Running on a regular basis has its benefits from a mental, physical and emotional viewpoint. There is no better feeling than having accomplished a good long run. But if you have been doing this for a long time you will deal with injuries, most commonly tendonitis. Tendonitis is an inflammation or a stretching of the tendon. The inflammation occurs with pain and sometimes swelling. Landing on your foot wrong can cause this or just overuse of a tendon.
Whatever the reason, tendonitis, when it occurs in the foot, ankle or leg, is very problematic for runners. Most importantly rest, ice, elevation and sometimes a supportive strapping are necessary for the tendon to heal itself. Ice is so important for foot and ankle injuries, I cannot stress how important it is to put ice on for long periods. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications will also help to reduce the pain and swelling. If the pain is severe enough, a below knee cam walker boot has its advantages. I truly need to stress how important it is to stretch before a run as this decrease chances for injury. Custom orthotics are the gold standard for preventing injuries to runners in the foot and ankle. If you’ve been experiencing pain in your feet or ankles, contact our offices to schedule an appointment before stepping out on your next long run.