Athletes at all levels of play frequently push their bodies to the limit. Often, this involves performing repetitive movements to perfect techniques and reach peak performance. However, overworking your body greatly increases the risk of overuse injuries as the same muscles and joints are repeatedly stressed.
Understanding the Risks of Overtraining
Athletes often face problems when they train excessively—either too much overall or too much focus in certain areas while neglecting others. Contrary to popular belief, more isn’t always better when it comes to training. Poor form can also lead to injury, so having an expert coach to guide you can ensure you’re moving correctly and getting the most out of your hard work. Remember: Don’t waste your time! Even with the right amount of exercise, using poor form can lead to injury. Likewise, even with perfect technique, overtraining can still cause harm.
A common misconception among coaches and athletes in technique-focused sports is that improvement only comes from repeating the same movements over and over. While practicing your sport-specific technique is essential, it’s not the only way to enhance performance. Working on other aspects like strength, endurance, stability, mobility, flexibility, and balance can significantly improve your overall performance and reduce the risk of overuse injuries.
Take a baseball pitcher, for instance. If all they do is throw the ball, the repetitive motion can lead to overuse of the shoulder muscles, eventually causing a decline in performance and an increased risk of injury. Instead, the athlete should be focusing on strengthening the rotator cuff, controlling shoulder blade muscles, improving thoracic spine mobility, and increasing hip power. This can be more beneficial than simply pitching repetitively.
The Prevalence of Leg Injuries in Runners and Jumpers
Leg injuries are a frequent issue for both runners and jumpers, and examining the statistics can provide valuable insights into their risk factors and prevalence. The specific numbers may vary based on the population (e.g., recreational vs. elite athletes), sport type, and study methods, but here are some general findings from existing research:
For Runners
Leg injuries are among the most common issues runners face. Research shows that 60-80% of all running injuries occur in the lower extremities, particularly affecting the legs.
For Jumpers
Track and field athletes, especially those participating in high-impact events like the high jump, long jump, and triple jump, also face a high rate of leg injuries. The intense impact and stress of these sports contribute significantly to the risk of injury.
6 Common Injuries Experienced by Runners & Jumpers
1.Shin Splints (Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome)
Pain in the shins due to impact is a common issue, often linked to weakness in certain lower leg muscles. This muscle weakness can lead to suboptimal movement patterns and poor force distribution through the shin, making running or jumping challenging. This condition affects approximately 13-20% of runners, typically causing pain along the front or inner side of the lower leg.
2.Hamstring Strains
The hamstring muscles, located at the back of the thigh, play a crucial role in propelling the body forward during running and jumping. These muscles extend from the pelvis to the knee and can cause pain anywhere along their length. Hamstring injuries account for approximately 10-20% of all running-related injuries, especially among sprinters.
3.Patellar tendonitis, PFPS, or Osgood-Schlatter Disease
A common overuse injury affecting 10-20% of runners, these injuries are characterized by pain around or behind the kneecap. These conditions often result from repetitive landing activities, such as running and jumping, which require the quadriceps to contract abruptly. If the quadriceps become irritated, tight, weak, or experience imbalanced muscle contraction, they can exert abnormal force on the patella and patellar tendon, leading to irritation.
Additionally, the strength of the hip muscles plays a critical role in stabilizing the leg and controlling knee position during landing. Weakness in these muscles can contribute to poor landing mechanics, which, over time, can result in knee pain and irritation.
4.Lower Back Pain
Lower back pain in runners and jumpers is often related to the forces transmitted through the spine during impact. While these forces may not typically cause issues, existing deficits can lead to abnormal stress on the spine. Common contributing factors include poor lower back control and posture during running, hamstring tightness or weakness, limited hip mobility, and insufficient hip muscle strength. These deficiencies can cause the back muscles to compensate, leading to overuse and ultimately resulting in pain.
5.Achilles Tendonitis
Achilles tendonitis affects approximately 10% of runners, particularly those involved in sports that involve repetitive calf loading. Jumpers in sports with frequent bounding movements, like basketball and volleyball, experience Achilles injuries at similar rates. The Achilles tendon connects the calf muscle to the heel, and when the calf becomes tight or overused, it can cause abnormal strain on the tendon, leading to inflammation and overuse injuries.
