Medically reviewed by Dr. Tom Biernacki, DPM — Board-Certified Podiatric Surgeon — Balance Foot & Ankle, Howell & Bloomfield Hills, MI. Last updated April 2026.

April and May: Michigan’s Running Injury Peak Season

Michigan runners who have survived the long winter emerge each spring with enthusiasm, ambition, and usually inadequate training to support that ambition. The combination of renewed motivation from warm weather, pent-up race goals from a winter spent mostly indoors, and the physical deconditioning that occurs over Michigan’s 4-5 month cold season creates a perfect setup for overuse injury. At Balance Foot & Ankle in Howell and Bloomfield Township, Michigan, our patient volume increases predictably every April and May — the same patients with the same injuries, caused by the same mistakes. Understanding why spring is the peak injury period enables prevention.

The Deconditioning Reality

Michigan runners who maintained some fitness through winter — occasional treadmill runs, indoor cycling, strength training — are better off than those who stopped entirely, but neither group has the tissue-level conditioning to support the spring training loads they attempt. Cardiovascular fitness declines slower than musculoskeletal fitness during a rest period — the heart and lungs can handle a training load that the plantar fascia, Achilles, tibial bone, and metatarsals are not yet prepared for. This mismatch between cardiovascular capacity and tissue conditioning is the fundamental mechanism of spring overuse injury. The runner feels capable (cardiovascularly) and pushes mileage that the connective tissues can’t yet handle.

Most Common Spring Running Injuries in Michigan

Plantar fasciitis: the most common injury we treat in spring runners. The combination of mileage increase, transitioning from treadmill (softer) to road/trail (harder) running, and often outdated footwear with worn-out midsoles creates the tensile overload that inflames the plantar fascia. Metatarsal stress fractures: the second and third metatarsals develop stress fractures when the bone’s remodeling capacity is exceeded by the new loading — common in runners returning from extended breaks or significantly increasing mileage. Achilles tendinopathy: spring terrain changes (more hills after flat treadmill running) and footwear transitions (from high-drop winter shoes to lower-drop spring shoes) stress the Achilles beyond its current capacity. Shin splints (medial tibial stress syndrome): common in new runners and returning runners — the tibial bone is overloaded before adequate remodeling.

Prevention: The 10% Rule Applied Correctly

The 10% weekly mileage increase rule provides a reasonable framework for spring buildup, but must be applied to actual current fitness, not to where you hope to be: if you’ve been doing 10 miles per week through winter, start at 10-12 miles per week in spring — not the 30 miles per week you were running last October. Give your body 4-6 weeks to adapt to road running again before adding speed work or hills. Replace running shoes before spring buildup if over 400 miles of use have accumulated since the last replacement. Contact Balance Foot & Ankle at (810) 206-1402 for spring running injury treatment and biomechanical assessment to identify factors that make you specifically susceptible to the injuries you keep experiencing each spring.

Foot or Ankle Pain? We Can Help.

Balance Foot & Ankle — Howell & Bloomfield Township, MI

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When to See a Podiatrist for Running Injuries

Spring running season brings a surge in foot and ankle injuries as runners increase mileage too quickly. At Balance Foot & Ankle, Dr. Tom Biernacki treats running injuries including plantar fasciitis, stress fractures, Achilles tendinopathy, and shin splints with return-to-running protocols tailored to your goals.

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Clinical References

1. Fields KB, Sykes JC, Walker KM, et al. Prevention of running injuries. Curr Sports Med Rep. 2010;9(3):176-182.
2. Taunton JE, Ryan MB, Clement DB, et al. A retrospective case-control analysis of 2002 running injuries. Br J Sports Med. 2002;36(2):95-101.
3. van Gent RN, Siem D, van Middelkoop M, et al. Incidence and determinants of lower extremity running injuries in long distance runners: a systematic review. Br J Sports Med. 2007;41(8):469-480.

Your Board-Certified Podiatrists

Dr. Tom Biernacki, DPM

Board-Certified · FACFAS

Dr. Carl Jay, DPM

Board-Certified Podiatrist

Dr. Daria Gutkin, DPM

Podiatrist

Dr. Tom Biernacki, DPM

Dr. Tom Biernacki, DPM is a double board-certified podiatrist and foot & ankle surgeon at Balance Foot & Ankle Specialists in Southeast Michigan. With over a decade of clinical experience, he specializes in heel pain, bunions, diabetic foot care, sports injuries, and minimally invasive surgery. Dr. Biernacki is a member of the APMA and ACFAS, and his patient education content on MichiganFootDoctors.com and YouTube has reached over one million views.