![Smith 4
Thirdly, knowing current solutions to all of the injuries is helpful in seeing the full effects
they have on runners. Firstly, to solve the problem of shin splints, “…protect [your] feet,
strengthen [your] foot muscles, and help prevent injuries by running barefoot every once on a
while” (“Barefoot Running Can Improve Foot Fitness”). By doing this, the runner will have less
of a possibility of stressing a muscle and getting a shin splint. This technique of solving the
problem of shin splints can be proven correct by looking at the limited amount of injuries that
professional runners acquire because “Many… professional runners run a few barefoot miles
each week” (“Barefoot Running Can Improve Foot Fitness”). Since “A person shouldn’t exercise
more than six days a week” (“Physical Fitness”), to solve the problem of overworking, a runner
should make a running schedule a week in advance. With this schedule, the runner can make sure
she gets all the proper work she needs to improve running times, but can also make sure she gets
all the work done in six days. By scheduling in advance, it will be easier for the runner to have
time to switch different work-outs around and see what works best for six days instead of just
running seven days because she may realize she has missed a workout halfway through the week.
Thirdly, to solve the problem of overheating, runners should try to stay out of the heat, but “If
one does, one should drink a lot of water, wear well-ventilated clothing, and pay attention to how
the body is reacting to the heat” (“Physical Fitness”). By staying inside on days that are over a
specific heat index, runners would be able to still do their workouts on a treadmill or other form
of inside running equipment, but they would also be able to be where the air conditioning is. If,
however, it is not possible to stay out of the heat by doing this, then the runners should look up
the symptoms of overheating and be sure to make sure that they are not experiencing any of
them. If they are experiencing one of them, they should stop running which could eliminate the](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/seniorprojectresearchpaper-120412084416-phpapp01/85/Senior-project-research-paper-4-320.jpg)
Senior project research paper
- 1. Smith 1 Nicole Smith Mrs. Lester Adv. Comp. 11 October 2011 What Problems Do Runners Face? Many runners usually end up getting hurt by the end of their careers. Many factors cause these injuries and “depending on the body tissues involved, may indicate myositis (an inflammation of the muscle), tendinitis, (inflammation of the tendons), or periostitis (an inflammation of the tissue covering the bone)” (Wright). It may be very surprising to other sports players that running causes as many injuries as it does because it is a sport that seems so harmless, but most runners suffer an injury by the end of their careers. Simply running does not involve any contact, it does not involve any sort of ball that could be a hazard, and it does not involve any jumping of any sort, but it does cause the kind of stress on muscles that leads to sprains and fractures. For example, a football player could get an injury by colliding with another player which could lead to internal injuries, but a runner only has the force of her weight on the ground to lead to injuries which, more often than not, is a sprain. To try to understand the full effects that sprains and other problems have on runners, it is important to understand what the individual injuries are, how the problems impact runners, what solutions there are to the problems, and what the future looks like for these issues. One way to understand the full effects of injuries on runners is to understand what each specific injury is. One common problem that runners experience is an injury called shin splints, which is “defined as an inflammation of the tissues in the lower leg causing pain with exercise” (Wright). This problem hurts runners because if the pain of this injury gets too severe, there is a
- 2. Smith 2 possibility that they will have to stop running completely. When runners have to stop running, they could lose their fitness which means that even when they do get back on the track, they cannot perform at the same standards they could before they got the injury. Not being able to perform at the same standards is a problem for runners because it not only interrupts their training schedule, but it also affects them mentally. They are so focused on making running their life, so when they cannot do it, they feel as if life is no longer important. Another common problem that runners face is the problem of being overworked, and “A body is not meant to be on the go all the time” (“Physical Fitness”). This issue becomes a problem with most runners because it is very easy to run too much and overwork the body without even realizing they are doing it. When they do stop working out as hard as they always have, this break makes them feel like they are not doing enough; therefore, this problem is an ongoing cycle of overwork on their bodies. A third problem that runners face is overheating because “it is easy to overheat if a person is active on a hot day” (“Physical Fitness”). Most runners have the motivation to keep running even when they feel pain which is where overheating becomes a problem in the sport. Running in places, such as Georgia, where the temperature gets really hot for most of the year is when overheating is especially a problem. Overall, an understanding of the factors that can hinder a runner’s success is important for complete enjoyment of the sport. Another way to completely understand the effects of the issues a runner faces is to realize how individual problems impact the runner. First of all, to see the impact of shin splints, one must first understand that “stress fractures are a possibility if activities are strenuous over long periods of time without proper rest” (Fallon). If runners who have shin splints do not rest enough, then they could risk getting a stress fracture. Since, as mentioned before, runners do not have the mindset to stop running when they get hurt, they will end up getting this more serious
