How Much Pain is Too Much?
May 21, 2010 10:56 AM Subscribe
How much pain is OK to run through?
I just finished week 4 of Couch 2 5K. This is my first try at running since I broke my right femoral neck in Jan 2008. I had the screws removed in March 2009. I'm 27. I was never much of a runner before, always hated it, but I was an athlete and I'm running to prove that this hip injury won't "beat" me.
Running makes my right (injured) hip hurt, kind of all over: the bone, the surrounding muscles. It's not unbearable, but I end up limping for the rest of the day after I run, usually. I've been stretching and icing a lot.
I also tend to develop, while running, a bad cramp in my left leg, on the outside of my knee. This sometimes sticks around and / or comes back when I walk significant distances. My hypothesis regarding this is that it has something to do with overcompensation / a changed gait as a result of my hip injury.
So running hurts, sometimes pretty bad, but I grimace, tell myself this injury isn't going to win, and run through it. Is this okay?
I have bad insurance, so I'd like to put off going back to my orthopedist for as long as possible, until I'm quite sure something is really wrong, and not just the usual pain that comes from having a busted hip. The plan is to run this summer, and go to the doctor in the fall if I'm still having a lot of pain.
So, my question: Is this wise? Am I risking permanent damage? Is running through pain generally a good idea, or is it something to be avoided? Is there a certain amount of pain that's okay to ignore?
I'd love your advice, even though you're not my doctor.
I just finished week 4 of Couch 2 5K. This is my first try at running since I broke my right femoral neck in Jan 2008. I had the screws removed in March 2009. I'm 27. I was never much of a runner before, always hated it, but I was an athlete and I'm running to prove that this hip injury won't "beat" me.
Running makes my right (injured) hip hurt, kind of all over: the bone, the surrounding muscles. It's not unbearable, but I end up limping for the rest of the day after I run, usually. I've been stretching and icing a lot.
I also tend to develop, while running, a bad cramp in my left leg, on the outside of my knee. This sometimes sticks around and / or comes back when I walk significant distances. My hypothesis regarding this is that it has something to do with overcompensation / a changed gait as a result of my hip injury.
So running hurts, sometimes pretty bad, but I grimace, tell myself this injury isn't going to win, and run through it. Is this okay?
I have bad insurance, so I'd like to put off going back to my orthopedist for as long as possible, until I'm quite sure something is really wrong, and not just the usual pain that comes from having a busted hip. The plan is to run this summer, and go to the doctor in the fall if I'm still having a lot of pain.
So, my question: Is this wise? Am I risking permanent damage? Is running through pain generally a good idea, or is it something to be avoided? Is there a certain amount of pain that's okay to ignore?
I'd love your advice, even though you're not my doctor.
Sounds like you might do well to see a sports podiatrist and see about orthotics.
posted by Postroad at 11:12 AM on May 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Postroad at 11:12 AM on May 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
You know that pain you get from working a muscle a lot? That's okay. Occasional bits of pain from a rolled ankle, or a slightly tweaked knee are reasons to take a day off here and there but aren't reasons to stop running. When you start running for the first time, you're going to feel weird pains due to style problems (corrected by posture, or insoles, or a number of other things), but those will work themselves out.
The sustained pain you get in the bone and surrounding muscles that causes you to limp for the rest of the day? That's not okay.
The bottom line is this; if you're never running without pain and the pain is sustained to the point of debilitation in your day-to-day life, you should not be running.
posted by Hiker at 11:15 AM on May 21, 2010 [2 favorites]
The sustained pain you get in the bone and surrounding muscles that causes you to limp for the rest of the day? That's not okay.
The bottom line is this; if you're never running without pain and the pain is sustained to the point of debilitation in your day-to-day life, you should not be running.
posted by Hiker at 11:15 AM on May 21, 2010 [2 favorites]
So running hurts, sometimes pretty bad, but I grimace, tell myself this injury isn't going to win, and run through it.
Pain is your body saying, hey, that thing you're doing? Stop it! And your response to that is to tell your body to fuck off because it doesn't know what it's talking about?
Maybe running isn't the sports activity for you. Please stop hurting yourself.
posted by crankylex at 11:32 AM on May 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
Pain is your body saying, hey, that thing you're doing? Stop it! And your response to that is to tell your body to fuck off because it doesn't know what it's talking about?
Maybe running isn't the sports activity for you. Please stop hurting yourself.
posted by crankylex at 11:32 AM on May 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
I think you should suck it up and see your ortho. I have a similar experience, and seeing my ortho helped me determine what to do.
I shattered my tibia and fibula in 2008, and I had my screws removed in May 2009 because of pain at the screw locations. I ran until just recently. I stopped because the pain from tendonitis in my knee and ankle was too great even after screw removal, and it never went away as long as I was running. Every once in a while I get tired of walking on the treadmill or doing the elliptical and I get it in my head to run again, and the pain comes back.
