It’s easy to think that if you get injured weeks or even days before a marathon, then you are tough out of luck. That there is nothing you can do and the chances of running the marathon have gone out the window.
Well, good news: This may not always be the case.
The injury may seem very severe to you but it may be common to runners at this stage of training, or you might need a small adjustment in your program to just get you back on track.
1. Catching the Injury Quickly
One of the essential elements to keeping you running is to address the issue immediately.
You may wait for a day or two after you feel the pull or pain, but waiting longer to see how things play out won’t work in your favor.
If you can catch a potential issue quickly, you can often address the cause and symptoms to resolve it quickly. If you ignore it and hope everything will resolve on its own, it can become a much more significant issue. Take an athlete, for example, an injured player gets treated right away minimizing the effects from their injury and helping to keep them playing in most cases.
It is this same principle that should be applied to runners.
2. Possible Causes of Injury for Runners
When training for a marathon, most injuries start to occur after the 20- or 22-mile training run. This is when running takes more time in your week than being able to strengthen and keep your base strong.
Most runners at this point are not stretching or strengthening as much as they would like due to the demands of the distance thereby their muscles start to break down.
When that occurs, one can start to develop a tendinitis or bursitis or other overuse injuries that will only worsen over time.
3. Do I need to stop running?
That depends on the severity of the issue and pain.
The recommendation is not to push past a 3 out of 10 on your own pain scale. Pushing past this level of pain or anything higher has been linked to causing inflammation and irritation of an injury.
An important aspect to consider is keeping your cardio and strength gains you have acquired and building upon that. If you are unable to run due to the pain, you may be able to underwater jog, use an elliptical or cross train.
All of which can maintain your fitness level as you heal so that you can return without feeling the loss.
Should I see a Physical Therapist?
With direct access, the answer is a resounding yes. At the very least, have them assess what is happening and recommend steps that you should take to resolve the issue.
A physical therapist may suggest you see an MD if they have a medical concern. Mostly though, they can evaluate the problem and help you to recover so that you can get back to the activities you love.
A physical therapist won’t tell you that you can’t participate in your race. They will, however, do everything in their ability to help you recover to a point where you can compete come race day.
If you’ve suffered an injury and don’t know whether to defer your race or keep running, contact your local SET Physical Therapy today to consult with one of our expert physical therapists and learn more about how we can help you get ready for your next marathon.
