Return to Running Pain Free
We all run into little nagging little injuries at some point in our athletic career.
This post was specific to running, but really it applies to just about anyone who is continually pushing their body to be faster, stronger, or do cooler things.
Our reaction to these pains is usually to go look for a diagnosis.
An internet search often lands on something grave. Or we connect the pain to some anatomy in the spot that hurts, which is sometimes accurate, but sometimes not.
Or we go the extra mile, and get it checked out by a doctor, where we get images and tested to identify this thing that we’re feeling. But in the end it’s like genetic testing your dog, nice information to know, but sure costs a lot and does it really tell us anything? Sometimes it does…but most often the time and worry leads to a prescription of rest and maybe an anti-inflammatory.
Instead, this little running template can be a big help for dealing with all types of pain. So save it, and title it: “What to do if something hurts”
Weeks 1-2: Give things some time to calm down through relative rest. This means stop poking at the pain, but scratch your itch with things you know won’t further the issue.
Week 3: Create a plan of graded exposure. Not only does this help you ease back into things, but it provides a good trial to see if you’re ready, rather than jumping into the deep end. If not, take another week off and then try again.
Week 4: Get back to things, but more cautious in your jumps in volume.
If things aren’t improving after a few weeks, then yes, take the next steps. But best to try and handle things on your own first with a systemized plan.
It’s also good to add some easy loading around what hurts. Take a read on the benefits of movement to the healing process.
