THREE TIPS FOR COPING WITH A SERIOUS RUNNING INJURY

Suffering a debilitating injury is most runners’ worst nightmare. All it takes is one misplaced foot to cause a nasty sprain or fracture that can take you out of action for weeks or even months on end. All your training has to be put on hold and forget about that upcoming race you’ve been looking forward to.

You’ll be spending your Saturday mornings lying in front of the TV with your leg elevated rather than hitting the local trails for your weekly long run. Your fitness will begin to decline and you’ll end up feeling bored and miserable.

At least, that’s what happens to a lot of runners when they experience a bad case of tendonitis or worse. But if you are dealing with a serious injury at the moment, you don’t have to wallow around in self-pity. In fact, that’s one of the worst things you can do. If you let your ailment get the better of you, your mental health will suffer.

To help you stay positive throughout your recovery, here are three tips for coping with a serious running injury.

Plan ahead

It’s important to remember that you will get better. Before you know it, you’ll be back on your favorite route cruising along with a smile on your face. You may be a little slower and a bit more cautious than before, but you’ll be glad to be back outdoors. To help you stay positive in the meantime, it’s a good idea to look to the future. Start planning all the runs you’ll do when you are finally in fighting form. Look at maps of your local area and find some trails you’ve never explored before. Or do some research and find a new race to sign up to later in the year. This will help to keep you in the running mindset and take your mind off your current state.

Find alternatives to running

You may not be able to go for daily runs, but you can still find ways to satiate your urge for running. Spend your time off reading books by famous athletes, listening to running podcasts, or watching documentaries about some of the world’s most extreme races. 

Take steps to get better

Your injury may heal on its own over time, but there are most likely things you can do to promote a speedier recovery. Rather than simply waiting for it to get better, start taking active steps to alleviate the symptoms. The proper course of action will of course depend on the nature and severity of the injury. This may mean spending a few minutes each day stretching and elevating the afflicted area. Perhaps it’s icing your knee to ease swelling or taping turf toe with KT Tape. It may be beneficial to go for walks to keep things moving and maintain strength. Do whatever you need to do to get back in shape.

By following these tips, you will be better equipped to get through your recovery period in one piece. Before you know it, your injury will have healed and you’ll be up and running again.

Running and running well can become a consistent and essential part of your life.

Regardless of weight-loss, there are several health benefits of running like improved mood, improved skin, and improved brain function.

These days, you have so many options when it comes to which online personal training program to do and we can certainly help your running by introducing some strength training. Go ahead, try one of them out and see what happens!

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