Running injuries
Explore the 43 most common running injuries, sorted by body area. Each guide details the causes, symptoms and appropriate treatments.
The vast majority of running injuries are mechanical overload conditions: the stresses applied to tissues exceed their capacity to adapt. Managing this mechanical stress is therefore essential for both prevention and treatment.
Biomechanical factors
Body shape, running technique, muscle deficits, stiffness.
Training factors
Volume, intensity, progression, recovery.
Personal & equipment factors
Age, history, sleep, shoes, running surface.
A comprehensive approach
Not just the pain: lasting recovery depends on identifying the contributing factors.
13 injuries found
Achilles tendinopathy
Inflammation of the Achilles tendon causing pain and stiffness at the heel, the most common injury in runners.
Tibialis posterior tendinopathy
Pain on the inner side of the ankle caused by irritation of the tendon that stabilises the arch of the foot.
Plantar fasciopathy
Heel pain caused by irritation of the plantar fascia, very common in runners.
Morton’s neuroma
Compression of an interdigital nerve in the forefoot, causing pain and numbness.
Ankle impingement syndrome
Compression of the ankle joint tissues during extreme movements.
Sesamoid stress fracture
Progressive cracking of a bone in the foot caused by repeated impacts.
Peroneal (fibularis) tendinopathy
Irritation of the lateral stabilising tendons of the ankle.
Plantar plate injury
Damage to the fibrous plate that stabilises the toes, causing pain under the forefoot and a feeling of walking on a pebble.
Ankle sprain
Injury to the ankle ligaments caused by twisting the foot; the most common macrotraumatic injury in runners and athletes.
Sinus tarsi syndrome
Inflammation of the anatomical cavity between the talus and the calcaneus, often following a poorly rehabilitated ankle sprain.
Hallux rigidus
Osteoarthritis of the big toe that progressively limits the mobility of the metatarsophalangeal joint, causing pain during push-off in runners.
Retrocalcaneal bursitis
Inflammation of the bursa between the Achilles tendon and the calcaneus, causing pain at the back of the heel in runners.
Blisters in runners
Fluid-filled pockets under the skin caused by friction, heat and moisture, common in running, trail running and marathons.