress on the bones and soft tissue of the lower body. Understanding these common running injuries and addressing them early can help keep you moving and prevent small issues from becoming bigger setbacks.
Here are three common running injuries I see in the clinic and how massage therapy may be able to help.
1. Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome
Patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) is a broad term used to describe pain occurring around or behind the patella (kneecap). There can be multiple contributing factors, including changes in training load and weakness/tension in the muscles surrounding the knee.
It’s particularly common to see an increase in these symptoms at the beginning of the running season, when runners suddenly increase their activity after a period of reduced training.
Through active and resisted assessments in the clinic, your massage therapist can help identify areas of muscular tension/weakness that may be contributing to your symptoms. From there, they can provide appropriate treatment in the clinic and recommend homecare exercises or mobility work.
If muscular tension around the hip and knee is contributing to your symptoms, massage therapy may help reduce muscle tension and provide short-term relief from pain. However, managing PFPS is often most effective when massage therapy is combined with appropriate strengthening and gradual progression of running activity.
2. Iliotibial Band Syndrome (IT Band Syndrome)
Iliotibial band syndrome (ITBS) is commonly associated with pain or discomfort along the outside of the knee, and some runners may also experience discomfort around the outside of the hip.
One common misconception is that the IT band itself is a muscle that can be "worked out" through massage or foam rolling. In reality, the iliotibial band is a thick band of connective tissue that runs along the outside of the thigh and contributes to the stability of the hip and knee.
Because of this, aggressively massaging or foam rolling directly over the IT band isn't necessarily the best approach. Instead, your massage therapist can assess the surrounding musculature and look for areas that may be contributing to increased stress in the region.
Depending on the individual, treatment may include muscles such as the tensor fasciae latae (TFL), gluteus maximus, vastus lateralis, and other muscles surrounding the hip and thigh that either attach onto the IT band or run alongside it.
Your massage therapist may also provide homecare exercises focused on improving hip strength and control. Strengthening the external rotators of the hip can help prevent excessive internal rotation during your GAIT which puts higher strain on the IT band.
3. Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome (Shin Splints)
Medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS), commonly known as shin splints, is probably one of the most common running-related conditions that I see in both beginner and experienced runners.
MTSS is generally associated with an increase in loading of the lower leg and presents as aching or tenderness along the inner border of the tibia (shin bone). It is often related to changes in training volume, intensity, frequency, or running surfaces.
It's important to take shin pain seriously. While MTSS can often be managed successfully with appropriate load modification and strengthening, persistent or worsening pain can sometimes indicate a more significant bone stress injury, such as a stress fracture. If your symptoms are severe, localized, worsening, or affecting your ability to walk or run, your massage therapist should recommend further medical assessment/imaging.
This is where massage therapy can play a supportive role. Your massage therapist can assess and treat the surrounding soft tissues, including muscles of the lower leg such as the tibialis anterior and peroneal muscles, when appropriate. Reducing excessive muscular tension may help with comfort and movement while you work on addressing the underlying loading demands.
How Can Massage Therapy Help Runners?
Overall, running is a wonderful form of cardiovascular exercise loved by many, but it can also place significant repetitive loads on the body. When training volume or intensity increases faster than your body can adapt, you may begin to experience muscle soreness, tendon irritation, joint pain, or other running-related injuries.
Massage therapy can be a useful tool within a larger approach to running injury management. Treatment can help address muscular tension, improve comfort and mobility, and give you a better understanding of areas that may need additional strengthening or attention.
Regular massage therapy may also be useful as part of a preventative approach, particularly when combined with appropriate strength training, recovery, and gradual increases in running load. Catching changes in movement, mobility, or muscle tension early can help you address them before they become a bigger problem and interfere with your training.
If you're a runner looking for massage therapy in Downtown Edmonton, I'd be happy to help you assess what's going on and develop a treatment and homecare plan that supports your running goals.
Ready to get back to running comfortably? Book your massage therapy appointment here:
https://striveholistic.janeapp.com/#/list
