I’m currently sitting out from running due to an IT Band injury. I didn’t run enough hills while training for my half marathon and the race was very, very hilly. Needless to say, my IT Band is now on the frizz and I’m out from running for a few months. 🙁 My advice: don’t increase your milage, pace, or hills to quickly, it could end in an injury!

I tore ligamens in both ankles in HS playing vball and bball. my coach used to make me stick my leg in a bucket of ice and water and I would sit there and cry! I also did physical therapy. my ankles are still weak and I have a hard time balancing, but I can run and play sprots again.

I’m currently dealing with a stress fracture, due to running. It happened back in December and because of a combination of bad luck, bad doctors, and my stubborness, I’m STILL dealing with it today. It’s going on 10 months that I haven’t ran. While it’s awful and not something I would wish on my worst enemy, it’s been a life-changing experience for me. I realized that (like you said) running wasn’t the end all, be all… running was my life.. until I couldn’t anymore. I couldn’t exercise at ALL for a long time and it woke me up to the fact that if I don’t treat my body right, there will be consequences (i.e. under-fueling and over training). I now realize that if I’m going to push my body to do something like run, I HAVE to treat it right. So I’m using this time to get my body to a healthy place so that when I am healed, I can run safely again.

I was just doing this mental inventory the other day, funny you should ask!
I’ve broken 7 bones (5 fingers, a wrist and a nose), had 2 stress fractures (shins and pubic bone) and 3 concussions. Not to mention shin splints and the daily pain/fatigue that comes with being a full-time athlete! I’m just coming out of my pelvic stress fracture (the most serious of all my injuries) and now that I’ve “retired” from competitive sports, I am having a great time with new/different sports and movements. Part of the key to recovering from an injury is asking yourself what you need to do differently in your daily life to avoid re-injuring yourself. Sometimes an injury opens a door for some necessary self-reflection, but make sure to allow yourself some time to process/be upset about things. I took 8 months off from everything (including walking) and that for me was the ultimate personal test of operation beautiful… can I feel great just being rather than doing?
Overall, I would say that where most women seem to lack is in strength. Don’t shy away from lifting heavy things (with proper form), challenge yourself to 2-3 minute planks and be a force in the gym. Don’t be afraid to go super heavy and break the “toning” myth! Good bone density, strong metabolic health and all of the benefits of strength training carry over into every day life. It goes a lonnnng way in protecting you against injury!

Love your tips – all the them! I’m currently dealing with pulled tendons in my right foot/heel and I could barely walk last week – terrible. So I’ve been doing the stationary bike while I can’t run and just trying not to wallow in it, like you said. 🙂

For some of us who aren’t lucky, Runner’s Knee *is* as serious as it sounds. (Gosh, that sounded mean. That’s not how I meant it!) I just mean to say that there’s a scale when it comes to cartilage damage, and when enough cartilage is worn away it’s pretty serious. And majorly painful. Case in point: I’ve had Runner’s Knee for 6 years and I still can’t walk for more than a city block or stand for more than 5 minutes without pain. Forget running.

Thanks for the tips. I was feeling pain in my right knee and purchased the same knee sleeve you have. I used it while I ran/walked the Disneyland Half over the week, and good news is that I felt no pain on that knee…bad news is that I should have used them on both knees. That was the first time I’d felt pain on the left.

I’ve since taken time off from running, and iced the knee last night as I noticed a bit of swelling.

I was going to make an appointment with my Primary Care Physician to get a referral for a sports injury dr. but do you think that I’ll have better luck asking my local running store directly?

When I first started running, I had knee problems as well. My knee cap felt like it was ‘loose’ while running and then my knee would feel numb and uncomfortable afterwards. I could barely walk up stairs anymore. I learned that I had to take it slower to start off and build up my muscles. I now never run two days in a row and make sure that I stretch properly afterwards and am knee-pain free! 🙂

Great advice! Thanks!

Thanks for the info! I totally agree with you that if you experience pain, get it checked out! Pain is different than being too tired to keep running/not enough sleep/not enough food. Pain is pain and you shouldn’t experience it!

