To be a better runner, sometimes you have to stop running.

Susie Fagan, of Lawrence, learned that lesson after an Achilles tendon injury sidelined her in 2010 and she couldn’t run for six months. At first she sought help from a physical therapist, then a chiropractor.

After six months, she started walking and running at an easy pace for short distances. After that, “it probably took me two years before I ran a half-marathon,” she said.

Even with snow on the ground, area runners are starting to think about the season ahead. And with the start of the season comes the potential for running injuries.

Sarah White-Hamilton, a physical therapist at TherapyWorks in Lawrence, says there are several running injuries that can sideline a runner as they start a running program, return to running after a winter away, or start to increase their speed or distance in their workouts. Some of the injuries she cited include:

Patellofemoral pain: This is also known as “runner’s knee” and often causes pain around the kneecap. “Runners should assess their shoes for proper arch support and work to strengthen their glutes, hips and quads,” White-Hamilton said. Rest, ice, cross training and avoiding running downhill are ways to ease runner’s knee.

Shin splints: That ache on the front of the shins has sidelined many a runner. But, White-Hamilton notes, weakness in the hip flexors may be to blame. Strengthening the hip flexor, the muscle in front of the hip, may help alleviate the pain of shin splints.

Hamstring pain: Pain in the area on the back of the thigh can range from chronic overuse to a hamstring pull or tear. If the pain is sudden, strong and leaves bruising, consider seeing a medical professional immediately, White-Hamilton said. For less severe, chronic discomfort, adding stretching and strength exercises to your routine may help ease the pain, and running can sometimes continue at a slower pace.

IT band syndrome: “Runners often get pain down the outside of their thighs from the hip to the knee if they suffer from weak hip musculature, namely abductors and gluts,” White-Hamilton said. Strengthening those areas, as well as assessing footwear to prevent over-pronation, can treat the problem.

Plantar fasciitis: This condition shows up in the heel of the foot and can start with the first step you take in the morning. Improper arch support, tight calves and a weak core can, alone or combined, lead to this heel pain. The plantar fascia covers the base of the foot from heel to toes; rolling a frozen water bottle under the feet, stretching the calves, wearing proper arch supports and doing exercises to strengthen the core can all help to treat and prevent foot pain from getting in the way of your run.

While injuries such as these can be frustrating as well as painful, Fagan found that there were other ways to channel her energy while she recovered.

“What really helped me the most was I started cross training and, as part of that, incorporating strength training,” she said. “That’s been the biggest thing for me, to be able to continue running, is doing strength training and cross training, and not just running.”

White-Hamilton said getting in a pool — even running in a pool — cycling, weight training and other activities were good ways to stay active in recovery as well as keep an athlete in the training mindset.

“Those (activities) are all things that keep your mental sanity,” White-Hamilton said. “Continuing to exercise, but doing it in a way that you’re not going to keep reinforcing the injury.”

For runners, having patience isn’t always easy. “When you’re used to being active, and someone tells you to stop, it can be hard, and mentally challenging,” Fagan said. “The best thing for me though, was that I started cycling and swimming and was able to find an outlet there where I was able to maintain my fitness and see that, yeah, there is life without running.”