Over the past few years, running has gained popularity among the greater public — which is not surprising, considering that the only sizeable investment that you need to get into the sport is to purchase a decent pair of running shoes. From magazines to blogs and even smartphone apps, you can readily find resources that can help transform yourself from a certified couch potato to a 5K finisher. Getting started is as easy as putting your shoes on and heading out the door.
But whether you are running to lose some excess weight or you are trying to qualify for a marathon, that last thing that you want is to be stopped on your tracks by an injury.
Runners, and athletes in general, succumb to injuries for two main reasons: training errors and overuse.
Injuries due to training errors happen when a runner tries to add more mileage or intensity to his normal routine without giving his body ample time to recover. Injuries due to overuse may be caused by overtraining, muscular imbalance and poor biomechanics. The effects of such injuries may range from minor inconvenience to severe pain.
With some injuries, you can bounce back to training after sufficient rest and rehab. However, there are instances wherein your injury and the associated pain does not seem to go away. Here are a few signs wherein you may need to visit a specialist in physical therapy Upper East Side residents turn to.
If the pain still lingers after three to four days of rest and icing, you may need to consult a physical therapist. Typically, icing and sufficient rest can help runners recover from an injury. However, if the problem does not seem to go away, you should seek professional help.
On the other hand, if the pain has significantly subsided or if it has totally gone away due to icing and rest and yet you still experience dull pain when you run, you should consult a physical therapist. Ignoring this type of pain can lead to long-term consequences when left unaddressed.
See a physical therapist immediately if the nature of your injury is traumatic like a muscle tear or broken bone. Also, sharp and acute pain is often a symptom of a major injury that cannot be easily remedied by rest and icing.
Some athletes cope with pain using over-the-counter medicine and soldier on with their training. However, if these medications cannot alleviate your pain, you better get yourself checked by physical therapists.
Apart from pain, look for physical changes in your body or even difficulty in performing motions. Ignore these and you risk aggravating your injury or succumbing to graver injury.