I asked my ortho about the pain, and he said that there was no way I was feeling any bone-related pain. I was told if i feel pain in the area around the breakage, it was related to the inflexibility of scar tissue in the muscle near the previously broken pieces. (Also I have pieces of fibula that will never fuse with the larger bone again, and those, while not exactly "floating" around, can agitate against the scar tissue.) I occasionally feel pain around the scar tissue, which I attribute to twisting in a way the scar tissue is simply not used to yet.
"Hey Doc, it hurts when I do this!" / "Don't do that." If you've been running for a while and the pain is always there when running and bothers you even when you're not exercising, you should consider another form of exercise. If cardio is what you're after, a rowing machine is a great way to get your heart rate up and sustain it.
posted by ImproviseOrDie at 11:33 AM on May 21, 2010
I shattered my tibia and fibula in 2008, and I had my screws removed in May 2009 because of pain at the screw locations. I ran until just recently. I stopped because the pain from tendonitis in my knee and ankle was too great even after screw removal, and it never went away as long as I was running. Every once in a while I get tired of walking on the treadmill or doing the elliptical and I get it in my head to run again, and the pain comes back.
I asked my ortho about the pain, and he said that there was no way I was feeling any bone-related pain. I was told if i feel pain in the area around the breakage, it was related to the inflexibility of scar tissue in the muscle near the previously broken pieces. (Also I have pieces of fibula that will never fuse with the larger bone again, and those, while not exactly "floating" around, can agitate against the scar tissue.) I occasionally feel pain around the scar tissue, which I attribute to twisting in a way the scar tissue is simply not used to yet.
"Hey Doc, it hurts when I do this!" / "Don't do that." If you've been running for a while and the pain is always there when running and bothers you even when you're not exercising, you should consider another form of exercise. If cardio is what you're after, a rowing machine is a great way to get your heart rate up and sustain it.
posted by ImproviseOrDie at 11:33 AM on May 21, 2010
I ran through the pain for about 2 month while doing C25K last May and have regretted it ever since. My left hip has never been the same. I went though numerous doctors (GP, orthopedist, rheumatologist) and physical therapy and nothing has helped. The therapist confirmed that running through pain was a really really bad idea.
posted by otherwordlyglow at 11:39 AM on May 21, 2010
posted by otherwordlyglow at 11:39 AM on May 21, 2010
I would suggest stopping the running (on-land - have you considered water running?). You may very well be developing pain in your left leg because of alterations in your stride caused by the pain you are experiencing on your right side/abnormal gait, and that pain could signal that you are injuring the soft tissues (ligament and/or lateral meniscus) in your knee.
My own "running through pain" story - when I first started running, I developed pain in my right knee, on the lateral side. I kept right on running, until I couldn't run for months b/c the pain was so bad. Now (years later), if I'm not super-diligent about doing strength-training to keep my knee tracking properly (lots of quads and hamstrings work - they were probably too weak to support the amount of running that I was doing, leading to the injury in the first place), I get pain in the exact same location. Don't be me!
Closing with words of wisdom from my PTA prof (a PT) - there's a difference between "pain" and "discomfort". Working through discomfort is okay, working through pain never is!
posted by purlgurly at 12:02 PM on May 21, 2010
My own "running through pain" story - when I first started running, I developed pain in my right knee, on the lateral side. I kept right on running, until I couldn't run for months b/c the pain was so bad. Now (years later), if I'm not super-diligent about doing strength-training to keep my knee tracking properly (lots of quads and hamstrings work - they were probably too weak to support the amount of running that I was doing, leading to the injury in the first place), I get pain in the exact same location. Don't be me!
Closing with words of wisdom from my PTA prof (a PT) - there's a difference between "pain" and "discomfort". Working through discomfort is okay, working through pain never is!
posted by purlgurly at 12:02 PM on May 21, 2010
It doesn't sound like a good idea to keep running.
I also tend to develop, while running, a bad cramp in my left leg, on the outside of my knee.
This specifically might be treatable -- try massaging your IT band like this guy does. In fact does massaging everything in your legs and hips and stretching a lot is never a bad idea. And if you decide to keep running (which you probably shouldn't do) at least pay attention to whether you're running symmetrically and planting your feet straight. Running lopsided will definitely fuck you up.
Why don't you try swimming? Running is bad for your joints even without a busted hip.
posted by creasy boy at 12:06 PM on May 21, 2010
I also tend to develop, while running, a bad cramp in my left leg, on the outside of my knee.
This specifically might be treatable -- try massaging your IT band like this guy does. In fact does massaging everything in your legs and hips and stretching a lot is never a bad idea. And if you decide to keep running (which you probably shouldn't do) at least pay attention to whether you're running symmetrically and planting your feet straight. Running lopsided will definitely fuck you up.
Why don't you try swimming? Running is bad for your joints even without a busted hip.
posted by creasy boy at 12:06 PM on May 21, 2010
The knee thing worries me. Some pain from the healing/affected area is expected, but I agree with your assessment on the knee, and that kind of thing isn't going to get better without help - it will get steadily worse, even if you're only walking. It will also be cheaper to resolve the sooner you go, insurance issues aside.
