Random Running Injuries: My Personal Story
This is a story about a random running injury. And a reminder that even physios experience freak outs about their own injuries!
First, some background: I’ve had ongoing right ankle instability following too many ankle sprains over the years for me to even count. It generally doesn’t bother me or affect my training in any way.
On Sunday afternoon, following a weekend of normal training, I noticed that my ankle was feeling “full”. On further inspection, it was very swollen. As the day progressed and I spent some time on my feet, I started to notice fatigue, aching and a general desire to not put all my weight on that side.
For the next two days I had swelling and stiffness in my ankle. Still no pain. But when I tried to hop on that foot or run I felt incredibly unsteady - likely because I was so swollen!
Needless to say, I was perplexed. It felt like this came out of nowhere. I started to notice thoughts like:
Why did my body betray me?
What if this doesn’t get better?
What if I can’t run again without it acting up?
While it wasn’t easy, and with the help of my husband and close friends, I tried not to panic. I tried to focus on the things that I could control, including:
Doing some low impact cross training
I did my best to rest and let my body recover
I did some light range of motion and balance exercises
Today, 3 days later, the swelling has come down a lot. I feel more stable and less restriction in my ankle. I did some hopping tests and had no pain or instability.
So I tried a short run and had no problems!
While my original training schedule included a track workout today, I decided it was not in my best interest to push the envelope. Sometimes our training plans need to adapt based on our current circumstances. Just because I felt good on a test run didn’t mean I should push it with a high intensity workout.
I’m not 100% out of the woods yet, but things are moving in the right direction. I’m going to monitor what the response is over the next 24 hours and then start to reintroduce more running and intensity as able.
So what’s the point of this story?
The point is that bodies are weird and running injuries can be confusing. Sometimes our bodies do weird things that make no sense. While this can be concerning, it’s important not to panic. It’s also important to remember that anxious feelings about running injuries are completely normal.
We’re used to pushing our bodies and expecting them to respond, so when they don’t it’s normal to feel betrayed. But remember that our bodies are amazing and can adapt. They just need the right stimulus. Sometimes this means taking our foot off the gas for a bit and trusting the recovery process.
When dealing with a running injury it’s important to focus on the things that you can control. It’s so easy to get caught up in a cycle of worrying about how long this might take or what if it doesn’t get better, or what if it acts up again.
But ultimately, we can only control our attitude and our actions. Trust your body. Do what you can to nurture it. And stay patient!
I’m feeling pretty lucky that my running injury has settled relatively quickly so far. Sometimes recovering from an injury can be slow, and often progress is non-linear. It can feel like you’re taking two steps forward and one step back.
I get it. This can be an incredibly frustrating process. But working with the right people to help keep you on track and be your sounding board can make such a difference. Whether that’s your significant other, a close friend, or a trusted rehab professional, lean on your support systems to help you get through the tough times.
More About Emma Vaillancourt, Running Physio & Coach
Emma Vaillancourt is a Registered Physiotherapist in the Province of Ontario, Canada. As a runner herself, she has a special interest in the assessment and treatment of running injuries. She started Rehab to Racing as a way to provide virtual care for runners, focusing on finding the true cause of injury and working with runners to come back from their injury even stronger.
Emma is also a trained Athletics Ontario Endurance Coach. She approaches her coaching with a focus on long term development and finding joy in the process of training. After all, a happy runner is a successful runner! Emma works with runners of all age levels and abilities as well as all distances. She also works with runners who are returning to training after injury. Her goal is for you to remain healthy and happy throughout her training programs, while still finding success at whatever race distance or goal you have.
Interested in working with Emma? Book a complimentary discovery call today!
These articles are not designed to replace medical advice. If you have an injury I recommend seeing a qualified health professional.
