Do You Suffer from Foot Pain While Running?

Many of my regular readers will have heard I’m an Ironman. So, if you’re a runner, you’ll be glad to know that your friendly, neighborhood chiropractor shares your struggles.

And I know all about how running can affect your feet.

Let’s face it. Feet take the brunt of the punishment. They’re your body’s pedestals and when you run, you’re repeatedly pounding them into the pavement, over and over again, bearing the weight of your body.

That’s hard work. So, it’s natural that if you run your feet may protest.

Do you suffer from foot pain while running? If that’s the case, the root cause may be something you need to come talk to me about, as it may be a sign of a problem which requires professional attention.

Feet Are Complicated

Your feet are made of up of complex systems of bones, tendons, muscles and ligaments. As with any complicated machinery, that means things can go wrong – especially if your feet are running on city pavements.

When something goes wrong in the complex machinery of your feet – just one little portion of the machinery – you’re going to know it.

Next, let’s explore some of the most common conditions which can be provoked or exacerbated by running.

Plantar Fasciitis

The plantar fascia tendon is found on the bottom of each foot, running lengthwise. When this tendon is unhappy, it will send you a message in the form of a stabbing pain.

Plantar fasciitis is an injury which occurs because of overuse. Wearing the wrong shoes, a spike in your training schedule or weak calf muscles can cause it, but may also be a biomechanical issue that’s caused the problem.

The solution may be getting a better fitting shoe for running, or orthotic inserts to properly support the arch of your foot. Biomechanical issues are something we can talk about and correct, here at Back & Body Medical.

Stress Fracture

A fissure in the bone, a stress fracture can go unnoticed for quite some time. But when it makes its presence known, you’ll be hurting.

And stress fractures are often difficult to distinguish from tendon injuries in X-rays. They may not even show up until the healing process has begun, so a bone scan or MRI is the best way to catch them.

While stress fractures can be caused by ramping up training to quickly, you can get one by stepping on a random rock in the road, too.

And while I know runners hate to hear this, a stress fracture means it’s time for you to hang up the shoes until you start healing. Cross-train, using methods which don’t require weight-bearing on the effected foot, but don’t run.

The good news about stress fractures is that once they’re healed, they won’t bother you again – unlike tendon issues, which can become chronic.