Running in the snow? Be careful as it can create an overuse injury.
It’s definitely pretty to run outside during a snowfall, but many fail to realize what the snow can do in terms of overtaxing the muscles in your legs. It’s similar to running in sand. I see a lot of injuries in runners during this time of year that are simply the result of trying to keep their traction in the snow. The muscles are working harder to stabilize the foot to prevent from falling. This is especially true of the Achilles tendon because it aids in stabilizing the rear foot. 30-45 minutes in the snow can lead to an Achilles tendonitis that can be aggravating for many months.
If you don’t use a traction device, check out the Nano Spikes I reviewed in a previous post. They work really well. Oh, and no my wife didn’t listen to me on this 13 mile run yesterday in the snow!! She didn’t wear them!
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About The Author
Dr. Nick Campitelli
Dr. Campitelli is a podiatrist in Akron, OH specializing in foot and ankle surgery with an interest and enthusiasm for running as well as helping runners with injuries. For the past several years he has been treating running injuries in patients by fixing their form and transitioning them to minimalist shoes. Having treated runners with all types of injuries through conservative measures with orthotics and shoe gear changes to reconstructive foot and ankle surgery, Dr. Campitelli has brought what works best and is most current to his practice as well as the Akron and Cleveland running communities.
Talk about some very dedicated runners! Thank you for sharing this information; it is very useful for those who wish to run in the snow and don’t know these precautions. Thanks for sharing!
I believe you must be psychic and somehow knew that I did a long-ish run in the snow that made my Achilles incredibly angry. Now I’m angry because I have a classic case of very stubborn tendon pain.
It gets a little better then it regresses. The pattern repeats itself. I’m following an eccentric and isometric strengthening protocol that’s about as exciting as watching grass grow. Fortunately I have a new mountain bike to distract me from the fact that I really can’t run at all right now. So…. There’s that story.