Running: Avoiding Injury, Aches, and Pain

By Jessica Grams

Since being a runner for over almost 14 years now, I have had just about every ache, pain, and stress fracture you can think of. If I counted correctly, I believe I have had 5 stress fractures in my running career. The final “blow” was in 2009 when I ran all summer, training for my high school senior year cross country season, running over 65+ miles a week which resulted in being diagnosed with a stress fracture on my femur, a week before the actual season started. No words can describe the amount of devastation I felt when I found out the unfortunate news. Not only did I miss out on my senior year of cross country, but I also turned down several scholarships to run in college. For those of you who don’t know, the femur is the strongest bone in the body and when fractured, you have two options based on the severity. Option 1, no physical activity for NINE MONTHS! Or, option 2, surgery!  Luckily, I did not need surgery but nine months of no physical activity was pure torture for me.

After taking some time off from running, I decided I would just run for “fun” since my body couldn’t “handle” it. During this time period I realized that about 80% of my injuries were self-inflicted, meaning, I was over-training, neglecting proper nutrients, and not taking the correct steps to take care of my body which ultimately resulted in multiple injuries. Since I’ve had multiple incidents, I decided I would share a few basic tips to help avoid injury, aches, and pains…

1. LISTEN TO YOUR BODY –If you are experiencing pain whether it is dull, mild, or sharp, you need to give your body a rest. You might want to take a day or two off depending on how severe the pain is. If the pain is dull, maybe switch to non weight bearing exercises like biking, swimming, or the elliptical until the pain decreases. Do NOT try to push through the pain. From my own experience, every time I did this, it always ended up with a stress fracture diagnosis. The phrase “no pain, no gain” does not apply here. Listen to your body!
2. TAKE YOUR VITAMINS –Vitamins are so essential to your health. Physical activity of any sort, does increase the need for vitamins. Physical activity increases the conversion and metabolism of thiamine, riboflavin, and vitamin B6 which are all essential to your health. Every person is different and their body may have different needs. I personally take a multivitamin, 65mg of iron, 1000mg of calcium, 400mg of Magnesium, 15mg of zinc, vitamin B6, and fishoil on a regular basis.
3. FISHOIL –  To reduce joint aches and pains, be sure to take fishoil on a regular basis or as needed. I just had a discussion last week with a friend about the importance of fishoil and how it affects the joins. Fishoil is an Omega-3 the helps reduce the intensity of joint pain, stiffness, tenderness, and swelling. It helps to increase the blood flow during exercise. Not only does fishoil help reduce joint aches and pains,  it also helps to lower blood pressure and  prevent heart disease.
4. STAY HYDRATED –Now this may seem pretty basic but water is so important not only to stay hydrated, but also in how it affects the way your entire body functions. The body loses water through breathing, sweating, and digestion which is why it is important to rehydrate. Your body uses water in all of its cell functions, organs and tissues to help regulate temperature and maintain other bodily functions.  According to the National Academy of Medicine, the average male needs 15 cups per day and the average female needs 11 cups so drink up!
5. WEAR THE PROPER SHOES – I learned this one the hard way. Not rotating my shoes, buying new shoes on a regular basis, and/or being fitted for the proper shoes caused so much unnecessary pain and injury to my body. Finding the proper shoes and making sure they fit are important for keeping your feet and the rest of your body happy and healthy. Poorly fitting shoes can cause calluses, stress fractures, and result in aches and pains to the knees and hips. Make sure you have your feet measured and are buying new shoes on a regular basis.

You can check out her Health and Fitness Blog here…

Jessica is a 2010 Nordonia Graduate and currently lives in Hudson. She is very  passionate about heath and fitness In her free time she enjoys running and is trying to  qualify for the Boston Marathon this year!