Performing injury-free: Herzog Medical and Athletics Flanders share insights

What injuries are common among athletes?

In athletics, injuries often arise from repeated impact and rapid changes in direction.Calf painandshin splintsare common in runners who rapidly increase their training volume. Also,Achilles tendon injuriesorhamstring injuriesare frequently seen in sprinters and jumpers, where short, explosive movements heavily strain the tendon and muscle. These issues usually don't appear suddenly but build up over several training weeks, making it difficult to recognize them in time before they worsen. Therefore, trainers and physiotherapists closely monitor the buildup of training mileage and intensity throughout the season.

Overuse is one of the most common causes of injuries in athletics. When muscles don't get enough time to recover between training sessions, the risk of tissue damage increases. Incorrect running technique, uneven surfaces, or increasing mileage too quickly also play a role. In sprinting events, a calf muscle tear can sometimes occur, where a muscle fiber suddenly tears during an explosive action. Trainers therefore look for signs such as stiffness, slight swelling, or a dull ache that persists after exercise, so they can intervene in time.

In addition to muscle and tendon complaints, foot problems also occur, such as plantar fasciitis, where the stress from sprinting and jumping events puts pressure on the sole of the foot. Swollen ankles often result from a sprain or prolonged overuse of the ankle joint. These complaints not only limit training capacity, but also put pressure on preparation for competitions. It is therefore important for athletes to detect complaints early and adjust their training load accordingly in consultation with a trainer or sports medicine specialist.

What does the collaboration between Herzog Medical and Atletiek Vlaanderen look like?

Within the collaboration between Herzog Medical and Atletiek Vlaanderen, knowledge about recovery and injury prevention is shared with coaches and athletes at different levels. Herzog supports this with over twenty years of experience in compression technology, which is applied to both athletes and healthcare professionals. During clinics and information sessions, athletes are informed about when compression can help and when other measures, such as adjusted training or rest, are more appropriate. This knowledge sharing meets the need of clubs to structurally reduce injuries within their training groups.

On competition days, Atletiek Vlaanderen, in collaboration with Herzog, uses Compry Cool for athletes who suffer from an unstable ankle joint or slight swelling after a sprint event. The bandage supports the joint, while the cooling effect helps to limit acute swelling immediately after a fall or sprain. For longer distances, such as long-distance runs on the track or on the road, Herzog compression socks are more often considered due to the longer wearing time during exercise.