Leg injury in the final week: tips?

[TheGrouse7]

Hi all, I've reached the final week but have knackered my left leg in the first 30-min run. I'm proud of getting this far (and also amazed I've not injured anything before now, truth be told!), but am wondering how good this leg can feel before running again? It happened yesterday and I could barely walk, today it's slightly better but I'm still limping. Any tips on how to speed-up the healing? And also, would you recommend running if it feels stiff but not painful? Thanks.

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Ouch !

It can happen and we are never sure why... and usually when you may least expect it! I am afraid there is no magic answer and no speedy heal remedy.

You may be aware of how the injury occurred, and that could help with your choice of exercise to help recovery.. but initially wait for the pain to go and use the usual, recommended self help treatment.

• Protection • Rest • Ice • Compression • Elevation

If you are limping still, there is a problem and if after a few days it has not eased, then do seek expert advice from your GP or a sports physio...

Please don't run until it is full better... you may cause more problems and the runs do wait for us... thank goodness!

[TheGrouse7 in reply to Oldfloss]

Thanks for the advice, it's feeling a lot better now but I'm frustrated I can't finish this week! I've been doing all the stretches so I don't know why it happened, perhaps I was just going too quickly. I'll make sure I'm fully recovered before running again though, cheers

[Sax64 Graduate]

I absolutely feel for you. I too got I injured in W9 and was truly gutted. Oldfloss has given you the best advice, absolutely do not run at the moment, you could easily make the problem worse. In my case, I followed the advice here, then when the pain had gone after a few days, I started specific exercises building them up gradually. After 3 weeks I felt I could give running a try, so did a W1 run. As there were no I'll effects from that I decided to go back to W5 and work back to W9, promising myself that I would stop at any hint of a problem. Fortunately, for me, there was no problem and I went on to graduate. So as Oldfloss says, the runs can wait, your health comes first. Good luck with your recovery.

[TheGrouse7 in reply to Sax64]

Thanks so much, this is great advice and I'll heed it. You're absolutely right, my health is more important than achieving a goal

[Yesletsgo Graduate]

Frustrating as it is there's no way to speed up the healing process. It will take as long as it takes and trying to run through may make your recovery longer.Having said which, if you follow the rest-ice-compression-elevation for a few days and nothing improves go and see your GP. There may be an underlying problem, you may need physio, you may just need more rest or it may be something else. We're not qualified to advise. Your doctor is.

[TheGrouse7 in reply to Yesletsgo]

Many thanks, I'll deffo take this on board. It's a lot better already but I won't run until it's tiptop.

[SueAppleRun Graduate]

Ouch, that's a shame, hope it heals soon, I've run on a sore calf but very slowly

[TheGrouse7 in reply to SueAppleRun]

Thanks. I'll give it a go with a shorter run perhaps, when it's fully healed.

[SueAppleRun Graduate in reply to TheGrouse7]

Shorter runs are good, then if it feels sore you aren't too far from home

[TheGrouse7 in reply to SueAppleRun]

Good point! I didn't think of it like that but you're absolutely right.

[SueAppleRun Graduate in reply to TheGrouse7]

I've learned the hard way, limping home is no fun, now if I have any niggles I go round the block and again if it feels ok

[nowster Graduate]

I got myself a corker of an ankle sprain (both sides of the ankle) on my graduation run three summers ago. It took about a week to fully develop into the too-painful-to-walk stage.

I had two sports physio sessions. Thanks to those (and religiously doing what the physio told me to do) I was back doing very gentle jogs about a month later. I re-graduated about three months later.

Nowadays I regularly run 10km, with the occasional longer run.

Don't let this put you off. Get appropriate treatment and build up again.

[TheGrouse7 in reply to nowster]

Thanks so much for these reassuring words, and well done on getting through! My leg is feeling much better already so it wasn't as bad as yours was, but it's helpful to know that I can still improve. Good on you

[woodenchimera]

It's hard to give advice about injury recovery without a full evaluation but don't ice it. I know it's what we've all been told for years but all icing will do is reduce inflammation and inflammation is part of the healing process. Use heat instead to draw the inflammation out an encourage blood flow to the area and gentle movement to stop it from seizing up. And moving forward do some strength and conditioning to help with injury prevention if you don't already. Good luck with the recovery and hope this helps.

[TheGrouse7 in reply to woodenchimera]

It does indeed help, thanks so much. As it happens I was reluctant to put ice on anyway, but only because it's cold in my house and I'm craving warm things! So last night I put a warm cloth on it, but didn't wrap it up so it was quite basic, and this has helped I think. It's a lot better already and so I don't think it's a serious injury, I've just overworked it I think. Thanks again

[Thejogger Graduate]

No definitely no run until recovered take a few days for it to ease let it heal and recover if not see doctor or a physio for help and support it don’t matter if you take time to recover you can catch up when your fit good luck

[TheGrouse7]

Many thanks and I fully agree, my health is more important than my goal

[TheGrouse7]

Thankyou so much everyone, your advice and encouragement is priceless to me. Good on you all, and I hope I can get on this site more often!