Why do we get injured?

Running injuries that arise in the absence of trauma are thought to be multifactorial. These injuries can be extremely frustrating and hinder running for weeks, if not months. Why do we get injured? The diagram above shows some possible factors which have been shown to make us more vulnerable to develop an injury. 

Changes in running distance and speed - changes to training intensity places more load on our body. This is fine if our body is prepared for the change (i.e. change of speed, change in distance), but if our body is not prepared, for example after a period of illness, the extra load placed on our body can lead to pain/injury.  

Lower limb strength - Research suggests that reduced adductor (inner thigh) strength is associated with an increased risk of running injury. The research examining whether reduced strength in other muscle groups seems to be inconclusive, however increasing muscle strength and function is consistently shown to be effective in treating a range of running injuries. It would be reasonable to hypothesise that keeping muscles strong would enhance our body's ability to tolerate running and changes to training.  

Psychological Factors - More and more research papers are revealing the strong link between how we are feeling and how our body functions physically. Stress, anxiety and depression have effects on our immune system, which lowers our ability to withstand loads from running. We also known that stress can slow healing and so recovery might not be so quick.  

A lack of sleep - Research has suggested that this could be one of the biggest factors making us more vulnerable to injury. A lack of sleep alongside an increased training effort is probably the perfect storm for an injury! 

Hormonal changes - Menopause/perimenopause influences our tendon health, leading to a greater incidence of tendon injuries.  

These factors are not exhaustive and much more research is needed in these areas. The key point here is that an injury is often multifactorial, all aspects need to be considered and addressed for successful outcomes. Also, if we better understand these factors, hopefully prevention is a possibility.