If you are new to training or been training for some time its very likely you would have picked up some niggles here and there as your body adapts to the training. These niggles have a ´range´ from those which, after a short period of rest (and no poking or prodding) will go away after a couple of days, and others which are more acute, persist and need more of a targeted approach. Experience and later intuition will tell you the difference and perhaps these guidelines we´ve learnt after coaching 100s of people of all ages may help you manage your way through them:
1. Keep moving: Rest in the very short term maybe the only option. Then you need to move, albeit at low intensity and working to pain not through it. If you can´t run, try the bike, elliptical, aqua jogging or swimming!
2. Get help! A good physiotherapist will find where the imbalance / pain is coming from and provide you with targeted, progressive strength work. Tendons for example need to be loaded!
3. Find it. The body is a chain and the area of pain is most likely not the source of the pain. Lower back pain for example can be caused by prolonged sitting, under firing glutes and tight hamstrings...
4. MRIs can reveal significant damage to tendons and ligaments but often miss soft tissue imbalances that can lead to persistent pain. Your physio can help you work through these.
5. Technique is important. You can fix a calf strain for example with eccentric raises in the gym. but this will likely not offset landing mid foot on your easy runs or tense feet when you are cycling.
6. Fit is key. Make sure your shoes work for you and get a bike fit before you buy a bike to ensure the geometry is right for you.
Niggles are part of the process of understanding your body. There is always a way out of injury, so be persistent, get a second opinion if needed and remember - no one cares more than you!
Col
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