Running is a high impact sport that puts stress on your body. Various running injuries, such as shin splints, runner's knee and a pulled hamstring can cause pain in the outer areas of your lower legs. Misaligned bones, wearing improper footwear, over training and being out of shape can make you more susceptible to these types of injuries. The method of treatment for any running injury depends on its cause and severity.
Shin Splints
Shin splints, also called medial tibial stress syndrome, are a common injury and source of leg pain for runners. They develop when running puts too much stress on your shin and damages the connective tissue that connects your bone and muscle. Shin splints cause pain while you are running and sometimes slight swelling. Your risk of shin splints is greater if you are a new runner, run on hard terrain or roll your feet inwards while running. You can reduce your risk by wearing appropriate running shoes, cross-training with low impact sports, strengthening your lower leg muscles and wearing orthotics to support flat feet.
Runner's Knee
Runner's knee is a common name for the condition chondromalacia patella. It develops when the cartilage behind your kneecap becomes damaged from absorbing the shock from high impact sports, such as running. Runner's knee can be a sign of misalignment between your kneecap and thighbone, and a weak thigh muscle. It is also caused by the prolonged and repetitive stress of long runs without sufficient recovery time. You can reduce your risk of runner's knee by strengthening your thigh muscles, being conscious of your posture and body alignment, stretching, wearing appropriate shoes and increasing the length of your runs gradually.
Pulled Hamstring
A pulled hamstring is a common injury for short distance runners and sprinters. It develops when you strain one of the muscles in your hamstring, located behind your thigh. Depending on the severity of your strain, the tendon may be partially or completely torn off your bone and cause swelling, bruising or muscle weakness. It is commonly caused when your muscle is overworked or stretched beyond its threshold. Your risk of developing a pulled hamstring increases if you have tight, fatigued or imbalanced muscles, or are out of shape.
Treatment
The first step to treating outer leg pain is identifying the cause. If you do not know the source of your pain, consult a health care provider. Most injuries require a break from running to heal properly. Shin splints should also be treated with regular icing and keeping your leg elevated to reduce swelling. Runner's knee may require physical therapy, a knee brace or surgery in more severe cases. A pulled hamstring can be treated by wearing a compression bandage or knee splint, rehabilitation exercises and surgery.
