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Thread: Stress injuries

  1. #21
    Registered User LittleRock's Avatar
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    I've found as a fairly active person that pain happens and mostly you just have to deal with it. It's really mostly a mental/attitude thing. If there's a serious injury you'll experience a different kind of acute pain and that's when you need to do something.

    As a long-time runner I've dealt with achilles tendonitis in my feet on and off for years. For the most part I've been able to manage it through a combination of stretching, proper running footware, alternating with low-impact exercise like swimming, and wearing socks at night to improve circulation. Only a couple times has it gotten bad enough where I've had to lay off running for a few weeks to recover.

    If it becomes a chronic problem then I'd go see a physical therapist. They can usually give good advice as to the kinds of exercises and lifestyle changes you need to avoid exacerbating the injury.
    It's all good in the woods.

  2. #22
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    [QUOTE
    As a long-time runner I've dealt with achilles tendonitis in my feet on and off for years. For the most part I've been able to manage it through a combination of stretching, proper running footware, alternating with low-impact exercise like swimming, and wearing socks at night to improve circulation. Only a couple times has it gotten bad enough where I've had to lay off running for a few weeks to recover.
    If it becomes a chronic problem then I'd go see a physical therapist. They can usually give good advice as to the kinds of exercises and lifestyle changes you need to avoid exacerbating the injury.[/QUOTE]

    Little Rock, I'm also a runner, but haven't had many problems with achilles tendonitis. That is until last week after a 70 mile hike (not sure what about this hike was different, but maybe because I wasn't running hills as much usual before the trip). Anyway, my achilles tendon became tight, hot and swollen. I've taken the last five days off running, iced and elevated a lot. It's nowhere near as painful, definitely not acute pain.
    All that to ask, when do you know it's okay to run again? Do you wait until there is no more tightness, just a little, go for slow runs to test it out? I know you're probably not a doctor, just curious about your personal experience with this. The last thing I want to do is take weeks off, but then again I don't want to create a long term injury.
    Thanks!

  3. #23
    Registered User LittleRock's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by JackieO View Post
    Little Rock, I'm also a runner, but haven't had many problems with achilles tendonitis. That is until last week after a 70 mile hike (not sure what about this hike was different, but maybe because I wasn't running hills as much usual before the trip). Anyway, my achilles tendon became tight, hot and swollen. I've taken the last five days off running, iced and elevated a lot. It's nowhere near as painful, definitely not acute pain.
    All that to ask, when do you know it's okay to run again? Do you wait until there is no more tightness, just a little, go for slow runs to test it out? I know you're probably not a doctor, just curious about your personal experience with this. The last thing I want to do is take weeks off, but then again I don't want to create a long term injury.
    One of the two times I had to lay off running was after hiking Pearisburg to Roanoke in VA. Several big ups and downs on that section, combined with high daily mileage (for me) and poor choice of footwear. The other time was after participating in the Blue Ridge Relay which involved about 20 miles of hill running over the course of 30 hours. Both times it hurt so badly afterward that I could barely walk for the first hour or so after waking up the next morning.

    Here are some things I've done that seem to have helped. YMMV, of course.
    1) After an acute injury - I waited until the pain was reduced to a morning stiffness that went away after less than an hour to resume running. This took 2-3 weeks. I started out with short runs of just a mile or two then slowly worked my way back up.
    2) Stretching - I usually stand under a door frame, holding the top for balance, then raise up onto my toes and back down repeatedly for about a minute as part of my normal pre-running stretches.
    3) Footwear - Both times I had serious issues I was wearing shoes that were very stiff in the heel. Now I always wear shoes that are slightly raised in the heel and have some give when you step down when running or hiking.
    4) Low-impact exercise - I almost never run two days in a row anymore, instead I alternate between running and lap swimming at a local pool.
    5) I wear snug (but not too tight) socks to bed every night as this seems to help increase circulation and reduce morning stiffness.

    Sometimes I still wake up with stiffness, but I haven't had an acute injury in over 3 years.
    It's all good in the woods.

  4. #24

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    ...I'm also a runner, but haven't had many problems with achilles tendonitis. That is until last week after a 70 mile hike (not sure what about this hike was different, but maybe because I wasn't running hills as much usual before...
    As a backpacker, trail, grass field, and asphalt runner weight on my back makes a difference in physical impact. Trail conditions including tread differences with not as much traction with loose gravel and rolly poly AT rocks and tree roots and slippery uneven slabs makes a difference. Grade makes a difference. Cumulatively, the impact forces can be greater as a backpacker. I had greater problems newly transitioning from hardcourt tennis, basketball, and being a runner on pavement to backpacking with 40-50 lbs on my back on sketchy non supremely maintained single track trails.

  5. #25
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    Little Rock, thanks for all the tips! Especially 1, that method makes since to me. Also, I did have to switch from my hiking shoes to zero drop running shoes near the end of the hike, so perhaps that didn't help.

    Good points Dogwood, I did try to keep my pack light, but it's still 24 pounds more than my ankles normally support.
    Ha, there is little avoiding of those roly poly rocks to be done. I already miss those damn rocks.

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