Your best case scenario is PT + the ortho telling you to stay off of it for a while.
posted by Citrus at 12:26 PM on May 21, 2010
Your best case scenario is PT + the ortho telling you to stay off of it for a while.
posted by Citrus at 12:26 PM on May 21, 2010
Dude, what the hell? This is classic cut off the nose to spite the face-type behavior, except in your case it's your hip. Take up swimming. It's great exercise and lower impact than just about anything else out there.
posted by clockzero at 12:56 PM on May 21, 2010
posted by clockzero at 12:56 PM on May 21, 2010
It's not how much pain, as it is the quality and duration of the pain. A side stitch can hurt a lot, but you know it's temporary and doesn't mean anything. Muscle soreness is OK, because you know that's from training hard in previous runs. But an unexplainable / unknown pain, especially a sharp joint or muscle pain, or any pain at all (dull or sharp) in a joint? I'd get that checked out if it doesn't go away or recurs after a day or two of rest.
So, your hip soreness? Definitely get it checked out. That's structural and crucial.
posted by zippy at 2:58 PM on May 21, 2010
So, your hip soreness? Definitely get it checked out. That's structural and crucial.
posted by zippy at 2:58 PM on May 21, 2010
..there's a difference between "pain" and "discomfort". Working through discomfort is okay, working through pain never is!
You remind me of my high school football coach lecturing (well, bellowing) at us about "the difference between pain and injury."
Anyway, this doesn't just apply to running, although running tends to aggravate problems with gait a lot quicker. But it happened to me even just walking. I did a walking program, ramped up too quickly to too high an intensity, and got "goosefoot bursitis" in my knee. It hit me on the way home, it felt like a stiff knee and not a serious problem. Then 2 days later (after a day of rest) I went out to walk my 3 miles, and I got about a mile away from home when the pain was so intense, it took me about an hour to limp home. It took 3 weeks in a splint and serious rehab to get back to walking farther than across the room.
So don't mess with pain. Your body is trying to tell you something. It is saying "Ouch!" so you should listen to it.
posted by charlie don't surf at 3:33 PM on May 21, 2010
You remind me of my high school football coach lecturing (well, bellowing) at us about "the difference between pain and injury."
Anyway, this doesn't just apply to running, although running tends to aggravate problems with gait a lot quicker. But it happened to me even just walking. I did a walking program, ramped up too quickly to too high an intensity, and got "goosefoot bursitis" in my knee. It hit me on the way home, it felt like a stiff knee and not a serious problem. Then 2 days later (after a day of rest) I went out to walk my 3 miles, and I got about a mile away from home when the pain was so intense, it took me about an hour to limp home. It took 3 weeks in a splint and serious rehab to get back to walking farther than across the room.
So don't mess with pain. Your body is trying to tell you something. It is saying "Ouch!" so you should listen to it.
posted by charlie don't surf at 3:33 PM on May 21, 2010
Oh jesus, that is WAY too much pain. Stop, immediately, you are damaging yourself - perhaps permanently. Don't run through this kind of pain, you should _not_ be limping all day after a run, sweet mother of god in a corset and bandoliers.
Generally you should never run through pain, unless it's like a stitch. That level and duration of pain definitely not. Don't cripple yourself to prove a point, dude, it's totally not worth it; there's lots of other exercise you can do.
posted by smoke at 6:23 PM on May 21, 2010
Generally you should never run through pain, unless it's like a stitch. That level and duration of pain definitely not. Don't cripple yourself to prove a point, dude, it's totally not worth it; there's lots of other exercise you can do.
posted by smoke at 6:23 PM on May 21, 2010
I have a hip injury that, were I stupid enough to be running on it, would present the same way. If it is making you limp, STOP. Limping is a bad bad sign. The doctor may or may not help, but a decent physical therapist would probably be a good idea.
posted by ch1x0r at 10:26 PM on May 21, 2010
posted by ch1x0r at 10:26 PM on May 21, 2010
« Older Please help me find the source of this animated... | Nice desk you've got there next to the fireplace Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.
The guidelines I have heard is that you should stop your run if the pain
1) Is more than about an intensity of about 3 on a 1 to 10 scale
2) Does not disappear shortly after beginning the run (if pain happens with the start of running)
3) Does not disappear within a block or two (if pain happens in the middle of a run)
But, then again, IANAD...
It's worrisome as well that the pain affects your non-running life. I have always been told by my doctors that if pain persists after running and affects my ability to walk, sit, or otherwise go through my day, that I should call them stat.
Short answers: No, this is not wise. Yes, you are risking permanent damage. Yes, running through pain is to be avoided. Yes, there is a certain amount of pain that can be ignored, but it is extremely limited and you are well in excess of that amount.
posted by kataclysm at 11:02 AM on May 21, 2010 [1 favorite]