- 3. Smith 3 injury and possibly jeopardizing their running career forever. This more serious injury would also impact a person later in life because the injuries obtained when younger could end up making the muscles weak, leaving them weak when she is older. Secondly, the impact of overwork can be seen in a person’s posture and attitude because “overdoing exercise can result in feeling tired, weak, sore, or irritable” (“Physical Fitness”). This effect is seen on the runners at Creekview High School because there have been complaints from some of their teachers about not doing well in classes. If these athletes were not so tired from the work they do at practice, then they would be more awake and able to pay attention in class. This lowering of grades could leave an impact on the runners for the future because it is getting harder and harder to get into college. For this reason, having a lower grade is going to hurt their chances even more. Finally, the fact that “The symptoms of overheating can include cramps, nausea, tingling and clammy skin, and can lead to heat exhaustion or heat stroke” (“Physical Fitness”) shows the impact overheating can have on a runner. Having a heat stroke from overheating while running can cause many health issues to a person; it could even possibly lead to death. However, even if it does not cause death, there would be a hospital bill that would have to be paid just from having the heat stroke. This hospital bill would have an impact on the whole family of a runner because a household has enough costs as it is and any other bill would lead to more stress on the whole family. In the end, there are many ways that every single issue in running impacts a runner. Sometimes this issue even goes beyond the runner to other people in the runners life which is serious and should definitely be taken into consideration when one thinks about starting a running career.
- 4. Smith 4 Thirdly, knowing current solutions to all of the injuries is helpful in seeing the full effects they have on runners. Firstly, to solve the problem of shin splints, “…protect [your] feet, strengthen [your] foot muscles, and help prevent injuries by running barefoot every once on a while” (“Barefoot Running Can Improve Foot Fitness”). By doing this, the runner will have less of a possibility of stressing a muscle and getting a shin splint. This technique of solving the problem of shin splints can be proven correct by looking at the limited amount of injuries that professional runners acquire because “Many… professional runners run a few barefoot miles each week” (“Barefoot Running Can Improve Foot Fitness”). Since “A person shouldn’t exercise more than six days a week” (“Physical Fitness”), to solve the problem of overworking, a runner should make a running schedule a week in advance. With this schedule, the runner can make sure she gets all the proper work she needs to improve running times, but can also make sure she gets all the work done in six days. By scheduling in advance, it will be easier for the runner to have time to switch different work-outs around and see what works best for six days instead of just running seven days because she may realize she has missed a workout halfway through the week. Thirdly, to solve the problem of overheating, runners should try to stay out of the heat, but “If one does, one should drink a lot of water, wear well-ventilated clothing, and pay attention to how the body is reacting to the heat” (“Physical Fitness”). By staying inside on days that are over a specific heat index, runners would be able to still do their workouts on a treadmill or other form of inside running equipment, but they would also be able to be where the air conditioning is. If, however, it is not possible to stay out of the heat by doing this, then the runners should look up the symptoms of overheating and be sure to make sure that they are not experiencing any of them. If they are experiencing one of them, they should stop running which could eliminate the
- 5. Smith 5 problem altogether. As is made very clear, there are many solutions to problems in the running career, but there are other solutions that might be found in the future. Finally, knowing what the outlook for these problems is can be very helpful in understanding how to possibly help runners facing these problems. First off, “Although exercise is safe for the majority of children and adults, there is still a need for further studies to identify potential risk” (Fallon). This fact means that there are still scientists and researchers out there searching for a way to prevent these problems, and other problems that are found, from occurring. Sometime in the near future all this research might lead to an answer to a problem, such as shin splints, that has never been uncovered before. Secondly, since everyone pronates, meaning they “land on the outside bottom of their foot and roll inward” (Mirkin), there may be another technique invented to help the legs of a runner while running. Pronation keeps a runner safe and protects them from getting an injury, but sometimes it also causes a problem when a runner pronates too much because it twists the leg. In the future, there is a possibility that a runner will come up with a new technique that will help others stop pronation so much and run another way that will not twist the too much and cause injuries. Thirdly, because of the fact that “When shopping for running shoes, the height of the arches is important” (Mirkin), researchers will probably be coming up with a new running shoe that will be made specific for each runner. A new technology to help make these shoes would be a machine that could tell the exact height of a runner’s arch, and with this machine, the perfect shoe could be made for each individual runner. The possibility of an invention like this one being made is very high because of the fact that it will prevent most problems that runners have with their shoes. All in all, there are many future outlooks for problems with running that will hopefully make it a more popular sport in the future.
