Post-Marathon Care: What Your Body Has Just Been Through

So, you’ve just crossed the marathon finish line — 42.2 kilometres of determination, endurance, and grit. Whether it’s your first or your fiftieth, completing a marathon is a huge accomplishment. But have you ever stopped to think about what your body — and more specifically, your feet — have just endured?

The Numbers Behind the Race

Over the course of a marathon, you’ll take roughly 55,000 steps.
That’s around 22,500 impacts per foot, each time absorbing and propelling your body forward.

Every step places 2–3 times your body weight through each leg. Multiply that by 55,000, and you’re looking at a staggering 11,000 tonnes of total force absorbed by your lower limbs during the race.

Even more impressively, your calf muscles alone can produce up to 8.7 times your body weight in force with each step — adding up to around 25,000 tonnes of force generated just from those muscles!

What This Means for Your Feet and Body

With that kind of workload, it’s no surprise that marathon runners are prone to a range of lower limb issues, including:

• Plantar fasciopathy (heel pain)
• Patellofemoral pain (anterior knee pain)
• Achilles tendinopathy (calf pain)
• Medial tibial stress syndrome (shin splints)
• Muscle strains and overuse injuries
• Bone stress injuries
• Blisters, calluses, and nail damage

These problems can develop not only on race day but also during the months of training that lead up to it.

How We Can Help

At MyFeet.ie, our podiatrists understand the unique demands that endurance running places on your body. We offer:

• Accurate diagnosis of running-related injuries
• Management plans tailored to your training and recovery goals
• Custom orthotic prescriptions for optimal foot support
• Comprehensive assessments across our clinics in Dublin and Athlone

Whether you’re recovering from race day, managing a niggling injury, or preparing for your next marathon, we can help you keep moving safely and efficiently.