I have never been seriously injured from running (except for that time I ran into a ditch and broke my ankle. Even though I was technically running I was not on a run, just to be clear ) – knock on head wood!!!

I know I should count my blessings every day as I have certainly seen my fair share of running related injuries over the years that sidelined more than one of my running buddies. Knee related pain is the most frequent complaint, closely followed by shin splints and hip problems. And it is almost always frustrating if not devastating. There are those injuries that come from bad luck: you stepped off the curb funny and rolled your ankle. You tripped over a bump in the road and fell flat on your face, bruising your knees, injuring your right hand and knocking the wind out of you completely (ahem!), but most running related injuries I have witnessed are caused by ignoring the initial and unrelenting pain. Instead of taking the time to figure out the cause the person keeps on running, and running, and running, until he or she can literally run no more.

Those are by far the worst injuries as they are almost always chronic and take the longest to recover from, sometimes never. I have known people who literally ran themselves lame, thinking that if only they pushed through the nagging, always present pain it would somehow magically disappear. That, unfortunately, is never the case!

It is fitting that the day the Runners Lounge is asking us to write about running injuries, I am somewhat sidelined by a bout of Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome, also known as Runner’s Knee, myself. It is not the first time I have had this and it probably won’t be the last, but I have learned to recognize the early symptoms and can take care of it immediately. The first pinch came on Tuesday during my easy 6.6 miles through the neighborhood. The familiar feeling of something being stuck underneath my knee cap set in after about 4 miles. I did not feel anything for the rest of the day and decided to go on the treadmill for some uphill training yesterday morning. Again I felt nothing afterwards until I went to track training last night. After the first mile the pain set back in and after another couple of miles it could no longer be ignored. When I came home I elevated my leg and iced the knee and I already felt better when I went to bed.

This morning I am pain free but I realize that it is deceiving. Something is irritated and needs looking after. So for the next three days I will take a break from pounding the pavement, rest and ice the knee and take yoga classes instead.

And that really sums up all I ever do for minor aches and pains: the R(est)I(ce)C(ompression)E(levation) is a proven method to get over minor irritations. It is easy to do and the sooner you start the better off you are in the long run. If a few days of resting and icing do not help it is definitely recommended that you see a specialist who can address and treat your possible injury properly. It is never “a waste of time”!!! Much better to find out nothing is seriously wrong than to be told that your running “career” is over because you waited too long to be checked out. The most important thing is that you listen to your doctor and not try to be the hero. There are too many fallen ones already, no need to join the ranks.

Needless to say, the best thing to do is to actually avoid injury in the first place and there are a few steps you can take in order to keep on running injury free:

~ cut back on the days per week you run! 48 hours is the ideal time for recovery and repairing damage.

~ slow down on long runs! A lot of injuries are caused by running too fast for too long. Slow down and let your legs recover.

~ take walk breaks! The risk for injury increases the more you use the same fatigued muscle. Frequent walk breaks allow the muscle to relax before fatigue sets in.

~ warm up properly before speed workouts! Be sure to warm up with a slow run before you head out for a speed workout. Cold muscles tend to get injured more easily that warm ones.

~ stretch! Stretching after your workout helps increase muscle efficiency and effectiveness and prevents pains, tightness, and cramping. However, it is important to remember that you should avoid stretching a tight or injured muscle or tendon. Stretching leads to small tears in your fibers and can prolong recovery. Only stretch if you are pain and injury free.

~ strength train! Strength training helps build muscle mass which will help take pressure off of your joints. Strong leg muscles will help your knee, strong abdominals will help your lower back.

Following these simple steps is easier to do than you think and will keep you running well into the future!

Todays’ Running Tip: See above!