becomes really painful when I undertake activities that involve turning or sideways movements. I’ve set my sights on a half-marathon later this year, and I’m worried that several weeks off will put me back to square one.A Most roads have a camber, which

Q I have a triple injury. First I got a pain under my hip, then a swollen ankle and now a pain in the back of my knee. All on the right side. I recently switched from trail to road running – could it be due to the camber?A There could be two

-legged or supinate. If you have pain on one side only it may be because you always run on a camber or have legs of different lengths!Medical investigationsUnless the doctor thinks that there is internal damage, he will probably just check your gait and shoes. A scan

. This will cause acute pain on the inner side of the knee. In some runners a more chronic injury can occur if they have knock-knees, or those who always run on a camber. Continuing to run will not only prolong your pain but could cause secondary injuries through a

're running on cambered roads. It tends to afflict triathletes who pronate (the foot rolls inwards when it contacts the ground) and when you increase distance. To find out if you pronate, stand barefoot and see if you have an arch on the inside of your foot

on cambered beaches throws the body out of alignment, while soft sand places extra stress on the Achilles tendon and calf muscles compared with firm, even surfaces, according to Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise.To play it safe, stick

indefinitely. Ignore them, and… well, you know. You reap what you sow.Follow a straight and even pathThe best surfaces for running are firm but not too hard, relatively flat (without camber) and smooth (without ruts or holes). Generally, roads make fine running

can find, it’s easy to measure distances on it, and it’s simple to keep up a steady rhythm. While it’s rather solid, it’s a predictable, even surface that puts less strain on the Achilles tendon than softer or uneven terrains.Cons: You face cambers

to ensure that the race takes place once again in 2006.Finally, there is Adverse Camber. To the surprise of most of us, he turned up on race day morning, and spent the entire day taking photographs, cheering and encouraging and cajoling, and giving people

with every last piece of energy, and cambered the corner in front of Buckingham Palace.  The crowds cheers, "GO JIM GO", and I'm grinning from ear to ear. Having passed at least a tonne of people before getting to Big Ben, the last few on the straight we