Lessons Learned from Running Injuries—From the Runner's World

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Lessons Learned from Running InjuriesTHE BRIGHT SIDE
Injuries stink. But the lessons you learn while sidelined can make you a better athlete.By Meghan Rabbit


In May, Allison Lind was training for the New York City Marathon, where she hoped to run a sub-2:46 to qualify for the Olympic Trials. She finished a 16-miler feeling especially tight. The next day, she had an intense, stabbing pain in her inner right thigh. An MRI led to a devastating diagnosis: a pelvic stress fracture. "I've been running since I was 10, so being told not to run for six months killed me," says the 27-year-old New York City physical therapist.

Being sidelined—whether it's for days, weeks, or months—can turn any runner's world upside down. But as hard as it is to realize when you're relegated to the elliptical machine, being down can have an upside. "My injury helped me become a better athlete," Lind says. "It forced me to cross-train. I've added swimming and cycling to my training, and now I'm in much better shape." Yet for Lind, the best silver lining was rediscovering her love of the sport. "I tell all of my injured patients, 'Just wait. You're going to appreciate running so much more,'" she says.


INJURY UPSIDE
YOU CROSS-TRAIN
Most runners pour all their energy into the sport they love most and aren't willing to give a new activity a shot—until they get hurt and take up cross-training to maintain endurance, burn calories, and stay sane while sidelined. But there are additional benefits that carry over to running. "You can derive power from your upper back, shoulders, and core," says Lind, who treats athletes at New York Sports Medicine and Physical Therapy. "If you're able to use your core and upper body to propel you, you'll be able to run faster and longer with less effort." In fact, research indicates that runners who complete a six-week core-training program have faster 5-K times than the runners who don't do the strength work.

THE TAKEAWAY When you get the green light to run, don't abandon cross-training. Lind suggests alternating running with swimming, pool running, or cycling. Even when you're fully recovered, keep one cross-training day on your schedule. And piggyback activities like yoga, Pilates, and weight-training to the end of easy runs. Short on time? Twice a week, cut back your run by 15 minutes. "Even 15 minutes of strength work is beneficial," Lind says. (See "Runner's Rehab," below.)


INJURY UPSIDE
YOU FINALLY LISTEN TO YOUR BODY
Sticking to your training plan regardless of how you feel is a common mistake that often leads to injury. "The body has a threshold for how much exertion it can handle," says Annie O'Connor, director of the musculoskeletal practice at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago. "Runners often overestimate that threshold and run through pain." While you're rehabbing an injury, you become more conscious of your limits. "During physical therapy, we're testing for pain," O'Connor says. "When an athlete does an exercise, we ask how they feel, what discomfort they experience, and if it fades or if it persists. Depending on the answers, we back off or move ahead. This helps athletes become more in tune with their bodies—particularly their trouble spots—so they can prevent future injuries."

THE TAKEAWAY At the first sign that something's "off," stop running for two to three days, O'Connor says. Cross-train instead. When you head out again, start with a walk/run at a slow pace. "If you can walk/run for 30 minutes with no pain—and none the next day—gradually build your pace and distance," she says. Continue to check in with yourself. You may have a little stiffness when you first start, but ideally that will fade. The goal is to have no pain after your run or the next day.

INJURY UPSIDE
YOU COME BACK WITH CARE
Easing back into training slowly and surely means you gradually increase pace and distance—a practice that can help you build mileage even when you're healthy. "This lesson is crucial, because there will be times in your life when you abandon your training—like after a stressful month at work or after taking the winter off," says Larry Frieder, a chiropractor who works with world-class runners and triathletes in Boulder, Colorado.

THE TAKEAWAY When you're returning to running, start with an easy workout. For example, if you used to run for an hour, run for 20 minutes instead. Slow your pace by a minute per mile, and take walk breaks as needed. Then, track how you feel in the next 24 hours. Feel great? Continue to build from where you started. Feel sore? Stick with the easy workout until it feels comfortable.


INJURY UPSIDE
YOU PRACTICE NIXING NEGATIVITY
When you're injured, it's easy to let your thoughts spiral downward. "You're allowed to feel bad for a few days—but then you have to cope with your situation," says Kirsten Peterson, a senior sports psychologist for the United States Olympic Committee in Colorado Springs. "Learning how to put a positive spin on a bad situation will help you through rehab. And later, that skill will be useful when you hit a rough patch in a run or race."

THE TAKEAWAY To control negative thoughts, notice when they arise and stop them right away. To do this, touch your sports watch and imagine hitting a reset button, says Erica S. Howard, a mental skills coach in Oceanside, California. "Use this to stop negativity and to start positive thinking," she says. So if you're climbing a hill, and you start obsessing over how slow you're going, hit reset. Then switch your focus to how strong your hamstrings feel as they carry you up the incline.



Runner's Rehab
Exercises to help you make the most of your downtime

"YOU HAVE TO PREPARE your body for the activity you want to get back to," says Annie O'Connor, a physical therapist in Chicago. "These exercises build leg, core, and rotational strength—crucial components of good running form." Of course, check with your doctor to make sure these are safe for you.

1 POWER RUNNER
Stand with hands behind your head. Lift your left knee and bring your right elbow forward. Return to the starting position, tap your left toe on the ground, and power back up. Repeat for 15 seconds (progress to a minute) and switch sides. Vary speeds—slow one day, fast the next.

2 REVERSE LUNGE WITH A TWIST
Take a step back with your left leg, lunging down while turning your torso right. Return to the starting position. Repeat on the other side. Do five on each side. Gradually build reps (and then add weights) as you feel stronger.

3 PLANK TO SIDE BRIDGE
Start in a plank position, supporting yourself on your forearms. Turn your body by pivoting on your feet and shifting to one arm. Hold for 10 seconds, return to plank, alternate sides. Repeat six to 10 times.

4 HIGH-KNEE SKIPPING
Find an open space and start skipping, thrusting your arms and knees upward. Do this for 15 seconds, progressing to one-minute intervals. (Note: This exercise is for patients who are far along in their healing process and are preparing to resume running.)

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