Extra body weight places additional pressure on the small bones, muscles and ligaments of your feet. Running can trigger or exacerbate foot injuries and conditions caused by your body's weight. Yet because of the foot pain from running and other sports, you may avoid exercise, and thus put on extra weight. To break the cycle, discuss with your doctor how you can enjoy the benefits of running while protecting your feet from damage.
Impact of Running on Feet
The force of running places a tremendous amount of weight on your feet. According to the American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine, during a 10-mile run your feet hit the ground at a force of three to four times your body weight about 15,000 times. The difference between 130 and 145 pounds might seem marginal, but using the AAPSM statistics, that extra 15 lbs. of body weight is placing 580 lbs. instead of 520 lb. of force on your feet during each step of your run.
Plantar Fasciitis
Excess weight contributes to the risk of developing plantar fasciitis --- inflammation of the ligament that runs from the ball of your foot to your heel --- and resulting heel pain that often develops because of the inflammation, the Medical News Today website reported in 2007. Runners are already at increased risk of developing the condition because of the intense force they place on their feet as they run. Prevention of plantar fasciitis might include losing weight, stretching your calves and wearing better-fitting shoes.
Metatarsal Stress Fracture
The PodiatryNetwork website warns that excess weight can contribute to metatarsal stress fracture, which is also a very common runner's injury. Commonly, runners develop hairline fractures in the second, third or fourth toe. The crack can develop gradually, sometimes long before symptoms occur. If you feel pain in the ball of your foot when you push off during your running stride, you may have a metatarsal stress fracture. Beside excess weight, other risk factors include overuse and running on hard surfaces.
Flat Feet
Flat feet, also called fallen arches, develop when the arch of your foot loses its strength and begins to collapse due to the attenuation of the tibialis posterior tendon and the ligaments that support your foot's arch. The Cool Running website attributes the condition to either a birth defect or to an imbalance in your foot that causes your arch to lose its flexibility. PodiatryNetwork also cites obesity as a risk factor for developing flat feet. Running on flat feet can cause tiredness of the feet and legs and pain in your lower back and the arches and bottoms of your feet, although some people experience no symptoms.
References
- American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine: Running and Your Feet
- Medical News Today: Shed Pounds To Ease Foot Pain, Suggests Report From Harvard Medical School
- Run the Planet: Common Foot Injuries and Cures
- PodiatryNetwork: Metatarsal Stress Fracture
- PodiatryNetwork: Flat Foot
- Cool Running: Foot Pain
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