When does it go from soreness to possible injury?

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MercKlebba
MercKlebba Posts: 55 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I have been attempting to run for the past couple of weeks. Before my runs I make sure to stretch and warm up. I thought I was just sore over the week and was pushing myself through every run. Gradually my runs got slower and slower. Today I couldn't even really get to a jog. It was more of a bouncy walk. I had to stop and very slowly hobble back home my legs hurt so bad. Is this normal or could it be a possible injury? At what point do I call it quits on the running? I really want to be able to run with my husband who is due back from boot camp in a month, but I'm beginning to see this goal of mine slip through my fingers. If anyone could give me some pointers or maybe an encouraging word. I'm pretty down about this.

Replies

  • astronomicals
    astronomicals Posts: 1,537 Member
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    are you following any program? I found out the hard way that pushing yourself to failure is not good for running... you need rest time and you need to add mileage and speed slowly and in a planned fashion....
  • MercKlebba
    MercKlebba Posts: 55 Member
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    I'm on Week 2 Day 3 of couch to 5k. I do it Mon, Wed, and Fri. I try to cycle on the weekends.
  • MrsRadder
    MrsRadder Posts: 207 Member
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    I get really bad shin splints.... I have to wrap my leg or wear vibram shoes. (they are ugly but work)
  • AZKristi
    AZKristi Posts: 1,801 Member
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    Try following a program like couch to 5k and build up to longer runs. Are you stretching at the end of your runs? Are you giving yourself at least a day off between runs? If you are just beginning, your body is going to need rest between workouts. You can still cross train on days you don't run.
  • astronomicals
    astronomicals Posts: 1,537 Member
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    I was looking at its progression teh other day and I found it to be much more intense than what I expected.

    If you have decent leg musculature and cardiovascular ability, but zero running experience, what do you expect to come from interval training? For me, it results in so much leg impact that I get injured. HIIT isnt for everyone and it surely isnt for me.

    If i were you id suggest taking a few days off til you feel better then starting over. This time around id shoot for a comfortable pace for the fast parts maybe 4.5-5.0 mph..


    do you know your pace now?

    This may not be the problem, but, it is an issue for plenty of people. Pushing your pace too fast is going to mess up a lot of people. It should be challenging, but, it shouldnt be the fastest you can go (unless you know your abilities and are an experienced runner)
  • diver71_au
    diver71_au Posts: 424 Member
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    What kind of hurt and where?

    In a lot of new runners there is a good chance that your running form is causing pain. But it may also be that you are just overtraining the muscles.

    Burning in the shins or pain in or around the knees or hips should be taken as a warning sign of injury (and possible form problem) muscular aches in quads, hamstrings or calves I wouldnt worry so much - just rest and ice.

    If it is muscular get a foam roller and roll the muscles after a run - it hurts but is worth it.
  • Jamie_Lauren
    Jamie_Lauren Posts: 211 Member
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    Give yourself a rest! Your muscles may need some recovery time. You have to build your stamina slowly or else you can just burn out and, yes, risk injury. Are you taking any supplements? I take L-Glutamine whenever I do a heavy weights or cardio session and it really helps with recovery time.
  • bumblebums
    bumblebums Posts: 2,181 Member
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    Can you describe the pain? Does it hurt when you are moving, not moving, both legs, one leg, etc.? And where, of course.

    How old are your running shoes, and where did you get them? Did you get fitted for a pair at a running store, or did you buy them based on looks and price?

    From what you say about your schedule, it sounds like you get at least one full rest day between runs--is that right?
  • ptak1sm
    ptak1sm Posts: 172
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    Did you get properly fitted for shoes? The wrong shoes can screw up everything and sideline you for months. Make sure you go to a specialty running shop. If they know what they're doing, they will watch you walk (wearing only socks) and find shoes tailored to your particular gait. You might try on 10 pairs of shoes before you find the right pair, but once you find them, you'll know...if you have any doubts, send them away. You will likely wind up paying upwards of $100 for a good pair, but they'll save you in the long run.

    Also, I'm not sure if this is true for others, but I find that when I stretch pre-run, I'm more prone to injury. The theory is that you don't stretch cold muscles, otherwise you risk overstretching them, leaving them prone to pain and potential injury. You should warm them up for 5-10 minutes, go into your run, then stretch after your run. I actually overstretched last week, a few hours after my workout so my muscles were cold, and I immediately felt the repercussions (hamstring...ouch!)

    Have you done any reading on running styles? There are quite a few out there...I lean towards heel-ball-toe with a short, quick stride. My dad (who uses Vibram shoes) does ball-toe-heel (very light on the heel) with a short, quick stride. Ultimately, your stride depends on your body and what feels good to you.
  • KristinG1983
    KristinG1983 Posts: 5
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    Keep up the good work! It's supposedly best for females to NOT stretch before workouts and only after. If you do about 5 minutes warmup of just walking first, that might help. I like to do extra stretches in the evening on my feet (which give me grief sometimes), and try either soaking in a hot bath or ice packs, though I honestly don't know which, just a suggestion!
  • bumblebums
    bumblebums Posts: 2,181 Member
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    Did you get properly fitted for shoes? The wrong shoes can screw up everything and sideline you for months. Make sure you go to a specialty running shop. If they know what they're doing, they will watch you walk (wearing only socks) and find shoes tailored to your particular gait. You might try on 10 pairs of shoes before you find the right pair, but once you find them, you'll know...if you have any doubts, send them away. You will likely wind up paying upwards of $100 for a good pair, but they'll save you in the long run.