6.Stress Fractures
Stress fractures occur in approximately 2-5% of runners, most commonly affecting the tibia, fibula, and metatarsals. These fractures are typically overuse injuries that develop when training intensity increases too quickly for the body to adapt. They can also result from deficits in the leg, hip, or back, which lead to abnormal foot striking patterns and uneven force distribution through the bones.
Top Risk Factors for Injury
1.Training Errors
Rapid increases in training intensity or volume, or sudden changes in running or jumping surfaces (e.g., switching to harder or uneven terrain), can significantly raise the risk of injury.
2.Previous Injury
Athletes with a history of leg injuries are at a higher risk for recurrent injuries, particularly in the same areas.
3.Biomechanical Issues
Poor running or jumping mechanics, such as overpronation, leg length discrepancies, or muscle imbalances, increase the likelihood of leg injuries.
4.Insufficient Warm-up or Flexibility
Skipping proper warm-up routines, stretching, or strength training can elevate the risk of injury, especially for jumpers and sprinters who rely on explosive movements.
5.Fatigue
Fatigued muscles are more susceptible to injury, particularly during high-intensity or endurance-based activities, as they are less capable of absorbing impact and stabilizing the body.
8 Strategies to Reduce the Risk of Injury
1.Proper Warm-Up
Start with a thorough warm-up to prepare your body for activity. This includes increasing blood flow to muscles, raising your heart rate, priming the neuromuscular system, and mobilizing joints. A proper warm-up reduces the risk of injury by allowing the body to adapt to the demands of exercise.
2.Cool Down
Gradually cooling down after intense activity helps the body return to a resting state. Incorporating stretching and mobility exercises during the cool-down can reduce muscle tightness and soreness. Abruptly stopping exercise can lead to increased muscle stiffness and delayed soreness.
3.Active Recovery
On rest days or between training sessions, engage in light activities such as walking, stretching, or mobility work. Active recovery can decrease muscle tightness and soreness by improving blood circulation and flushing out lactic acid, promoting faster recovery compared to complete rest.
4.Mobility Work
Focus on joint mobility, not just muscle stretching, to enhance flexibility and range of motion. Ensuring your joints and muscles can move through their full range of motion can reduce the likelihood of injuries, especially in dynamic sports that demand agility and flexibility.
5.Strength Training
Incorporate regular strength training, especially targeting the lower legs, hips, and core muscles. Building muscle strength helps offload impact forces on the joints, reducing the risk of injuries like shin splints and knee pain. Strengthening stabilizer muscles also improves balance and reduces injury risk.
6.Sleep & Nutrition
Prioritize adequate sleep, hydration, and nutrition to support recovery. Without sufficient rest and proper nutrition, the body can’t repair itself effectively, increasing the risk of fatigue-related injuries. Ensure you’re getting enough calories and nutrients to support training demands.
7.Proper Ramp-Up
Gradually increase training intensity and volume to avoid overuse injuries. After a break, ease back into training with a balanced approach that includes strength and mobility work. For those already training, increase intensity slowly, monitoring recovery to avoid overtraining and burnout.
8.Proper Footwear
Invest in well-fitting, sport-specific shoes to reduce the risk of impact-related injuries like shin splints, stress fractures, and ankle sprains. Proper footwear provides support and cushioning, which can help absorb shock and improve performance.
When Should I See a Professional?
If you experience pain lasting more than a few days or notice a decline in your performance, it’s advisable to consult a sports physical therapist or sports medicine doctor. Continuing to train with pain or poor mechanics can worsen irritation in the affected area, leading to longer recovery times, muscle atrophy, and the development of compensatory movement patterns. These habits can be difficult to correct later on, potentially impacting your long-term performance and success.
Sports Physical Therapy in Maryland
If you’re suffering from an injury or are experiencing persistent pain that is keeping you from doing what you love, sign up for a consultation with the doctors of physical therapy at Herlong Sports Physical Therapy. We specialize in treating physically active people, operating out of four distinct locations throughout the state of Maryland. No doctor’s referral is required to get started and we are in-network with all major insurance plans!