- 6. Smith 6 As is made very obvious by current research, there are many issues within the career of running. This point, however, does not mean that running is a career that should be rethought because even though there are many problems, there are also many ways to prevent the problems. The future is bright for this career and its problems. Also, some of these issues can be taken care of by just being a smart runner and making good decisions. For example, staying out of the heat to prevent a heat stroke is the decision of runners, and if they choose to get in the heat, then they are putting themselves at risk. There will be problems in any career a person chooses, but that does not mean that she should not chose that career, and that is the case with the career of running.
- 7. Smith 7 Works Cited “Barefoot Running Can Improve Foot Fitness.” Academic Search Complete. USA Today Magazine, n.d. Web. 12 Sept. 2011. <http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/ detail?vid=4&hid=123&sid=13a40c56-3415-4fe0-a0d9- b9474cb5b7b3%40sessionmgr104&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=a 9h&AN=5256333>. Fallon, L. Flemming. “Exercise.” Source: The Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine. Ed. Jacqueline L Longe and Ed. Deirdre S. Blanchfield. 2nd ed. Vol. 2. Detroit. 1249-1252. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 9 Sept. 2011. <http://go.galegroup.com/ps/ retrieve.do?sgHitCountType=None&sort=RELEVANCE&inPS=true&prodId=GVRL&u serGroupName=cant48040&tabID=T003&searchId=R3&resultListType=RESULT_LIS T&contentSegment=&searchType=BasicSearchForm¤tPosition=1&contentSet=G ALE%7CCX3405600582&&docId=GALE|CX3405600582&docType=GALE&role=>. Mirkin, Gabe. “Shoes are key when running.” Gale Virtual Reference Library. The Washington Times, 16 Sept. 2007. Web. 9 Sept. 2011. <http://ic.galegroup.com/ic/ovic/ NewsDetailsPage/ NewsDetailsWindow?displayGroupName=News&disableHighlighting=false&prodId=O VIC&action=e&windowstate=normal&catId=&documentId=GALE%7CA168723999& mode=view&userGroupName=cant48040&jsid=fffcf1b797ca4e943991cceb53bcba5e>. “Physical Fitness.” UXL Complete Health Resource. Vol. 3. Detroit. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Ed. Caroline M. Levchuck. Web. 9 Sept. 2011. <http://go.galegroup.com/ps/ i.do?action=interpret&id=GALE%7CCX3437000047&v=2.1&u=cant48040&it=r&p=G VRL&sw=w&authCount=1>.
- 8. Smith 8 Wright, Kathleen. “Shin Splints.” The Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine. Ed. Jacqueline L. Longe. 2nd ed. Vol. 4. Detroit, 2005. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 12 Sept. 2011. <http://go.galegroup.com/ps/ retrieve.do?sgHitCountType=None&sort=RELEVANCE&inPS=true&prodId=GVRL&u serGroupName=cant48040&tabID=T003&searchId=R1&resultListType=RESULT_LIS T&contentSegment=&searchType=BasicSearchForm¤tPosition=1&contentSet=G ALE%7CCX3435100718&&docId=GALE|CX3435100718&docType=GALE&role=>.