RUN CLUB BLOG: DEALING WITH AN INJURY

Injuries are frustrating. They stop you from doing the things that you want to do and can impact other areas of your life. I myself am currently dealing with ITB friction syndrome and dealing with it has helped to provide some perspective from the other side of the rehab journey and how it is affecting me physically and mentally.

Like many people who are starting a training program I was eager to make a start and wanted to go from 0 to 100 as soon as possible. This lead to a flare up of a previous knee issue and has subsequently meant that my recent runs have been limited by pain which is causing anger at myself for not being more proactive and resulting in alterations having to be made to my training which is less than ideal.

Learnings:

1. Rome wasn’t built in a day – it is important to remember when starting a new activity, program or rehabbing from an injury that it is a process that takes time. Majority of the time there is no quick fix for an injury, with research showing it takes 6 weeks or more of consistent strengthening to lead to muscle adaptations, which can lead to gains over your injury. Therefore it is wise to break up your rehab into small manageable chunks and listen to your body, rather than trying to do everything in one day and then having a week off. The tortoise will beat the hare.
2. Pro-activity is better than reactivity – pain can be a major motivator and once the pain has subsided, a natural tendency can be to stop the rehab as the pain no longer stops you. This can often lead to recurrences (in my case) as pain is not an accurate indicator of tissue health and an injury may still be present in the absence of pain and vice versa. As a result, if you are getting reductions in pain, see it as a win! However, make sure to continue the good habits that lead to that change to ensure the benefits of the rehab remain
3. Be kind to yourself – once I started getting my pain again I was annoyed that I didn’t practice what I preached and let myself slack off. This was unproductive and only exacerbated my disappointment, which was a mental block which lead to me trying to search for quick fixes and push on as if nothing had changed. It is wise when dealing with an injury to allow yourself to feel annoyed and upset as these are normal responses. These are often good opportunities for learning and growth, and taking time to regroup and start the process again with a fresh perspective can often yield greater results.

If you’re struggling with an injury and unsure how to manage it, book in for an assessment with a physio today and get back on track to doing the things you love.

Join Hartwell Physio Run Club HERE.

Your local Camberwell Physio.