Runners Injury Dictionary
Take a look at our runners injury dictionary and click onto each tab to find out more!
- Achilles Rupture
- ACL Rupture
- Ankle Sprain
- Calcaneal Bursitis
- Hallux Rigidus
- Hoffa’s Syndrome
- Meniscus Tear
- Morton’s Neuroma
- Muscle Tears
- Runners Knee
- Plantar Fasciitis
- Patellar Tendonitis
What An Achilles Rupture/Partial Rupture?
The Achilles Tendon is one of the most commonly injured structures in the human body. This is most likely due to the active lifestyle we now lead and the amount of time we spend on our feet.
The Achilles is the largest tendon in the body and connects your gastrocnemius/Soleus (Calve muscles) to your heel bone.
A complete Achilles Rupture involves the tendon completing snapping. Often you will hear a snap or popping sound. A partial tear will cause some soreness but you will still have full use of the ankle.
What is an ACL Rupture?
The Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is a ligament in your knee that stabilises the joint itself. It connects your thigh bone to your shine bone and is one of the most commonly injured knee ligaments.
ACL tears often happen during sports that involve quick sharp movements.
What Is An Ankle Sprain?
A “sprain” relates to an injury of the ligaments. The most common injured ligament in the ankle is the anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL). This runs along the outside of the ankle and is injured when you “roll” the ankle.
What Is Calcaneal Bursitis?
Bursa’s are fluid filled sacs which often sit beneath or between structures to absorb
impact and decrease friction. The subcutaneous calcaneal bursa sits at the bottom of heel separating the lower portion of the heel and the skin.
To break down the injury terminology:
“Calcaneal” describes the region we are referring to and which bursa. “Bursitis” describes the specific bursa becoming inflamed.
What Is Hallux Rigidus?
We first need to understand the terminology.
“Hallux” refers to the big toe.
“Rigidus” refers to a decrease in movement of a joint.
You can see that as the joint function decreases the space between the joints decreases. You can also see a deformation of the bone structure. This is because Hallux Rigidus is a form of degenerative arthritis. This condition will gradually get worse so it is important you correct the issues as soon as they begin.
What Is Hoffa’s Syndrome?
Hoffa’s syndrome is the inflammation/pinching of one of the fat pads in your knee.
The “Hoffa” fat pad sits behind and just below your knee cap. Its function is to provide a protective cushion between your knee cap & thigh/shin bones.
What Is a Meniscus Tear?
The Meniscus is a layer of cartilage that sits within the knee joint.
Its main functions are to stabilise the knee joint and prevent degeneration of the bony surfaces. Without it the bones within your knee joint would rub together and gradually wear. Think of it as a cushion that sits within the knee joint.
In the diagram you can see the meniscus located at the heart of the joint.
What Is Morton’s Neuroma?
Morton’s Neuroma is a nerve related condition that causes pain mainly on the sole of your foot around your third and fourth toe.
Overtime there is a thickening of the nerve tissue around that area which leads to this problem developing. This is a degenerative condition that can get worse if left untreated.
What are the common muscle tears experienced by runners?
We are going to look at 3 main muscle groups:
- The quadriceps located on the front of the leg
- The hamstrings located on the back of the leg
- The adductors located on the inside of the leg
When a muscle tears it is put under too much tension which causes the damage.
What Is Runners Knee?
As stated in the name this injury is most commonly developed by people that complete running as a sport or hobby.
What Is Plantar Fasciitis?
Plantar fasciitis is the leading cause of heel/foot pain. The plantar fascia is a band of tissue that runs from the heel of the foot along the sole and into your toes. It is one of the main structures which helps to support the arch in your foot and absorbs a large amount of impact when you stand/walk.
Plantar Fasciitis is when the fascia along the area becomes damaged and inflamed. Often people will experience pain around the heel of the foot. You may also experience a tightness along the sole of your foot, especially in the mornings. Any impact to the area will cause soreness and in bad cases walking will be painful.
What Is Patellar Tendonitis?
The Patellar tendon connects your knee cap to the front of your shin bone. You can see this demonstrated in the diagram below. “Tendonitis” refers to the tendon itself becoming inflamed. This inflammation can be caused by a variety of factors.
Thank you to Fit2Function for sharing their knowledge and expertise of these injuries. The team at Fit2Function are leaders in physiotherapy healthcare treatments in Covent Garden, London and combine their extensive research, advanced training and 20 years physiotherapy experience.