With the lovely summer weather in full swing here in the greater Philadelphia area, many people are getting outdoors for exercise. One of the easiest and most popular exercises is running—it doesn’t require a lot of gear to get started, and you can pretty much run just about anywhere.

Although running is great exercise, you need to be careful and prepare your body by using the proper footwear and by doing stretching exercises before you run. Even with the best preparation, the repetitive stress of running can lead to painful problems with your feet and ankles.

Some common running injuries that can cause extreme pain include:

• Achilles tendinitis—This is an inflammation of the large tendon that connects your heel bone to your calf muscle. People who take up running later in life without the proper preparation are prone to overdo it and cause irritation and possible rupture to this tendon from the unexpected repetitive stress.

• Plantar fasciitis—The tissue that runs along the bottom of your foot can become easily irritated during running, causing plantar fasciitis. Improper arch support is a frequent contributor to this condition. Where the plantar fascia connects to the heel bone can also be a site of considerable pain.
• Shin splints—The muscles surrounding the shin bone can become inflamed from overuse and cause severe pain.

It’s always important to start a running program in sensible increments to avoid injuries associated with trying to do too much too fast. Just take it easy, use appropriate footwear, and stretch before you go. If you do experience an injury while running, it is important to consult with your foot doctor to address your pain and concerns.

At Your Next Step, our team of board-certified podiatrists has access to advanced technologies, along with years of experience, to help diagnose and treat a variety of foot and ankle problems, including sports injuries, joint pain, toe deformities, nail fungus, chronic tendon pain, and skin problems. Dr. Eric Ricefield, Dr. Mark Yagodich and Dr. Aliza V. Eisen provide high quality foot and ankle care to patients in the greater Philadelphia area at our offices conveniently located in Ardmore, Paoli, and Downingtown, PA. Please contact us for more information or to schedule an appointment.