    Also, I'm not sure if this is true for others, but I find that when I stretch pre-run, I'm more prone to injury. The theory is that you don't stretch cold muscles, otherwise you risk overstretching them, leaving them prone to pain and potential injury. You should warm them up for 5-10 minutes, go into your run, then stretch after your run. I actually overstretched last week, a few hours after my workout so my muscles were cold, and I immediately felt the repercussions (hamstring...ouch!)

    Have you done any reading on running styles? There are quite a few out there...I lean towards heel-ball-toe with a short, quick stride. My dad (who uses Vibram shoes) does ball-toe-heel (very light on the heel) with a short, quick stride. Ultimately, your stride depends on your body and what feels good to you.

    You're right about the importance of shoes, but if your running store tested your running gait while you were wearing only socks, they don't know what they are doing. Unless, that is, they were testing you for minimalist shoes (which I doubt from your description of your gait). Recent research on minimalist shoes shows that they are not different from each other but *are* different from running barefoot, and traditional running shoes are in their own category.

    http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/early/2013/01/10/bjsports-2012-091837.short
  • ptak1sm
    ptak1sm Posts: 172
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    You're right about the importance of shoes, but if your running store tested your running gait while you were wearing only socks, they don't know what they are doing. Unless, that is, they were testing you for minimalist shoes (which I doubt from your description of your gait). Recent research on minimalist shoes shows that they are not different from each other but *are* different from running barefoot, and traditional running shoes are in their own category.

    http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/early/2013/01/10/bjsports-2012-091837.short
    [/quote]

    Would you mind giving the gist of the article? It won't load. I trust the shop I go to with helping me find the right shoes for me. They've been in the running word for decades and are a go-to for area runners, both beginners and experienced marathoners and ultra runners. If they don't watch you walk without shoes, what other methods could they use to determine how your feet fall?

    Edit to say I got it to load, thanks very much!
  • bumblebums
    bumblebums Posts: 2,181 Member
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    You're right about the importance of shoes, but if your running store tested your running gait while you were wearing only socks, they don't know what they are doing. Unless, that is, they were testing you for minimalist shoes (which I doubt from your description of your gait). Recent research on minimalist shoes shows that they are not different from each other but *are* different from running barefoot, and traditional running shoes are in their own category.

    http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/early/2013/01/10/bjsports-2012-091837.short

    Would you mind giving the gist of the article? It won't load. I trust the shop I go to with helping me find the right shoes for me. They've been in the running word for decades and are a go-to for area runners, both beginners and experienced marathoners and ultra runners. If they don't watch you walk without shoes, what other methods could they use to determine how your feet fall?

    Edit to say I got it to load, thanks very much!

    You can test gait in regular athletic shoes--just film it at high temporal resolution and slow down the film to watch what the feet do. The point is to test your running in conditions that are similar to how you'll be using the shoes, after all... My store tests gait this way, and they also have you run in the shoes you are about to buy (on a treadmill) and film you to check that whatever issues needed to be corrected are actually corrected by your shoes.

    Back to OP's issue, if you suspect that shoes might be to blame, take them to the running store with you next time you go shopping for a new pair. They will probably want to see you run in the old ones.

    [fixed quote bracketing issue]
  • ptak1sm
    ptak1sm Posts: 172
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    Ah. I appreciate the input. I trust their method as tried and true, and they've helped fix issues and enhanced my running experience, injury free :)

    OP, good luck to you! I hope you're able to work through things and reach your goal!
  • MercKlebba
    MercKlebba Posts: 55 Member
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    The pain begins toward the bottom of my leg on the inside and radiates up to my knees. It is a dull ache through out the day, but even if I try to run after my son just a few steps I get a jarring pain in my lower legs that doesn't subside for at least an hour. I didn't think it was shin splints because when I massage the soleus muscle there that is what hurts. Not the tops of my shins, but I've never experienced any running pains before so I have no clue.

    I didn't go to a specific store for my shoes. I guess maybe that is a good portion of my problem. I have a pair of nike running shoes that were sitting in my closet brand new and decided one day I was going to put them on and get out there.

    Yes, I do stretch before and after my running attempts.
  • bumblebums
    bumblebums Posts: 2,181 Member
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    The pain begins toward the bottom of my leg on the inside and radiates up to my knees. It is a dull ache through out the day, but even if I try to run after my son just a few steps I get a jarring pain in my lower legs that doesn't subside for at least an hour. I didn't think it was shin splints because when I massage the soleus muscle there that is what hurts. Not the tops of my shins, but I've never experienced any running pains before so I have no clue.

    I didn't go to a specific store for my shoes. I guess maybe that is a good portion of my problem. I have a pair of nike running shoes that were sitting in my closet brand new and decided one day I was going to put them on and get out there.

    Yes, I do stretch before and after my running attempts.

    "Shin splints" isn't a technical term--it refers to any overuse injury that you get between the knee and the ankle. It could be anything from microfractures to muscle soreness or ligament injury. The only cure is rest, ice, elevation, and maybe some light stretching. And then I'd look at shoes and your running form.
  • Hexahedra
    Hexahedra Posts: 894 Member
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    This is very common, especially for people who have never run before or have been sedentary for a while. Assuming you have properly fitted shoes, you simply need to rest it for a week. If you force it at this point, it will turn into an injury that could take several weeks to heal. Been there done that.
  • MercKlebba
    MercKlebba Posts: 55 Member
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    Thank you everyone for the insight. I will be resting and icing my legs and seeing someone about my gait. Shoes too! Hopefully I can fix this soon, I want to get back out there asap!

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