Injury Prevention Law #2: Listen to Your Body

If you don’t run through pain, you can nip injuries in the bud. Most running injuries don’t erupt from nowhere and blindside you.

They produce signals—aches, soreness, persistent pain—but it’s up to you to not dismiss them and take appropriate (in)action. “Runners can be crazy the way they’ll run through pain,” Ferber says. “They need to pay more attention to pain and get to the root of what’s causing it.”

ACTION PLAN

At the first sign of an atypical pain (discomfort that worsens during a run or causes you to alter your gait), take three days off. Substitute light walking, water training, or bicycling if you want.

On the fourth day, run half your normal easy-day amount at a much slower pace than usual. If you typically run ten km at six minutes per km, do just five km at 7-minute pace. Success? Excellent.

Reward yourself with another day off, and then run three km at 6-minute pace. If you’re pain-free, continue easing back into your normal routine. If not, take another three days off, then repeat the process to see if it works the second time around. If not, you’ve got two obvious options: Take more time off, and/or schedule an appointment with a sports-medicine specialist.

INJURY PREVENTION LAWS:

1. Know your limits

2. Listen to your body

3. Consider shortening your stride

4. Consider Strength Training

5. RICE Works

6. Run on a Level Surface

7. Don’t Race Or Do Speedwork Too Often

8. Cross-Training Provides Active Rest and Recovery

9. Stretch the Back Of Your Legs

10. Get Shoes That Fit