러닝 부상 예방·재활 가이드
ITBS·장경인대·족저근막염·러너스니 — 원인·재활 운동·복귀 시점.
About 70% of runners suffer at least one injury within a year (British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2015). The good news is that for the four most common injuries, the causes and rehab are well understood. Pushing through with self-diagnosis and self-treatment is a shortcut to a chronic problem, so if pain lasts more than two weeks, see a sports medicine doctor.
1. The Four Most Common Running Injuries
1) Runner's Knee (Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome)
- Symptoms — Dull ache at the front of the knee and around the kneecap. Worse going down stairs or standing up after sitting a long time
- Cause — Weak glutes let the knee collapse inward, combined with a sudden jump in weekly mileage
- Rehab — 10 minutes of glute strengthening daily (clamshells, side walks, single-leg bridges), plus returning at 50% of your previous distance
2) ITBS (Iliotibial Band Syndrome)
- Symptoms — Pain on the outside of the knee that reliably kicks in around the 5–10 km mark and fades once you stop
- Cause — Weak glutes (especially the gluteus medius), a leg-length difference, and running on a track or a consistently cambered surface
- Rehab — Foam-roller compression of the IT band, gluteus medius strengthening, and 1–2 weeks of rest before returning on flat ground at short distances
3) Shin Splints (Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome)
- Symptoms — A burning or dull ache along the inner edge of the shin. Most common in beginners
- Cause — Poor shock absorption on landing (under-cushioned shoes, overpronation) plus a sudden increase in distance
- Rehab — 1–2 weeks of rest, then return on grass or a synthetic track; calf stretching and ankle strengthening
4) Plantar Fasciitis
- Symptoms — A stabbing pain in the inner sole with your first steps in the morning that eases as you walk
- Cause — Tight calves, flat feet or overpronation, and worn-out running shoes
- Rehab — Plantar fascia stretching (pulling the toes back with a towel) and daily calf stretching; can become chronic for 6 months or more
2. The 10% Rule — The Golden Rule of Injury Prevention
Don't increase your weekly mileage by more than 10% in a single week. 30 km to 33 km is fine; 30 km to 40 km raises your injury risk. Adding a "recovery week" that cuts volume by 30% every fourth week is even safer.
3. Pain-Signal Checklist
| Signal | What to Do |
|---|---|
| Pain that keeps getting worse during a run | Stop at once; rest for a few days |
| Next-day pain 30%+ above normal | Take 1–2 extra rest days |
| A limp on just one leg | Stop running; see a doctor |
| Pain in the same spot for 2+ weeks | Visit a sports medicine clinic |
| Pain that wakes you at night, swelling, or heat | Urgent — get seen immediately |
4. Return-to-Running Protocol
- Pain-free through everyday activity (2–3 days)
- 30 minutes of walking with zero pain (2–3 days)
- Run-walk (2 min / 1 min) for 20 minutes with zero pain — every other day for a week
- Start at 50% of your previous weekly mileage, then build by 10% a week
During an injury you can switch the RunnerOn app into "recovery mode," which replaces distance and pace alerts with recovery tracking and simple walk logging.
