Why are there so many running injuries in the military?

I have seen a lot of athletes injure themselves by not warming up before an intense workout. Other factors include not stretching after an intense workout, doing an intense workout after many days of inactivity, not hydrating properly, and over exerting themselves to the point their body can't handle it.

So you should..
-Warm up before every workout, regardless if you think you need it or not.
-Wear proper running shoes
-Hydrate!
-Cool down after a workout
-Stretch after every workout
-Have rest days so your body can repair itself
-Only have High Intensity Training once in a while, not every day.
-Get plenty of sleep and eat balanced meals so your body has the materials to repair itself for the next time you exert efforts.

Anyways, that's my spiel about running injuries. I hope people found it helpful.



Thank you for sharing! MAJ (Join to see)

I would say my opinion is that people are trying to go from 0 to hero , and doing it wrong therefore injuring themselves. This includes running.. OHHH my APFT is only once a year or every 6 months. Let me stop working out .. I'll just do it a month before the test is due , and do it with no support at all or coaching. I hate saying this but PRT is not enough , especially when doing it on the reserve side of the house.

Running badly, training badly and bam, injured with either knee problems, foot or shin problems. and this includes back.

I agree about running methods. I was a heel striker with supper bad knees. Had to get coach to help me run correctly. Now I have little to no discomfort when running.

Thanks for the article!

Every time I coached my Soldiers on running, I always said, "Proper shoes, proper breathing, and proper form." However, aside from lack of proper preparation and such, I believe that that the "suck it up and drive on" mentality worsens most injuries that could be prevented/mediated early on. The Army leadership has fostered the stigma that visiting the medical center is a sign of being a "profile Ranger", so most Soldiers avoid going to the medical center until they are in debilitating pain. (I was once chastised by a Drill Sergeant for having "tiny heart syndrome" for requesting a pass to the medical center.) As well, the medical staff does not always give a proper diagnosis.

Personal example: I too run on my forefoot, and I ran my whole life without a single running injury until I ran a marathon. That's when I decided to suck it up and drive on. I developed plantar fasciitis and tendonitis (two different problems). I didn't receive the full diagnosis when I did treat my injuries. The treatment worked on one injury, but I also continued to have swelling and inflammation in a specific area of my arches. For four years, I told the medical staff repeatedly that their methods were not addressing the whole issues, but they insisted that it was just the plantar fasciitis and that I should continue using the supports and such. It wasn't until I visited the podiatrist at the VA that I was properly diagnosed with tendonitis and received effective treatment. Furthermore, he did the first x-ray on my feet and determined that I have extra accessory bones in my feet from not fusing properly (a very common condition), which was the root cause of my tendonitis. Had I received the proper diagnosis and treatment, I would have not experienced so much pain and limited flexibility that directly contributed to the steep decline in my running ability over the years. I'm back on track, now, but it would have been nicer to know what I know now.