Problems with running

DexterDarko
DexterDarko Posts: 235
in Fitness and Exercise
For years, whenever I run I ALWAYS get a pain near my left shoulder/collarbone after awhile. I don't think it's poor form.

I broke my left collarbone in the 6th grade but I'm not sure if that's it. I weigh 366 pounds and whenever I literally run (366 pounds running is hell) it always hurts awhile. After being inactive for months I ran the first night for 2 miles and it hurt unbearably, but I kept at it and ran through the pain. It felt like a deep sting, nothing like the burning of fat.

At one point, when I was doing a mile run in a gym like half a year ago it hurt extremely bad then my vision went black and I almost passed out. After sitting for like 10 minutes I decided to leave because the stinging wouldn't stop.

Any thoughts?

Replies

  • anemoneprose
    anemoneprose Posts: 1,805 Member
    I don't know what any of it could mean (sounds like you're scared it's neurological or something - do you have reason to think that?) But chest pain, generally, dizziness, heck, any pain - those are exactly the kinds of things that get put on warning signs on every piece of gym equipment.

    Maybe it's worth taking it down a notch, until you've lost some more weight by diet... at your current weight, the strain of eg running might be a lot for your CV system etc to handle.

    Listen to your pain. It's literally a signal from your body to stop doing whatever it is that's causing it.
  • DexterDarko
    DexterDarko Posts: 235
    I don't know what any of it could mean (sounds like you're scared it's neurological or something - do you have reason to think that?) But chest pain, generally, dizziness, heck, any pain - those are exactly the kinds of things that get put on warning signs on every piece of gym equipment.

    Maybe it's worth taking it down a notch, until you've lost some more weight by diet... at your current weight, the strain of eg running might be a lot for your CV system etc to handle.

    Listen to your pain. It's literally a signal from your body to stop doing whatever it is that's causing it.

    The running isn't really that bad for me though. I'm a big person, both in height and weight and I'm young so the phsyical toll isn't that hard as it sounds. But even if I was going at a very slow walking distance, my collarbone area stings. I might be 366 pounds but I feel 266. I get all the pains you say, but when I run through them they go away. The collarbone pain isn't so graceful.
  • roybot86
    roybot86 Posts: 8
    I decided to take up running when I first signed up to this site. I genuinely wanted to do it and was really excited. However after my first jog I had a quite severe pain in my ankle so I left it for a week before trying again. When I tried again (this time with proper running shoes) I last about 50 seconds before my ankle was agony. That was two months ago and I've been limping ever since. It's just about on the mend now but I basically inflammed the joint which is something that once done can be made worse over and over and potentially last for ages. So since I started my weight loss journey I've not really been able to excersize much which has been disappointing. I know this isn't the same as the problem discussed above but I just wanted to say that running has a tremendous impact on your joints, and although some people will be fine whatever their weight you may be unlucky, so I've been told by many people to gradually build up from walking to power walking and once I'm much lighter try running again!

    It's difficult when you start something like this because you want to go head first into everything and get results quickly, but ultimately pacing yourself is better - take it from me I thoroughly regret the 6 minutes of running that have led to two months of limping!
  • DexterDarko
    DexterDarko Posts: 235
    I decided to take up running when I first signed up to this site. I genuinely wanted to do it and was really excited. However after my first jog I had a quite severe pain in my ankle so I left it for a week before trying again. When I tried again (this time with proper running shoes) I last about 50 seconds before my ankle was agony. That was two months ago and I've been limping ever since. It's just about on the mend now but I basically inflammed the joint which is something that once done can be made worse over and over and potentially last for ages. So since I started my weight loss journey I've not really been able to excersize much which has been disappointing. I know this isn't the same as the problem discussed above but I just wanted to say that running has a tremendous impact on your joints, and although some people will be fine whatever their weight you may be unlucky, so I've been told by many people to gradually build up from walking to power walking and once I'm much lighter try running again!

