What's pain, what's an injury, and what do we do about it?!

What's pain, what's an injury, and what do we do about it?!

I just wanted to talk about something which unfortunately is a part of most runner's running careers at some point: injury management.

As runners we learn to distinguish what I would call runner's aches and pains, actual injuries, and productive pain. The ONLY way to do this accurately I'm afraid is experience!

1️⃣:Productive pain- this is that lungs burning, legs burning, heart rate sky high feel when we are "in the locker". It's the feeling we get better and better at weathering. I heard a quote recently which was a long distance runner speaking of why he's a champion ultra runner - in his own words (albeit slightly paraphrased, as I can't quite recall the interview!) - he's neurodivergent, and therefore "dislikes company, and likes to see how much pain he can tolerate". 🤣

Now, I am not suggesting anyone goes looking for that level of pain. But there is a level of harsh discomfort that goes away as soon as we have a decent rest interval that we are looking for, if we REALLY want to push our paces. It's not actual pain-pain as such, but the body really wanting to stop, while our minds are stronger!

Of course, we do NOT want this every run. But it is not an injury!

The longer we are training at a certain level, the longer we're able to tolerate this of 'stay in the box'. But the ability to do this DOES fade, like fitness, and sometimes we have to re-learn it!

2️⃣: Then there are "runner's aches and pains". That 'ooooh, my knees have done something!" feeling, or disliking stairs after a good session, or quads feeling the kicker after a good hills sprint set! We almost kinda like it as it reminds us we've worked out well. Those shouldn't last more than a few days, and often fade with time and experience. These fade with a good stretch and often a recovery spin or cycle, usually.

3️⃣: ok, so when is something an injury?

This is NOT just tiredness. If you feel sharp pain for more than a few days, it rises beyond a 4/10 on a pain scale (I appreciate that this is a rubbish measure as it's quite relative), it gets worse, or after a few days rest it's altering your natural movement patterns because of pain levels, this may be a minor strain.

The first thing we do is take a deload week. As you'll know, you can request these added to your training plan at any time. Gentler running, hugely reduced load. Unless this in itself seems unwise. The logic? It's unlikely that short, gentle runs and run-walks will make an injury worse, and often it's actually worse to stop completely. But it's a way of not losing any fitness! Yes, runs can be substituted for the same TIME (NOT MILEAGE!!!! Important) at relatively similar HR on the bike, rower, or elliptical.

If a deload week doesn't sort it out, we rest for a week. The logic? It is the first thing that a physio will tell you to do! So you might as well make the most of a physio's time by coming to them having already done this stage, IF it's necessary to go that far.

Still no improvement or only very minimal after a week's deload and a week's rest? Physio. 100%. I cannot diagnose injuries remotely - and nor do I have a physio's degree to do so! (Yes, one day The RunSpace may have an in-house physio and sports psychologist, that's the dream... but today is not that day and tomorrow is not looking likely either). I can suggest likely common causes and time frames, but you need to go see someone in person for this!

And then we 100% follow the physio's advice.

What it is useful to ask your physio is "what test should I do to see if I can run again?"

Sometimes they will say a run, sometimes, 15 pain-free hops each side, sometimes, 10 bodyweight squats with full range of motion... get them to indicate WHAT will indicate recovery is happening.

And then - and this is the important part - we train you not to be fragile.

The most common cause of injury isn't actually intensity - it's too much volume too soon, followed by too much intensity too soon. But we NEED to get you to the stage where it's just as safe to run fast as it is to run easy. If you need to only take it easy and never push it, this is a sign that your body will break under a certain volume, too. We work on this weakness so you can run fast - we don't shove speedwork under the carpet like it can't happen.

From a performance standpoint, and a running longevity standpoint: if you can't run fast, you can't run more volume, either. We work on the weakness until you have both available as tools. And then, you're so much more capable to handle training!

I can't say how long this build will be - if differs hugely athlete to athlete.

But you're in the right circle to be supported with this if it ever happens. As long as you are willing to take on board learning the differences between pain & injury, and work on it! We won't always get it right, but we will get it.

I hope this helps people not be scared of injury, but also, not normalise it too much. We train to be stronger than our weaknesses!