Running with an injury: when to modify, when to stop, when to see a physio

Most runners will feel something at some point: a niggle in the knee, a tightness in the calf, a soreness that turns up mid-run and lingers afterwards. The hard part is not the ache itself. It is deciding what to do about it without either making things worse or giving up on training you do not need to give up on.

Always consult a medical professional when you are undertaking structured training, including after injury or illness. The guidance below is about how to adjust your running, not how to treat an injury.

Tell the difference between soreness and a warning sign

Ordinary training soreness is usually spread across a muscle group, feels the same on both sides, eases as you warm up, and settles within a day or two. It is the normal cost of asking your body to do more than it did last week.

A warning sign is different. Watch for pain that is sharp rather than dull, pain in one specific spot you can point to, pain that gets worse as you run rather than better, pain that changes how you move, swelling, or an ache that does not settle after a couple of days of easier training. If any of those describe what you are feeling, treat it as a signal to act, not to push through.

When to modify

Modifying means keeping training going in a way that does not aggravate the problem. It is the right response when the discomfort is mild, does not get worse during a run, does not change your stride, and settles quickly afterwards.

When you decide to modify, work through a few questions in order:

• Does the discomfort stay the same or ease once you are warmed up? If it eases and does not return, an easy run may be fine. If it builds, cut the run short.
• Can you keep an easy, conversational effort without the discomfort growing? Hard efforts and hills load the body far more than steady running, so those are the first things to drop.
• Would a lower-impact option let you keep moving without the same stress? Swimming or cycling load the legs differently, and many runners find they can maintain fitness this way while a minor niggle settles.
• Is the discomfort in one area only? If so, avoid the sessions and surfaces that put the most strain on it, rather than stopping everything.

The aim is to reduce load, not to prove a point. An easier week that keeps you running is far better than a stubborn week that ends with you stopping altogether.

When to stop

Stop the run, and stop running for now, if the pain is sharp, if it forces you to change how you move, if it is getting worse as you go, or if it is in a spot that hurts when you are standing still or walking. Pain that makes you limp or alter your stride is a clear reason to stop, because compensating in one area tends to load another.

Stopping a run is not a failure. It is the decision that protects the weeks of training ahead. Continuing to run on something that is telling you to stop usually turns a short interruption into a long one.

If you have severe pain, cannot bear weight, or have sudden swelling, this is beyond training modification. Seek medical help, and in an emergency contact emergency services.

When to see a physio or GP

See a physiotherapist or GP if pain persists beyond a few days of easier training, if it keeps coming back every time you return to running, if it is severe, if it stops you sleeping or affects you when you are not running, or if you simply are not sure what you are dealing with. A professional can assess the specific problem, which is something no article and no app can do for you.

There is no reward for guessing or persevering unnecessarily. Getting an early view from someone qualified often means a shorter interruption and a clearer plan for coming back.

Coming back

When you return, the temptation is to pick up where you left off. Doing that is one of the most common ways a healing niggle becomes a repeat injury. Start with less than you think you can handle, keep the efforts easy, and pay attention to how the area feels both during the run and the next morning. If it stays quiet, you can build gradually. If it flares, ease off again and, if it keeps happening, get it looked at.

What feels overly cautious at the start of a return is usually what keeps you running through the whole of it.

A note on Revay

When you tell Revay about an injury, it works within what you have reported, and a logged injury may change which sessions and efforts it proposes so you can keep training around the problem rather than through it. Revay is not a medical solution, so it will always point you to a professional for anything that needs assessment or treatment. Revay is currently in development, and if you would like more information about the beta, sign up below and we will let you know when it is ready. Say hello any time at hello@revay.app.