    It's difficult when you start something like this because you want to go head first into everything and get results quickly, but ultimately pacing yourself is better - take it from me I thoroughly regret the 6 minutes of running that have led to two months of limping!

    I have extremely strong legs, I've carried a giant body all of my life, so when I run to the most of my abilities and then some more the only thing I wind up doing is a bit of soreness in the morning, so that's no problem for me. I don't quite see how running could impact my collarbone when I'm moving it not much at all. Still think it's related to my bone breaking.
  • bodsmack7958
    bodsmack7958 Posts: 47 Member
    I strongly suggest using an elliptical while above 300 pounds. I was 315 pounds and used an elliptical to get down to 250. They are seriously a body saver. No refuting you have strong legs, but knees/hips/ankles don't hold up well with abuse. Running is very high impact. Although, that is just my suggestion. Good luck with whatever you choose. I've just started running regularly the past 3 months and am facing a bit of knee pain with no prior injuries to either.
  • bodsmack7958
    bodsmack7958 Posts: 47 Member
    Don't mean to be a forum troll. And I would say your shoulder pain may just have to do with your past injury to your collarbone. People's body may "heal", but that doesn't mean they are completely healed.
  • glenette1
    glenette1 Posts: 140 Member
    There are two possibilities that I can think of and they both involve accessory muscles for breathing. Typically, for normal inspiration we use our diaphragm. However, if you are breathing heavier than "normal", your accessory breathing muscles will kick in (this almost always happens during running for every individual). Many of the accessory muscles are attached to your clavicle, others to the upper ribs just deep to and beneath the clavicle but close enough to feel pain in the clavicle region. It could be related to the fracture and that they are putting pressure through a previously damaged site, although I suspect the fracture is well healed and this is not the case. Most likely, your accessory muscles are kicking in and become fatigued causing the discomfort either because your body is still adapting to respiration changes or possibly due to a respiratory issue such as asthma. This used to happen to me when I ran until my body adapted (I believe it took about a year of consistent exercise). I notice it from time to time now but for the most part it's not there anymore unless I'm really pushing myself. I suggest monitoring your breathing pattern to see if it seems to be related. You should also consult a physician if you think there is a possibility of exercise induced asthma or or respiratory issues.
  • glenette1
    glenette1 Posts: 140 Member
    It's also possible that you damaged an accessory muscle at the time of fracture or the muscles never gained their full strength and stamina back after the fracture or soft tissue injury. If the muscle was damaged, it most likely filled in with scar tissue at the point of damage (just how the body heals). Scar tissue does not stretch and it does not contract like your normal muscle tissue would and this creates an area of stress that could also be contributing to the pain when your accessory muscles kick in during periods of increased respiration.
  • DexterDarko
    DexterDarko Posts: 235
    I appreciate everybodys answers. I actually was approved of asthma a long time ago but then they said I didn't have it, I might actually. The best way to define the pain would definitely be stress. I need to see a doctor about a ton of things, I'll get to it once i can, thanks again all.

    As for using anything other then a treadmill such as an elliptical, i work out at home and cant afford gym membership so that's pretty much out of the question.
  • PrimalGirl
    PrimalGirl Posts: 148 Member
    Hi I used to get this as well when I first started running and although I was overweight it wasn't enough to impact in that way.

    I found that things like ensuring a good breathing rhythm when running really helped - I started by breathing in for three strides and out for three and then when I needed to breathe faster, in for two and out for two. That helped (and also cures stitch).

    I also found that I was holding my shoulders very tightly when I ran; I then went opposite and let them flounce around like a chicken trying to fly, which was no good, until in the end I discovered that holding them comfortably was best - not tense and stiff, but not floppy either.

    Finally, it disappeared completely when I bought barefoot running shoes and changed my running style, striking with the mid-part of my foot, not the heel, and running with a shorter stride in order to keep my hips under my shoulders.

    Mine was all trial and error - and I've never broken a collarbone either - but those three things combined cured mine completely.

