{"id":46,"date":"2021-05-14T10:41:03","date_gmt":"2021-05-14T10:41:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.joggo.run\/?p=46"},"modified":"2024-01-19T12:56:49","modified_gmt":"2024-01-19T12:56:49","slug":"injury-recovery-for-novice-runners","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/joggo.run\/blog\/injury-recovery-for-novice-runners\/","title":{"rendered":"Injury Recovery for Novice Runners"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Professional runners have physical therapists, massage specialists, nutrition coaches, and a myriad of other specialists that can help them with injury recovery to keep them at the top of their running game. Meanwhile, on most cases, novice runners rely on the internet to learn how to treat minor injuries. Obviously, serious injuries need to be discussed with your healthcare provider, but minor ones can be treated at home accordingly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_56_1 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title \" >In This Article:<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/joggo.run\/blog\/injury-recovery-for-novice-runners\/#what-is-the-most-common-injury-in-runners\" title=\"What Is the Most Common Injury in Runners?\">What Is the Most Common Injury in Runners?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/joggo.run\/blog\/injury-recovery-for-novice-runners\/#how-do-you-heal-a-running-injury\" title=\"How Do You Heal a Running Injury?\">How Do You Heal a Running Injury?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/joggo.run\/blog\/injury-recovery-for-novice-runners\/#how-long-should-you-rest-after-a-running-injury\" title=\"How Long Should You Rest After a Running Injury?\">How Long Should You Rest After a Running Injury?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/joggo.run\/blog\/injury-recovery-for-novice-runners\/#how-do-i-start-running-again-after-injury-recovery\" title=\"How Do I Start Running Again After Injury Recovery?\">How Do I Start Running Again After Injury Recovery?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/joggo.run\/blog\/injury-recovery-for-novice-runners\/#key-takeaways\" title=\"Key Takeaways:\">Key Takeaways:<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"what-is-the-most-common-injury-in-runners\"><\/span>What Is the Most Common Injury in Runners?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The most <a href=\"https:\/\/joggo.run\/blog\/common-runners-foot-injuries\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">common injury among runners<\/a> is called patellofemoral pain syndrome, commonly <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hopkinsmedicine.org\/health\/conditions-and-diseases\/patellofemoral-pain-syndrome-runners-knee\">known as runner\u2019s knee<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This condition presents itself as a dull pain in the front of the knee at the patella, usually due to a structural issue, or biomechanical issue from one\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/joggo.run\/blog\/running-form-8-tips-on-how-to-run-properly\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">running form<\/a>. <strong>Since novice runners typically don\u2019t have a <a href=\"https:\/\/joggo.run\/blog\/running-foot-strike\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">perfect stride<\/a> yet<\/strong>, this injury might be even more common among beginners than advanced trainees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Other common injuries spawn from some of the same causes, which include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Unplanned <a href=\"https:\/\/joggo.run\/blog\/best-running-training-methods\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">training programs<\/a> where you go all-out too often<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/joggo.run\/blog\/running-for-overweight-beginners\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Being overweight\/obese<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Bad running surfaces and\/or <a href=\"https:\/\/joggo.run\/blog\/how-to-choose-running-shoes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">shoes<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Lack of priority for flexibility, mobility, and recovery<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>No <a href=\"https:\/\/joggo.run\/blog\/your-guide-to-cross-training-how-it-benefits-you-as-a-runner\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">cross-training<\/a> to keep your body balanced and avoid overuse injuries<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>New runners are typically too excited to worry about boring things like mobility drills, <a href=\"https:\/\/joggo.run\/blog\/run-recovery\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">recovery techniques<\/a>, cross-training, and proper gear. <\/strong>They just want to hit the track or trail and log some miles. This over-enthusiasm can present itself in the form of injuries if you aren\u2019t careful with your program design and recovery needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"how-do-you-heal-a-running-injury\"><\/span>How Do You Heal a Running Injury?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The healing process from a running injury depends on the location and severity of the injury itself. Some minor strains can be healed within a couple of days, while muscle tears can take months to heal fully.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Each injury is unique and needs a proper diagnosis from a professional to truly know how to heal the injury. Everybody has different recovery rates as well due to nutrition, age, gender, and many other traits that depend on their genetics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, most running injuries require some degree of the same treatment. Here are a few techniques to help heal from almost any minor running injury:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Rest<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ice and heat therapies<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Compression<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Anti-inflammatory medicine<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Beyond these generic recommendations, the treatment that a running injury will require depends on the exact injury itself, which you can discuss with your healthcare provider.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"how-long-should-you-rest-after-a-running-injury\"><\/span>How Long Should You Rest After a Running Injury?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Rest is the best medicine for almost every running injury.<\/strong> If you still feel pain, you haven\u2019t rested long enough. It\u2019s better to over-rest than under-rest. Too much rest may cost you a bit of stamina, which is easy to regain due to muscle memory. But, too little rest will put too much stress on an unhealed injury, which can lead to more severe consequences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The risk-to-reward ratio is much too small, so if there is any doubt at all, rest longer. The track or trail will be waiting for you when you are healed and healthy!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"how-do-i-start-running-again-after-injury-recovery\"><\/span>How Do I Start Running Again After Injury Recovery?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The one thing you shouldn\u2019t do is try and jump right back into your running program where you left off. While the rest period may have given you plenty of built-up energy and motivation and your fitness levels didn\u2019t decline, your injured area isn\u2019t the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Instead, you should go slow and lower your distance for a period of time. <\/strong>Ramping up your running sessions over a few weeks is the best way to recover from an injury. The longer you are out, the longer your ramp-up should be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s see an example to clarify what this might look like. Before the injury, a runner was running 5 miles in 35 minutes (7 minutes per mile). Here is a <strong>basic ramp-up schedule to get the runner back up to speed in 4 weeks<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\">\n<p>Week 1, Session 1: Run 1 mile \u2013 10-minute pace<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Week 1, Session 2: Run 1 mile \u2013 9-minute pace<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Week 2, Session 1: Run 2 miles \u2013 9-minute pace<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Week 2, Session 2: Run 2 miles \u2013 8-minute pace<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Week 3, Session 1: Run 3 miles \u2013 8-minute pace<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Week 3, Session 2: Run 3 miles \u2013 7:30-minute pace<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Week 4, Session 1: Run 4 miles \u2013 7:30-minute pace<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Week 4, Session 2: Run 4 miles \u2013 7-minute pace<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>By week 5, the runner is back to 5 miles with a 7-minute pace. This example shows how a ramp-up program can work and isn\u2019t meant to be a program for every runner coming back from any injury. It\u2019s simply an example of what it could look like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"key-takeaways\"><\/span><strong>Key Takeaways:<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Enthusiastic novice runners are too-quick to run for their best time and distance, and therefore, many experience injuries regularly.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/joggo.run\/blog\/runners-knee\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Runner\u2019s knee<\/a> and other common injuries are caused by many of the same habits of a runner.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Many running injuries involve the same treatments, with rest being the main method of recovery for most.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Following a ramp-up program when coming back from an injury is the best way to get back into running safely. Patience is key!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Professional runners have physical therapists, massage specialists, nutrition coaches, and a myriad of other specialists that can help them with&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":47,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"16","inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[14,16,4],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/joggo.run\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/joggo.run\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/joggo.run\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/joggo.run\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/joggo.run\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=46"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/joggo.run\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3327,"href":"https:\/\/joggo.run\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46\/revisions\/3327"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/joggo.run\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/47"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/joggo.run\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=46"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/joggo.run\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=46"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}