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Identifying Injuries
by Lisa Sabin, December 30, 2007
Running is a repetitive exercise. Some runners experience a certain level of discomfort every day. Most of these aches and pains are temporary. Tiny micro-tears occur as muscles break down during training. The muscles, tendons and joints become stronger through adequate rest and nutrition. Here are some helpful guidelines to determine whether it’s an injury or a passing ache or pain.
Pain – Pain after running or hours after. Pain is your body’s way of telling you something is wrong. Don’t ignore it or use medication to mask it.
Swelling – A swollen area indicates inflammation. Inflammation is a sign of injury.
Increasing Pain – Discomfort that continues to get worse. If your discomfort is getting worse, that’s a sign that something is wrong.
Decreasing Function – This is pain that alters your natural gait. This is a sure sign that you are compensating to avoid pain.
When in doubt, see your doctor. It’s better to take a day or two off than continue running with an injury. Sports doctors or podiatrists are best for treating foot problems. In the meantime here are some things you can do:
Rest - Stop running, take a few days off and see if you feel better
Ice - Ice the injured area. Ice helps reduce inflammation and stimulates circulation. (Ice for 20 minutes)
Compression – If the area is swollen, wrap it firmly, but not so tightly as to cut off circulation. Compression helps pump some of the swelling out of the area.
Elevation – Elevating the injured area higher than your head will prevent blood from pooling in the area. This will help keep circulation flowing and decrease inflammation.
4 Comments: :
Identifying Injuries
August 17th, 2008 8:32 am
Lisa says:
My husband is 57 years old and had been running about 3-4 miles daily for about 5 years+. Now he is training for half marathon.
At this stage of his age, is there any suppliments or vitamins for joints that he should take? Is there side effect of the joints down the line if he doesn’t fuel his body properly with nutritients and fluids?
Thank you,
January 24th, 2009 7:33 am
Lisa Sabin says:
I am not a registered dietician, so I really can’t recommend specific vitamins or suppliments. I would try to eat a balanced diet which includes lots of fresh vegetables, fruit, whole grains, lean meats and lowfat dairy products. As your husband starts to ramp up his miles he will probably notice an increase his appetite. He may need to increase the amount of carbohydrates to match the energy output.
January 25th, 2009 8:24 am
hardly says:
Lisa:
Linda is a Registered Dietitian, and sometimes posts up here on Sweat365. You can find her website & contact info at http://www.expertnutritionconsulting.com/
January 25th, 2009 12:01 pm
runnernyc says:
Lisa: thanks for such great information. I always enjoy reading your “stuff!”