I am currently training for my first half marathon and was diagnosed with pneumonia two weeks ago. Running is very, very hard and I’ve struggled a ton lately. I need to accept that I just may need to let my body recover and aim for a later half.

Completely unrelated, but I was at the dog park the other day and saw a dog that looked EXACTLY like James. What a cutie-pie!

I had ITB Syndrome and couldn’t run for almost 4 months. I went to physical therapy twice a week for 3 months, and now I’m back running. Here’s my post that talks about it.

http://myverbalvomit.wordpress.com/injury-411/

I broke my ankle while WALKING once. I was on pavement and not looking down, my foot twisted into a big hole in the pavement. GAAH.

I was in the air on a jump during a ski race on a trail I know like the back of my hand I’ve done it so many times… I was distracted, looked sideways – midair that makes your whole body turn – and I landed crazy and tore my lateral meniscus and cracked my knee. There was also what we skiers call a “yard sale” – my poles, one ski and goggles were EVERYWHERE.

Playing a tennis tourney once, my doubles partner hit me in the face with his racquet and broke my tooth. I had a HUGE bruise on my face for a couple weeks. Not Pretty.

The major knee injuries eventually made me quit tennis. I had three knee surgeries. As soon as I was out of pt I was back on the tennis court (I used to teach tennis and compete on a USTA level), but my knee is no longer strong enough to hold me… running sideways on the court I’d fall. No pain, just there, on the ground. 🙁

I listened to my docs and took it easy – I think the best advice. Yes, they are sometimes wrong – I got a second opinion. (I wanted to be a pro tennis player or at least instructor).

I am currently doing a couch to 5k, taking it REALLY slow because I am still very paranoid about re – injury. I was a runner and would like to be again, but taking it slow. 🙂

I have been injured a bazillion times too.
Even though this is the thing I hate to hear the most, the best thing really is rest. Taking a week off wont kill you but it will heel you!

I haven’t had a running injury yet but when I was in high school I tore the ligiments in my ankle tumbling. I had to wait 3 months and wear an ankle brace. My biggest mistake was jumping back into tumbling too fast. I tumbled with ankle pain for about a year and had to continue to wear a brace when doing any physical activity for 3 years. It’s hard when you have an injury to keep away from physical activity! I think it’s very common for people to start exercising again even when they aren’t 100% ready. So my advice would be to wait that extra month for recovery because it will pay off 🙂

Sometimes unproductive mornings are good, no worries 🙂

Great tips, I’ve never had a serious injury, but I’m pretty good about not over-training.

My husband has a knee injury from running. The problem is that no one makes a knee sleeve big enough to fit his legs. It’s the most ridiculous problem to have, right?

Ugh I literally feel your injury pain. I just left the doctor’s office for month 3 of my knee injury without much progress. I have patellofemoral pain syndrome, it band syndrome, and tilted kneecaps.
The worst part about injuries is dealing with the frustration. I’ve missed almost all of my race season and will probably miss my next 2 races too. I just keep reminding myself of how many people have these injuries and eventually run again- like you! Fingers crossed!

love the advice about being ok to be mad as long as you don’t wallow. Really – people have it SO much worse – how about not being able to walk at all?
Didn’t you injure your tricep too? I remember a post about the husband “cupping” you? hehe

Great tips! I was a gymnast, diver and track athlete so here goes my list:

-pulled lower back muscle
-pinched C2 in spine
-this led to lactic acid being released in my spinal cord (aka horrible pain where I couldn’t do anything but cry)
-My joints are now super loose from this so I have to take a daily pill because my nerve gets constantly pinched and I get very nauseous and headaches
-sprained ankle
-sprained wrist (eventually got a cyst from the scar tissue)
-ankle, knee and hip pain from my bad form on my roundoffs.
-runner’s knee –tried training for a half but my knee would act up after 2 miles.

Those are my biggest injuries that I can remember lol.

The first time I trained for a marathon I developed a stress fracture on my right foot. It was the first time I returned to running since elementary and I had never heard of a stress fracture. I walked around for a week in a great deal of pain. Finally I saw a doctor at the health center on the college campus I was attending. Luckily the doctor worked with all the athletes and he was able to help me understand how I had developed one. Apparently I was increasing my miles to fast and not giving myself enough rest.

