Walking Injuries

It’s great for cardiovascular health, weight control, and might even be a necessary mode of transportation for many. While walking may be considered one of the safest athletic activities, even walking can result in injuries.

How Do Walking Injuries Occur?

Some studies have suggested that the joints must absorb twice the walker’s weight as they walk. This can cause a great deal of wear and tear on a recreational, fitness, and racewalker’s joints, especially if the walker is overweight or uses weights when walking. Of course, there is also the risk of acute traumatic injuries from tripping, slipping, and falling. Muscular imbalances in the lower legs and certain misalignment problems like genu varum, pes planus, or genu valgus can create an awkward walking pattern that places additional stress on the feet, knees, and hips. Not stretching properly before walking; not wearing sturdy footwear; walking on uneven or hard surfaces; and doing too much, too fast can also make a walker more prone to injury.

What Are Some Common Walking Injuries?

Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common causes of heel pain. The plantar fascia is a thick band of tissue along the bottom of the foot that connects the heel bone with the toes. It helps to support the arch of the foot.

The repetitive pounding the foot takes during walking activities can cause the plantar fascia to become overstretched, irritated and inflamed, a condition called plantar fasciitis. Tight calf muscles or a tight Achilles tendon can also make it more difficult for the foot to flex normally during gait and lead to plantar fasciitis. Many walkers develop plantar fasciitis after suddenly increasing their walking distance, intensity, or duration. In any event, the inflamed plantar fascia becomes painful, especially during the first few steps after prolonged periods of sitting or laying. The pain may subside after a few steps, but suddenly return after or during walking activities.

Trochanteric Bursitis

A bursa is a fluid-filled sac located near a joint. It reduces friction between soft tissues like muscles and ligaments -and- bones. Trochanteric bursitis, or hip bursitis, is inflammation of the bursa found on the outside of the hip along the greater trochanter. This inflammation can be caused from falling on the hip or the repetitive motions the hip goes through during walking. Those with an existing arthritic condition, abnormally positioned hip joint or bone, or with previous hip injuries or surgeries are highly prone to developing trochanteric bursitis.

The symptoms of trochanteric bursitis include:

* dull burning pain along the outside of the hip that may extend into the thigh and buttocks
* pain when sitting, lying, or otherwise compressing the affected side
* the pain may be most significant when getting up from a seated position, walking, climbing, or running

Shin Splints

The constant jarring and pounding that the lower leg absorbs during walking places stress on the local bones, muscles, and connective tissues. The term shin splint is a layman’s term that describes pain along the shinbone (tibia). The injury is considered a repetitive stress disorder and is rarely the result of a traumatic injury. Shin splints commonly occur after a walker suddenly increases the distance, duration, or intensity of their walking activities, as this gives the bones and muscles of the lower leg insufficient time to repair and restore before resuming activity.

The tibia bone is covered by a periostium sheath. This bone is the connection point for the anterior tibialis muscle that pulls the foot upwards and the posterior tibialis muscles that pull the foot in and downward. These muscles are covered and held together by a thin, but tough, covering called fascia. When the muscle is irritated and swells within this covering or the tibia is stressed and suffers a microscopic fracture, the result is pain and tenderness along the shin.

Of course, these are just a few of the many injuries that walkers frequently encounter. Some other common injuries include: ankle and knee sprains; torn meniscus in the knees; Achilles tendinitis; low-back, calf, hamstring, and groin strains; sesamoiditis; iliotibial band syndrome; and sciatica.