Marathon Injuries Brisbane | Sports Podiatrist

Marathon Injuries Brisbane

Marathon running has boomed in Australia in recent years — with events like the Gold Coast Marathon and Sunshine Coast Marathon selling out in record time as more and more people discover the challenge, satisfaction and deep personal reward of training for and completing a half or full marathon. At Shoes Feet Gear, we have always treated a high volume of marathon runners — both through our podiatry clinic and our run specialty store — and our team has competed in marathons themselves. We understand this journey from the inside.

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The Marathon Training Journey

When people commit to a marathon, they commit fully. A structured training program builds week by week — a consistent, deliberate increase in running load designed to prepare the body for the demands of race day. For many runners, this means running further than they have ever run in their lives, week after week, for months on end.

Most people's bodies can handle a gradual increase in load. But almost everybody finds their weak point somewhere along the journey. Our job is to optimise the body and the load going through it — giving every structure the best possible chance to adapt, perform and get the runner to the start line healthy and to the finish line upright.

The New Year Pattern

One of the most consistent patterns we see in our Brisbane clinic is the New Year marathon sign-up. Motivated by a new year and a new goal, runners register for the Gold Coast or Sunshine Coast marathon in January and begin their program. The training builds steadily — and so does the injury risk. This is one of the busiest periods of the year for marathon-related presentations in our clinic, as runners hit the middle and later stages of their programs and their bodies begin to protest.

The Shoe Degradation Problem

One of the most common and most overlooked contributors to marathon training injuries is shoe degradation. The pattern is remarkably consistent: a runner signs up for their marathon, buys a new pair of running shoes at the start of their program, and begins training. Each week, their mileage increases — higher than anything they've run before. But each week, their shoes are also accumulating more kilometres, and the cushioning and support are quietly fading.

By the time a runner reaches the peak weeks of their program — running further and harder than they ever have in their life — their shoes are often performing at their worst. The protection that was there in week one is largely gone. The result is a dramatic increase in load through the bones, tendons and soft tissues of the lower limb at exactly the moment when the body is under the most stress. This is a very common trigger for stress fractures, plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendinopathy in the final weeks before a marathon.

Our podiatrists and run specialty team assess shoe wear and advise on when to rotate or replace shoes as part of marathon preparation. View our running shoe range.

Factors We Consider in Marathon Runners

Managing marathon training load requires looking at the full picture. The factors we assess include:

  • Rate of mileage increase — how quickly the program is building and whether the body is keeping pace
  • Session types — the balance of easy running, tempo work, long runs and recovery days
  • Recovery between sessions — sleep, rest days and the cumulative fatigue of a long training block
  • Footwear — shoe type, fit, age and whether it matches the runner's foot and gait
  • Nutrition — fuelling adequately for the training load, particularly bone health and energy availability
  • Underlying health conditions — factors such as low bone density, hormonal issues or other conditions that affect injury risk at high training loads

We work closely with GPs, sports medicine doctors and other health professionals when these factors are relevant — because getting a runner to the finish line sometimes requires a team effort.

When Injury Strikes Mid-Program

Becoming injured during marathon training can be mentally devastating. Months of commitment, early mornings, sacrificed weekends — and suddenly the goal feels at risk. This is something we deal with every day in our clinic, and we take it seriously.

What most injured marathon runners don't expect is that there are almost always ways to continue training, maintain fitness and adapt the plan — even through injury. The solution requires creativity, problem-solving and close collaboration with coaches, other health practitioners and the runner's own schedule and life. But it is rarely as bleak as it first appears.

The reward for getting it right is immense. We are regularly sent photos of patients holding their finisher's medal — athletes who, weeks earlier, were sitting in our clinic wondering if their race was over. Those photos mean everything to us.

Common Marathon Injuries We Treat

Stress Reactions and Stress Fractures

Bone stress injuries are one of the most serious concerns in marathon training, particularly in the peak mileage weeks. The tibia, metatarsals and navicular are the most commonly affected bones. Learn more about stress reactions and stress fractures.

Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis is extremely common in marathon runners, particularly in the later stages of training when mileage is highest and shoes are most worn. Learn more about heel pain and plantar fasciitis.

Achilles Tendinopathy

The cumulative load of high-mileage marathon training places enormous stress on the Achilles tendon. Achilles tendinopathy that develops mid-program requires careful management to keep the runner training. Learn more about Achilles tendinopathy.

Shin Splints

Shin splints are common in the early and middle stages of marathon training when mileage is building rapidly. Learn more about shin splints.

Knee Pain and ITB Syndrome

Knee pain — including patellofemoral pain and ITB syndrome — is a frequent presentation in marathon runners, particularly those increasing their long run distance. Learn more about knee pain.

Related Pages

Book an Appointment

If you're training for a marathon and experiencing pain — or want to get ahead of injury before it happens — our Brisbane podiatry clinic in Bardon can help. We've helped runners cross finish lines they thought were out of reach. We'd love to help you cross yours.

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Or call us on (07) 3367 8667.