    Also, if you do think it related to your old injury and a possible weakness, then you need to strengthen it. You need to be lifting weights, bench pressing, pressing overhead etc, to build up the muscles that secure the clavicle in place. Obviously you need to start gently and work your way up with weights and push ups - but you know that!

    PrimalGirl
  • newmrsboyd
    newmrsboyd Posts: 13 Member
    As an emergency room nurse/ new grad nurse practitioner I think that your pain is concerning. I think if you went to your PCP and told them that when you run you get left shoulder pain, and have nearly passed out, esp with your size and stature, and the pain resolves with rest, that any MD or NP or PA worth their salt would tell you that you should get a stress test and maybe a stress echo.A stress test basically watches the rate and rhythm of your heart during exertion. A stress echo takes an ultrasound of your heart before and after exertion and looks for valve defects or structural problems in the heart.

    Your shoulder pain may be something musculoskeletal, but if I were you, I would want to make sure it wasn't my heart and that I wasn't going to push through the pain on the treadmill one day and drop dead in the gym.
  • jharb2
    jharb2 Posts: 208 Member
    It can be referred pain from your heart. If you are a woman, there are different symptoms than the classic heart attack symptoms. You need to see a Dr. and have an EKG. A person your size ( no offense) shouldn't start out with running. It takes alot of time to get your heart in shape to run. Your body is trying to tell you something.
  • jharb2
    jharb2 Posts: 208 Member
    I had a neighbor 40 yr old that had shoulder pain when he mowed or got his heart rate up. Turns out he had 5 blockages. His body was trying to tell him something. I'm a nurse also, and your symptom is concerning.
  • jharb2
    jharb2 Posts: 208 Member
    Sorry, didn't see that you had been running for years. However its a new symptom and should be checked into.
  • nellyett
    nellyett Posts: 436 Member
    Hi I used to get this as well when I first started running and although I was overweight it wasn't enough to impact in that way.

    I found that things like ensuring a good breathing rhythm when running really helped - I started by breathing in for three strides and out for three and then when I needed to breathe faster, in for two and out for two. That helped (and also cures stitch).

    I also found that I was holding my shoulders very tightly when I ran; I then went opposite and let them flounce around like a chicken trying to fly, which was no good, until in the end I discovered that holding them comfortably was best - not tense and stiff, but not floppy either.

    Finally, it disappeared completely when I bought barefoot running shoes and changed my running style, striking with the mid-part of my foot, not the heel, and running with a shorter stride in order to keep my hips under my shoulders.

    Mine was all trial and error - and I've never broken a collarbone either - but those three things combined cured mine completely.

    Also, if you do think it related to your old injury and a possible weakness, then you need to strengthen it. You need to be lifting weights, bench pressing, pressing overhead etc, to build up the muscles that secure the clavicle in place. Obviously you need to start gently and work your way up with weights and push ups - but you know that!

    PrimalGirl

    ^^ This ^^

    Also, even though it may be TMI, but I would get the same thing occasionally, freaked and googled everything I could find thinking it was my heart, etc. Turns out I just needed to burp. :) It was gas in my tummy.

    Also, google proper running form. There are tons of tips for breathing, side stiches, etc. It helped me a lot!
  • DexterDarko
    DexterDarko Posts: 235
    I feel as if it's possible it was my running form. 75% of the time I'm holding onto the bars of the treadmill, and while running its like my entire body is moving insanely but my arms are staying stiff. When I do run though they go just as crazy xD

    My heart? That would be bad. Sometimes when running I get pain in my stomach so severe it feels really deep as if it was my heart about to fall out of my chest. The only way to properly diagnose all my problems will be a doctors visit though :L

    Not looking forward to getting on a scale there for the first time in years. Probably got diabetes too and thats why I've been passing out and shaking horribly after going without eating for like a day.

    Really appreciate all the answers, I will experiment on todays 2 miles.
  • newmrsboyd
    newmrsboyd Posts: 13 Member
    So...did you ever get in to the doctor?? Any word??

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