So increase your miles gradually and remember to give your feet a break. Biking riding or swimming are just some suggestions.

I tore my left ACL during high school cheerleading (yes, it’s a sport and my team competed) practice and the first two doctors I saw diagnosed it as a “bruise” and said I would be fine in a week. Nevertheless, my knee swelled up and I continued stunting/cheering for seven more years wearing a knee sleeve and icing like crazy.
One day I was walking around my university campus I turned the corner and felt excruciating pain in my knee. I hadn’t twisted it or fallen so I thought this was weird. I just continued to ice until my next physical was scheduled. After being referred to an orthopedist specializing in knee injuries, I was told that I had torn my ACL. Because it was injured so long ago and kept doing my normal physical activities, I ended up causing more damage to my knee joint and had to undergo ACL reconstruction and meniscus repair. I was on crutches for 8 weeks (!!) and What was supposed to be a short physical therapy ended up in my 3 x wk sessionsfor 9 months. That’s ok, my PT was Hot!

long story short: get 2nd, 3rd, 4th opinions. If your body doesn’t feel right, find out why!

Great suggestions and tips on dealing with injuries. It is so hard as a self-motivated athletes to deal with these setbacks, especially with races and fitness goals fast approaching. I really appreciate you sharing your own stories of injuries and how you have overcome them through rest and alternative treatments. As I’m beginning to start running and training, I’ve been noticing different twinges and pains, I’m going to start listening to them and consulting some of the physical therapists that I know to make sure I don’t let them get too far.

oh, no.. you have so many sport-related injuries! take really good care of yourself!!

when i played handball, it was my first time playing it. after my “first” hit, i sprained my ankle (the same ankle that is injured right now). there was a hole and my foot went in. but twisted when i hit the ball! that was my only sorta sport related injury, haha!

Good tips, as always. When I was training for my first half-marathon in May 2010, I suffered IT Band Syndrome and some wicked shin splints. Luckily, I worked with an awesome sports chiropractor who recognized that I have a muscular imbalance and helped me feel good enough to complete the half in May. Since then, if I feel a twinge of pain either from my IT band or my shins, I start foam rolling and stretching like crazy. I am now training for my second one (in October) and hopefully I get through this one injury-free!

I’ve been dealing with random aches and pains from starting to run… Apparently I push myself a little too hard sometimes, so I need to remember to pull back and rest so I don’t REALLY get hurt. But it’s a learning process.

Plantar Fascitis this summer. I spent entirely too long on the couch with that pain. I had to borrow my husband’s grandma’s walker just to get from the couch to the bathroom.

Other than that I haven’t been seriously injured since I have been working out, thankfully!

good advice, thanks!

I have knee pain occasionally, but my worst thing is shin splints. For a while I thought I would never be able to run consistently because I would literally cry from the pain. But because I love running so much, I tried different things until I found what works for me. Those things are: good shoes, Zensah compression sleeves, and ICE. Ice seriously works wonders, I ice after every run for 20 minutes or so and I’m just amazed at how much better my shins feel. Occasionally I also take 800mg of Ibuprofen (anti-inflammatory) but I’ve found that with the sleeves and the ice, I don’t need it that often.

Some great advice! I let myself be mad for too long when I stress fractured my foot and wasted two months that could have been way better spent.

Thanks for all of these tips. I discovered your blog about four months ago and had been having knee problems and worried that I might not be able to do the exercise that I want to. After going to the doctor I found out I had runner’s knee too and in addition to the few suggestions he had, yours have been so helpful. I wear knee sleeves, do strengthening exercises, and ice after I run and the pain in my knees is pretty much non-existent. I really cannot thank you enough!
I am happy to say that I can run without pain and am gradually adding more miles. Running and exercise just make me feel so good! So thanks again for sharing your experiences and advice, they have helped me a ton! 🙂

I recently recovered from my first injury… Taking time off is def the hardest “mental” challenge. I credit for like… 2 hours.. 🙂 It was a learning experience though.