Well, I’ve had my first training injury. Which I’ve also decided will be my last training injury. Last night I noticed that a muscle on my right shin was hurting a little. Since it was just hurting a little, I set my alarm with the plan to wake and run as usual. Well, this morning I woke up and it hurt a little worse, so I decided not to workout. (I haven’t found an enjoyable exercise that doesn’t involve my legs, so I opted to avoid all exercise, not just running, today).
I was a little unsure about if I should take the day off. On the one hand, I do somewhat believe in mind-over-matter, so part of me thought that if I pushed through and ignored the problem, it might just go away. (Keep in mind, my leg was not in extreme pain, it more just felt a little “off.”) On the other hand, I do think I’ve started training a little enthusiastically, and perhaps this little bit of pain is my body telling me to cool it.
I’m still not sure if it was necessary for me to not run. It still feels a little off in that little muscle. Regardless, I’m planning to run tomorrow, because I can’t spend the rest of my life not running because something feels a little weird.
How do you know when it’s best to stay home and when it’s best to push through?
Oh no! I often have this problem when it comes to minor running injuries – when to push through and when to rest – but when it comes to your shins – BE CAREFUL! Ice ice ice ICE. And compression couldn’t hurt. I am crazy for icing and compressing my shins because they are a constant go-to injury for me. They’re probably just a little mad you ramped up so quick. I hope they’re feeling better soon!
Okay, truth: I’ve never iced anything, other than a burn or a bump. Am I supposed to ice right after my run, or can I do it anytime?
Oh, and I should mention: I ran just fine this morning…but then the same spot hurt a tiny bit after the run.
[…] injuries before, so I haven’t had to think much about how to mend them. But last week my shin started to hurt, and I knew that it was probably because I’ve been pushing myself harder than I really need […]
I would say ice, stretch, and wear compression calf sleeves- LOVE THEM!! You don’t want that tiny little thing to lead to shin splints…try running on a track or treadmill if you can, or do cross training like the elliptical if it starts acting up. It’s good to be aware of what your legs and muscles are doing!
Hey thanks! Things have been pretty good with my shins until today’s tempo run, and then I really started to think hard about changing SOMETHING to improve the situation. I’m icing it as I type. I really need some new running shoes, and I’m wondering if that might help as well. I’ve never tried compression anything (socks, sleeves, etc). I’ll have to consider getting some! 🙂