Injurys sustained while running are among the primary reasons runners seek medical help, with common injuries including knee issues (runner’s knee and IT band syndrome), plantar fasciitis, meniscus tears, patellar tendonitis, Achilles tendonitis, calf strains and knee arthritis being some of the more frequent types.
Risk factors for injury in runners include individual characteristics, training volume and their gender. A history of previous injuries as well as use of orthotics/inserts have both been shown to increase injury risks among female runners.
An analysis of underlying risk factors suggests that gender differences exist for several risk factors associated with injury risk in women: age, previous sports activity, running on concrete surfaces, participation in marathons and weekly running distance of 48-63.8km were more likely to lead to injuries for female runners than for their male counterparts. Running shoes worn for at least 4 – 6 months also increased this risk compared with those never having worn running shoes before.
There is currently limited information regarding sexual and running injuries, so it is wise to investigate your personal risk profile compared to that of your partner or friend. Some factors which have been shown to reduce injury risks include: